Sedation after Buprenorphine in dogs

The FDA has received 30 reports of sedation in dogs after Buprenorphine. That is 1.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.1% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

30Reports

53%Marked serious

23%Recovered

23%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

15 56%

1–2 days

5 19%

3–7 days

3 11%

1–4 weeks

2 7.4%

Over a month

2 7.4%

How the animals did

Recovered

7 23%

Still unwell when reported

12 40%

Died

2 6.7%

Euthanised

5 17%

Not known

4 13%

Problems reported at the same time

11 37%

7 23%

7 23%

7 23%

7 23%

7 23%

6 20%

5 17%

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 sedation in dogs?: 30 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).

Sedation with similar medicines

Sedation after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 235 reports · 4.3% of its reports

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