Breathing problems after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 341 reports of breathing problems in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 6.1% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 4.7% across reports for all cat medicines.

341Reports

76%Marked serious

21%Recovered

39%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

181 57%

1–2 days

79 25%

3–7 days

23 7.3%

1–4 weeks

13 4.1%

Over a month

19 6.0%

How the animals did

Recovered

70 21%

Still unwell when reported

96 28%

Died

77 23%

Euthanised

56 16%

Not known

42 12%

Problems reported at the same time

131 38%

99 29%

93 27%

73 21%

Restlessness or agitation

70 21%

Behaviour change

60 18%

Fever

60 18%

Drooling

51 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 breathing problems in cats?: 341 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).

Breathing problems with similar medicines

Breathing problems after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 225 reports · 8.6% of its reports

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