Not urinating after Buprenorphine in cats

94 reports to the FDA describe not urinating in cats given Buprenorphine. That is 1.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.2% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

94Reports

43%Marked serious

26%Recovered

20%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

43 48%

1–2 days

33 37%

3–7 days

2 2.2%

1–4 weeks

6 6.7%

Over a month

5 5.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

24 26%

Still unwell when reported

25 27%

Died

9 9.6%

Euthanised

10 11%

Not known

26 28%

Problems reported at the same time

58 62%

31 33%

24 26%

22 23%

Restlessness or agitation

20 21%

Death

19 20%

Behaviour change

17 18%

Hiding

17 18%

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 not urinating in cats?: 94 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 1 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).

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in cats · Medicines most reported with not urinating