Death after Bupivacaine in cats

The FDA has received 31 reports of death in cats after Bupivacaine. That is 13% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.9% across reports for all cat medicines.

31Reports
100%Marked serious
0.0%Recovered
100%Died or euthanised
1 daysTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
14 47%
1–2 days
11 37%
3–7 days
3 10%
1–4 weeks
0 0.0%
Over a month
2 6.7%

How the animals did

Died
16 52%
Euthanised
15 48%

Problems reported at the same time

Liver problems
6 19%
Kidney problems
6 19%
Diarrhea
5 16%
Necropsy performed
5 16%
Hypothermia
5 16%
Wobbliness (ataxia)
4 13%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
9
1–3 years
3
4–7 years
3
8–11 years
6
12+ years
7

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Bupivacaine cause death in cats?
31 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).

Death with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Bupivacaine in cats · Medicines most reported with death