Nystagmus after Ketamine in cats

The FDA has received 26 reports of nystagmus in cats after Ketamine. That is 0.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

26Reports

23%Marked serious

3.8%Recovered

23%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

5 50%

1–2 days

5 50%

3–7 days

0 0.0%

1–4 weeks

0 0.0%

Over a month

0 0.0%

How the animals did

Recovered

1 3.8%

Still unwell when reported

5 19%

Died

4 15%

Euthanised

2 7.7%

Not known

14 54%

Problems reported at the same time

Wobbliness (ataxia)

14 54%

Loss of appetite

7 27%

Death

6 23%

Vestibular disorder

5 19%

Head tilt - ear disorder

5 19%

Eye or vision problems

4 15%

Seizures

4 15%

Fever

4 15%

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 nystagmus in cats?: 26 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).

Nystagmus with similar medicines

Nystagmus after Butorphanol 24 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Nystagmus after Tiletamine + Zolazepam 50 reports · 3.0% of its reports
Nystagmus after Florfenicol + Mometasone + Terbinafine 92 reports · 13% of its reports

All reported side effects of Ketamine in cats · Medicines most reported with nystagmus