Lethargy after Doxycycline in dogs

The FDA has received 677 reports of lethargy in dogs after Doxycycline. That is 17% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 11% across reports for all dog medicines.

677Reports

72%Marked serious

15%Recovered

29%Died or euthanised

11 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

98 18%

1–2 days

72 13%

3–7 days

86 15%

1–4 weeks

109 19%

Over a month

194 35%

How the animals did

Recovered

93 14%

Recovered with lasting effects

10 1.5%

Still unwell when reported

280 41%

Died

83 12%

Euthanised

113 17%

Not known

98 14%

Problems reported at the same time

377 56%

235 35%

202 30%

197 29%

193 29%

135 20%

134 20%

124 18%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

204

4–7 years

194

8–11 years

166

12+ years

About this medicine

Doxycycline treats bacterial and tick-borne infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Doxycycline cause lethargy in dogs?: 677 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 11 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Lethargy with similar medicines

Lethargy after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 1,070 reports · 20% of its reports
Lethargy after Cefovecin (Convenia) 936 reports · 25% of its reports
Lethargy after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 795 reports · 21% of its reports
Lethargy after Metronidazole 798 reports · 26% of its reports
Lethargy after Amoxicillin 344 reports · 26% of its reports

All reported side effects of Doxycycline in dogs · Medicines most reported with lethargy