Tachycardia after Buprenorphine in dogs

The FDA has received 79 reports of tachycardia in dogs after Buprenorphine. That is 5.0% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

79Reports

86%Marked serious

23%Recovered

39%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

35 47%

1–2 days

14 19%

3–7 days

8 11%

1–4 weeks

12 16%

Over a month

6 8.0%

How the animals did

Recovered

18 23%

Still unwell when reported

24 30%

Died

9 11%

Euthanised

22 28%

Not known

6 7.6%

Problems reported at the same time

34 43%

33 42%

31 39%

31 39%

26 33%

25 32%

23 29%

20 25%

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 tachycardia in dogs?: 79 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).

Tachycardia with similar medicines

Tachycardia after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 173 reports · 3.2% of its reports

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