Pacing after Buprenorphine in cats

170 reports to the FDA describe pacing in cats given Buprenorphine. That is 3.0% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.3% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

170Reports

19%Marked serious

34%Recovered

7.6%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

102 64%

1–2 days

36 23%

3–7 days

5 3.1%

1–4 weeks

8 5.0%

Over a month

9 5.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

57 34%

Still unwell when reported

67 39%

Died

7 4.1%

Euthanised

6 3.5%

Not known

33 19%

Problems reported at the same time

Restlessness or agitation

88 52%

68 40%

67 39%

65 38%

63 37%

26 15%

24 14%

23 14%

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 pacing in cats?: 170 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).

Pacing with similar medicines

Pacing after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 28 reports · 1.1% of its reports

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