Recovery prolonged after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 67 reports of recovery prolonged in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 1.2% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.4% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

67Reports

43%Marked serious

42%Recovered

16%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

56 90%

1–2 days

3 4.8%

3–7 days

1 1.6%

1–4 weeks

2 3.2%

Over a month

0 0.0%

How the animals did

Recovered

28 42%

Still unwell when reported

16 24%

Died

8 12%

Euthanised

3 4.5%

Not known

12 18%

Problems reported at the same time

10 15%

9 13%

9 13%

8 12%

6 9.0%

6 9.0%

Eye or vision problems

5 7.5%

Fever

5 7.5%

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 recovery prolonged in cats?: 67 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).

Recovery prolonged with similar medicines

Recovery prolonged after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 77 reports · 2.9% of its reports

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