Cardiac arrest after Butorphanol in cats

165 reports to the FDA describe cardiac arrest in cats given Butorphanol. That is 7.4% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.8% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

165Reports
66%Marked serious
5.5%Recovered
83%Died or euthanised
Same dayTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
92 88%
1–2 days
6 5.7%
3–7 days
4 3.8%
1–4 weeks
1 1.0%
Over a month
2 1.9%

How the animals did

Recovered
9 5.5%
Still unwell when reported
9 5.5%
Died
130 79%
Euthanised
7 4.2%
Not known
10 6.1%

Problems reported at the same time

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
83
1–3 years
29
4–7 years
10
8–11 years
14
12+ years
12

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Butorphanol cause cardiac arrest in cats?
165 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).

Cardiac arrest with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Butorphanol in cats · Medicines most reported with cardiac arrest