Breathing problems after Morphine in dogs

The FDA has received 34 reports of breathing problems in dogs after Morphine. That is 11% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.7% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

34Reports
76%Marked serious
18%Recovered
62%Died or euthanised
1 daysTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
10 42%
1–2 days
7 29%
3–7 days
0 0.0%
1–4 weeks
4 17%
Over a month
3 13%

How the animals did

Recovered
6 18%
Still unwell when reported
4 12%
Died
11 32%
Euthanised
10 29%
Not known
3 8.8%

Problems reported at the same time

21 62%
12 35%
Abdominal pain
5 15%
Fever
5 15%
Cardiac arrest
5 15%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
1
1–3 years
9
4–7 years
11
8–11 years
9
12+ years
3

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Morphine cause breathing problems in dogs?
34 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).

Breathing problems with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Morphine in dogs · Medicines most reported with breathing problems