Abdominal pain after Buprenorphine in cats

40 reports to the FDA describe abdominal pain in cats given Buprenorphine. That is 0.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.3% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

40Reports

70%Marked serious

20%Recovered

35%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

7 20%

1–2 days

11 31%

3–7 days

4 11%

1–4 weeks

8 23%

Over a month

5 14%

How the animals did

Recovered

8 20%

Still unwell when reported

11 28%

Died

3 7.5%

Euthanised

11 28%

Not known

7 18%

Problems reported at the same time

27 68%

24 60%

15 38%

14 35%

11 28%

10 25%

10 25%

9 23%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Buprenorphine pain relief (an opioid).

Questions owners ask

Can Buprenorphine cause abdominal pain in cats?: 40 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 2 days 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).

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in cats · Medicines most reported with abdominal pain