Nystagmus after Doxycycline in dogs

The FDA has received 22 reports of nystagmus in dogs after Doxycycline. That is 0.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.3% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

22Reports

86%Marked serious

14%Recovered

41%Died or euthanised

7 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

3 17%

1–2 days

4 22%

3–7 days

3 17%

1–4 weeks

1 5.6%

Over a month

7 39%

How the animals did

Recovered

3 14%

Still unwell when reported

8 36%

Died

5 23%

Euthanised

4 18%

Not known

2 9.1%

Problems reported at the same time

10 45%

10 45%

9 41%

9 41%

Head tilt - neurological disorder

7 32%

Breathing problems

6 27%

Loss of appetite

6 27%

Behaviour change

5 23%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Doxycycline treats bacterial and tick-borne infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Doxycycline cause nystagmus in dogs?: 22 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 7 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).

Nystagmus with similar medicines

Nystagmus after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 49 reports · 0.9% of its reports
Nystagmus after Cefovecin (Convenia) 24 reports · 0.6% of its reports
Nystagmus after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 53 reports · 1.4% of its reports
Nystagmus after Metronidazole 32 reports · 1.0% of its reports

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