Low blood pressure after Ketamine in cats

The FDA has received 23 reports of low blood pressure in cats after Ketamine. That is 0.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.1% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

23Reports

83%Marked serious

26%Recovered

39%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

17 81%

1–2 days

2 9.5%

3–7 days

1 4.8%

1–4 weeks

0 0.0%

Over a month

1 4.8%

How the animals did

Recovered

6 26%

Still unwell when reported

4 17%

Died

4 17%

Euthanised

5 22%

Not known

4 17%

Problems reported at the same time

9 39%

6 26%

6 26%

5 22%

5 22%

4 17%

4 17%

Decreased heart rate

4 17%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Ketamine cause low blood pressure in cats?: 23 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).

Low blood pressure with similar medicines

Low blood pressure after Butorphanol 24 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Low blood pressure after Isoflurane 28 reports · 1.4% of its reports
Low blood pressure after Propofol 20 reports · 1.7% of its reports

All reported side effects of Ketamine in cats · Medicines most reported with low blood pressure