Abdominal pain after Metronidazole in dogs

The FDA has received 74 reports of abdominal pain in dogs after Metronidazole. That is 2.4% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.4% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

74Reports
80%Marked serious
14%Recovered
51%Died or euthanised
4 daysTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
13 19%
1–2 days
16 24%
3–7 days
14 21%
1–4 weeks
13 19%
Over a month
11 16%

How the animals did

Recovered
8 11%
Recovered with lasting effects
2 2.7%
Still unwell when reported
20 27%
Died
13 18%
Euthanised
25 34%
Not known
6 8.1%

Problems reported at the same time

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
8
1–3 years
8
4–7 years
14
8–11 years
26
12+ years
18

About this medicine

Metronidazole treats some bacterial and parasitic gut infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Metronidazole cause abdominal pain in dogs?
74 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 4 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).

Abdominal pain with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Metronidazole in dogs · Medicines most reported with abdominal pain