Seizures after Buprenorphine in dogs

The FDA has received 109 reports of seizures in dogs after Buprenorphine. That is 6.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 4.4% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

109Reports

96%Marked serious

36%Recovered

30%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

57 58%

1–2 days

14 14%

3–7 days

5 5.1%

1–4 weeks

16 16%

Over a month

7 7.1%

How the animals did

Recovered

39 36%

Still unwell when reported

28 26%

Died

11 10%

Euthanised

22 20%

Not known

9 8.3%

Problems reported at the same time

33 30%

25 23%

23 21%

20 18%

18 17%

18 17%

17 16%

17 16%

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 seizures in dogs?: 109 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).

Seizures with similar medicines

Seizures after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 335 reports · 6.1% of its reports

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