Dilated pupils after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 740 reports of dilated pupils in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 13% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.4% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

740Reports

33%Marked serious

30%Recovered

11%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

418 61%

1–2 days

181 27%

3–7 days

33 4.8%

1–4 weeks

21 3.1%

Over a month

30 4.4%

How the animals did

Recovered

216 29%

Recovered with lasting effects

3 0.4%

Still unwell when reported

282 38%

Died

51 6.9%

Euthanised

33 4.5%

Not known

155 21%

Problems reported at the same time

Loss of appetite

274 37%

Behaviour change

269 36%

Restlessness or agitation

251 34%

133 18%

106 14%

103 14%

98 13%

90 12%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

102

4–7 years

134

8–11 years

129

12+ years

206

About this medicine

Buprenorphine pain relief (an opioid).

Questions owners ask

Can Buprenorphine cause dilated pupils in cats?: 740 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).

Dilated pupils with similar medicines

Dilated pupils after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 142 reports · 5.4% of its reports

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