Death after Pentobarbital + Phenytoin in dogs

The FDA has received 113 reports of death in dogs after Pentobarbital + Phenytoin. That is 13% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 5.2% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

113Reports
33%Marked serious
0.0%Recovered
98%Died or euthanised
Same dayTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
26 96%
1–2 days
1 3.7%
3–7 days
0 0.0%
1–4 weeks
0 0.0%
Over a month
0 0.0%

How the animals did

Died
66 58%
Euthanised
45 40%
Not known
2 1.8%

Problems reported at the same time

10 8.8%
Incorrect route of drug administration
3 2.7%
Paddling
2 1.8%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
2
1–3 years
7
4–7 years
9
8–11 years
12
12+ years
27

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Pentobarbital + Phenytoin cause death in dogs?
113 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 the same 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).

Death with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Pentobarbital + Phenytoin in dogs · Medicines most reported with death