Pet Recall Facts

Ingredients / Cephalexin

Cephalexin: FDA adverse event reports for pets

Reports received through June 26, 2026. Data and limitations.

2,797Total reports
2,624Dog reports
88Cat reports

FDA-approved products with this ingredient (Green Book)

All approved products with this ingredient, for any species.

Brand names come only from the Green Book. Brand names in FDA's public report data are masked, so counts cannot be attributed to any brand. Ingredient names in the reports are written many ways; we group them under one ingredient name and count each report once per ingredient (method).

Reports by year received

19992
20013
20023
20033
20052
20063
20072
20081
20092
20103
201137
2012334
2013370
2014236
2015245
2016311
2017241
2018186
2019151
2020112
202191
202270
202371
2024133
2025142
202643

Species named in reports

Dog2,624
Cat88
Not given80
Human3
Ferret2

Signs reported after Cephalexin

Vomiting751
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological)436
Emesis370
Diarrhoea218
Overdose218
Other abnormal test result NOS205
Accidental exposure205
Lack of efficacy - NOS181
Anorexia172
Death by euthanasia138
Seizure NOS133
Weight loss120
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT)118
Death116
Decreased appetite109
Behavioural disorder NOS104
Ataxia100
Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP)96
Not eating95
Pruritus94
Abnormal radiograph finding79
Leucocytosis NOS70
Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN)68
Panting67
Tablets, Abnormal66

Breeds named in reports

Retriever - Labrador430
Dog (unknown)305
Shepherd Dog - German176
Crossbred Canine/dog144
Retriever - Golden143
Pit Bull118
Terrier - Bull - American Pit97
Boxer (German Boxer)93
Bulldog86
Domestic Shorthair56
Shepherd Dog - Australian54
Beagle53
Chihuahua47
Siberian Husky47
Pug44

Reported outcomes

Recovered/Normal982
Ongoing788
Outcome Unknown598
Died137
Euthanized134
Recovered with Sequela75

Report a problem to FDA