Seizures after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 161 reports of seizures in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 2.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.6% across reports for all cat medicines.

161Reports

92%Marked serious

29%Recovered

34%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

80 53%

1–2 days

45 30%

3–7 days

10 6.7%

1–4 weeks

8 5.3%

Over a month

7 4.7%

How the animals did

Recovered

45 28%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 0.6%

Still unwell when reported

40 25%

Died

29 18%

Euthanised

26 16%

Not known

20 12%

Problems reported at the same time

55 34%

38 24%

33 20%

32 20%

24 15%

22 14%

Restlessness or agitation

22 14%

Eye or vision problems

20 12%

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 seizures in cats?: 161 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).

Seizures with similar medicines

Seizures after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 107 reports · 4.1% of its reports

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