Disorientation after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 176 reports of disorientation in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 3.1% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.0% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

176Reports

32%Marked serious

34%Recovered

11%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

101 65%

1–2 days

36 23%

3–7 days

3 1.9%

1–4 weeks

8 5.1%

Over a month

8 5.1%

How the animals did

Recovered

57 32%

Recovered with lasting effects

2 1.1%

Still unwell when reported

64 36%

Died

10 5.7%

Euthanised

9 5.1%

Not known

34 19%

Problems reported at the same time

Dilated pupils

66 38%

Loss of appetite

59 34%

Behaviour change

57 32%

Restlessness or agitation

44 25%

41 23%

28 16%

22 13%

19 11%

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 disorientation in cats?: 176 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).

Disorientation with similar medicines

Disorientation after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 51 reports · 1.9% of its reports

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