Bradycardia after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 88 reports of bradycardia in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 1.6% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

88Reports

74%Marked serious

35%Recovered

47%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

59 75%

1–2 days

11 14%

3–7 days

5 6.3%

1–4 weeks

2 2.5%

Over a month

2 2.5%

How the animals did

Recovered

31 35%

Still unwell when reported

8 9.1%

Died

26 30%

Euthanised

15 17%

Not known

8 9.1%

Problems reported at the same time

41 47%

25 28%

23 26%

19 22%

15 17%

14 16%

14 16%

13 15%

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 bradycardia in cats?: 88 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).

Bradycardia with similar medicines

Bradycardia after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 113 reports · 4.3% of its reports

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