Dehydration after Metronidazole in dogs

The FDA has received 163 reports of dehydration in dogs after Metronidazole. That is 5.3% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

163Reports

82%Marked serious

8.6%Recovered

40%Died or euthanised

4 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

27 19%

1–2 days

31 22%

3–7 days

23 16%

1–4 weeks

22 16%

Over a month

37 26%

How the animals did

Recovered

14 8.6%

Still unwell when reported

59 36%

Died

25 15%

Euthanised

40 25%

Not known

25 15%

Problems reported at the same time

117 72%

116 71%

99 61%

91 56%

76 47%

65 40%

53 33%

43 26%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Metronidazole treats some bacterial and parasitic gut infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Metronidazole cause dehydration in dogs?: 163 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).

Dehydration with similar medicines

Dehydration after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 150 reports · 2.8% of its reports
Dehydration after Doxycycline 71 reports · 1.8% of its reports
Dehydration after Cefovecin (Convenia) 104 reports · 2.7% of its reports
Dehydration after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 130 reports · 3.4% of its reports
Dehydration after Amoxicillin 54 reports · 4.0% of its reports

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