Dry eye after Pilocarpine in dogs

The FDA has received 27 reports of dry eye in dogs after Pilocarpine. That is 35% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.0% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

27Reports

93%Marked serious

26%Recovered

11%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

9 45%

1–2 days

5 25%

3–7 days

0 0.0%

1–4 weeks

4 20%

Over a month

2 10%

How the animals did

Recovered

7 26%

Still unwell when reported

13 48%

Euthanised

3 11%

Not known

4 15%

Problems reported at the same time

Corneal ulcer

20 74%

Schirmer tear test

14 52%

Corneal disorder

13 48%

Eye disorder (for photophobia see 'neurological')

12 44%

12 44%

11 41%

11 41%

10 37%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Pilocarpine cause dry eye in dogs?: 27 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).

Dry eye with similar medicines

Dry eye after Florfenicol + Mometasone + Terbinafine 145 reports · 4.1% of its reports
Dry eye after Betamethasone + Florfenicol + Terbinafine 30 reports · 1.2% of its reports
Dry eye after Ketoconazole 28 reports · 1.2% of its reports

All reported side effects of Pilocarpine in dogs · Medicines most reported with dry eye