Weakness after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 87 reports of weakness in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 1.6% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.2% across reports for all cat medicines.

87Reports

77%Marked serious

15%Recovered

46%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

32 41%

1–2 days

21 27%

3–7 days

5 6.4%

1–4 weeks

12 15%

Over a month

8 10%

How the animals did

Recovered

13 15%

Still unwell when reported

23 26%

Died

16 18%

Euthanised

24 28%

Not known

11 13%

Problems reported at the same time

45 52%

40 46%

35 40%

25 29%

22 25%

20 23%

20 23%

16 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 weakness in cats?: 87 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).

Weakness with similar medicines

Weakness after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 24 reports · 0.9% of its reports

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