Behaviour change after Buprenorphine in dogs

The FDA has received 75 reports of behaviour change in dogs after Buprenorphine. That is 4.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.5% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

75Reports

68%Marked serious

21%Recovered

23%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

28 44%

1–2 days

12 19%

3–7 days

8 13%

1–4 weeks

5 7.8%

Over a month

11 17%

How the animals did

Recovered

15 20%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 1.3%

Still unwell when reported

29 39%

Died

5 6.7%

Euthanised

12 16%

Not known

13 17%

Problems reported at the same time

41 55%

29 39%

24 32%

22 29%

19 25%

19 25%

18 24%

18 24%

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 behaviour change in dogs?: 75 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).

Behaviour change with similar medicines

Behaviour change after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 143 reports · 2.6% of its reports

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in dogs · Medicines most reported with behaviour change