Tachycardia after Metronidazole in dogs

56 reports to the FDA describe tachycardia in dogs given Metronidazole. That is 1.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

56Reports

89%Marked serious

8.9%Recovered

48%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

15 30%

1–2 days

15 30%

3–7 days

2 4.0%

1–4 weeks

9 18%

Over a month

9 18%

How the animals did

Recovered

5 8.9%

Still unwell when reported

20 36%

Died

7 13%

Euthanised

20 36%

Not known

4 7.1%

Problems reported at the same time

36 64%

33 59%

31 55%

29 52%

28 50%

27 48%

27 48%

22 39%

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 tachycardia in dogs?: 56 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 1 day 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).

Tachycardia with similar medicines

Tachycardia after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 82 reports · 1.5% of its reports
Tachycardia after Doxycycline 68 reports · 1.7% of its reports
Tachycardia after Cefovecin (Convenia) 43 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Tachycardia after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 73 reports · 1.9% of its reports

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