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Meds A-Z

Buprenorphine

Detailed information about Buprenorphine

Official label facts Owner quick guide first Marketing clearly labeled
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Pet Owner Quick Guide

Start here: what this medicine is for, what it does, and when it's usually needed.

Usually used for:

For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.

What it does:

For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.

When it's needed:

Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Call your vet sooner if you notice:

  • Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Commonly reported reactions:

  • (1 reports)
  • (1 reports)
  • (1 reports)

What to ask your vet today:

  • Is this medicine the right fit for my pet’s current symptoms?
  • Which warning signs mean I should call back right away?
  • How should I handle missed doses or refusal to take the medicine?
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Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine

Drug type: Generic ingredient • Branded profile FDA branded products available

Species: Both

Manufacturer: MSK

Quick Facts

Official label facts first, then secondary summaries. Marketing content is separated below.

Species: Both
Manufacturer: MSK
Form: Injectable Solution, Transdermal Solution
Identifiers:
NADA: 141434 NADA: 141547 NDC Package: 54771-4131-1 NDC Package: 58198-0078-1 NDC Package: 58198-0078-2 NDC Package: 86084-100-30 NDC Product: 54771 NDC Product: 58198 NDC Product: 86084
Source metadata:

Warnings / Contraindications

Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

  • High: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.
Source metadata:

Adverse Reactions

Snapshot first, detailed rows second. This section summarizes signal data and is not a diagnosis.

Tap or hover a reaction to see what it means in plain language.

Tracked signals
32
Reported cases
32
Serious reports
24
Species represented
2
Most Reported Reactions
Reaction Cases Species Serious cases
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1
1 Dog 1

Species coverage: Dog (24) Cat (8)

View detailed reaction table
Reaction Species Seriousness Frequency Reports
Cat Non-serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Cat Non-serious - 1
Dog Serious - 1
Source metadata:

Storage & Handling

No storage/handling guidance is linked yet.

Source metadata: No source yet.

Documents

Official label facts are separated from secondary summaries.

Promotional Materials (Marketing)

This content is marketing material and not clinical guidance.

No marketing assets are linked yet.

No source yet.

Source metadata: No source yet.
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Technical appendix (vet reference)

Canonical medication sections are above. This legacy block remains available for deeper cross-reference without cluttering the primary workflow.

At a Glance

Quick facts and links to official labeling and safety signals.

Data freshness
  • Medication catalog: Source PetWisePlus | Refreshed Feb 12, 2026, 10:44 PM UTC
  • Animal Drugs @ FDA: Source FDA | Refreshed Feb 16, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC
    Applications/products are imported from FDA export data.
  • Animal Drugs @ FDA previews: Source FDA | Refreshed Feb 9, 2026, 3:05 AM UTC
    Label highlights/doc links are fetched from FDA preview endpoints.
  • Animal Drug Product Listing Directory (NDC): Source FDA | Refreshed Feb 16, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC
    Package/product NDCs from FDA’s electronic listing directory (XLS).
  • openFDA reaction terms: Source FDA openFDA | Refreshed Feb 16, 2026, 11:02 AM UTC
  • openFDA case summaries: Source FDA openFDA | Refreshed Feb 9, 2026, 3:20 AM UTC
Official (FDA)
Identity: Generic ingredient • FDA branded products available
Official FDA brands: Simbadol® Zorbium™
Case-reported brands (openFDA): MSK
Catalog species: Both FDA-labeled species: Cat
Rx/OTC: RX
Form/route: Injectable Solution, Transdermal Solution Subcutaneous, Topical
Applications: NADA 141-434 • NADA 141-547
Documents: 2 (FOI: 2) • SPL: 2 Label highlights Official documents
Safety (openFDA)
Top reactions: Dog 56 Cat 56 View
Case summaries: 10 (showing 8) View
openFDA reports are unverified and do not prove causation.

Explore
Related conditions: Pain (acute, chronic) Pica
Linked using: Fda_Label (0.95), Fda_Label (0.95)

Diagnosis Codes

Diagnosis-code mappings are not available for this medication yet.

Counseling and Monitoring Highlights

Global Pet owner/Vet mode is controlled in the header. This section avoids duplicate in-page persona tabs.

Owner-facing counseling points
  • Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. (Contraindication, High)
Top reaction signals
Agitation (1) Behavioural disorder NOS (1) Bloody diarrhoea (1) Burn (1) Decreased activity (1) Dysphoria (1) Elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (1) Elevated symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) (1) Enamel disorder (1) Eosinophilia (1) Excessive chewing, licking and/or grooming (1) Fever (1) Groaning (1) Hiding (1) Hyperactivity (1) Hypersalivation (1)

Identifiers & Packages

Normalized identifiers (NDC/NADA/ANADA) and package metadata from regulator listings.

Identifiers
NADA: 141434 NADA: 141547 NDC Package: 54771-4131-1 NDC Package: 58198-0078-1 NDC Package: 58198-0078-2 NDC Package: 86084-100-30 NDC Product: 54771 NDC Product: 58198 NDC Product: 86084
Package NDC Product NDC Form / Route Status
54771-4131-1 54771 -
58198-0078-1 58198 -
58198-0078-2 58198 -
86084-100-30 86084 -

Enriched Documents

Documents are tiered by source trust: Official, Clinical, Manufacturer, Marketing.

Data Sources & Revision History

Every non-trivial field is expected to include provenance and update timestamps.

Official 5 Clinical 0 Manufacturer 0 Marketing 0
Current Field Facts
  • contraindications: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. (Official, 2026-02-12)
  • side_effects: Top reported reactions (openFDA): Vomiting, Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological'), Diarrhoea, Death, Death by euthanasia, Ano… (Official, 2026-02-12)
  • usage: For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats. (Official, 2026-02-12)
Recent Revisions
  • side_effects updated 2026-02-12 22:44 by etl_backfill • Backfilled from existing medication fields
  • contraindications updated 2026-02-12 22:44 by etl_backfill • Backfilled from existing medication fields
  • usage updated 2026-02-12 22:44 by etl_backfill • Backfilled from existing medication fields

FDA Products & Applications (Animal Drugs @ FDA)

Official sponsor/proprietary-name/application-status records linked by active ingredient.

Product Sponsor Application Status Published
Simbadol®
RX
Buprenorphine
Injectable Solution Subcutaneous
Zoetis Inc. NADA 141-434 Approved Feb 8, 2023
Zorbium™
RX
Buprenorphine
Transdermal Solution Topical
Elanco US Inc. NADA 141-547 Approved Feb 1, 2022

Data source: FDA Animal Drugs @ FDA (public search export).

What It's For (FDA Label Highlights)

Extracted from FDA Animal Drugs @ FDA product labeling. Always confirm details with your veterinarian.

Species: Cat, No Use Class Stated Or Implied
Composition / specifications
Each milliliter of solution contains 1.8 milligrams buprenorphine.
Cats
Indication
For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.
Dosage
Administer 0.24 mg/kg (0.11 mg/lb) by subcutaneous injection once daily for up to 3 days. Administer the first dose approximately 1 hour prior to surgery.
Limitations
Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

FDA page: Open in Animal Drugs @ FDA

Species: Cat, No Use Class Stated Or Implied
Composition / specifications
20mg/mL
Cats
Indication

For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.

Dosage

Administer topically to the dorsal cervical area at the base of the skull a single dose of 1.2 to 3.1 mg/lb (2.7 to 6.7 mg/kg) approximately 1 to 2 hours before surgery.

Limitations

FDA page: Open in Animal Drugs @ FDA

Official Documents (FDA)

Direct links to FDA-hosted PDFs and SPL packages (when available).

Documents
  • Summary
    For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.
SPL Packages

FDA page: Open in Animal Drugs @ FDA

Documents
SPL Packages

FDA page: Open in Animal Drugs @ FDA

Usage

For the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats.

Source: FDA Animal Drugs @ FDA • Reference

Contraindications

Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Side Effects

No approved side-effect narrative is linked yet.

openFDA reaction signals are available for Dog 56 and Cat 56 (view top reported reactions).

Top Reported Reactions (openFDA)

Aggregated reaction terms from FDA openFDA reports (not verified; does not prove causation).

Dog
Digestive
Vomiting (188) Diarrhea (126) Loss of appetite (103) Vomiting (7) Vomiting (7) Vomiting (7) Vomiting (7) Vomiting (7) Vomiting (6) Loss of appetite (2) Loss of appetite (2) Loss of appetite (2) Loss of appetite (2) Loss of appetite (2) Loss of appetite (2)
Neurologic
Tiredness (lethargy) (140) Tiredness (lethargy) (8) Tiredness (lethargy) (8) Tiredness (lethargy) (8) Tiredness (lethargy) (8) Tiredness (lethargy) (8) Tiredness (lethargy) (7) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2) Unsteady walking (ataxia) (2)
Effectiveness
Lack of efficacy - NOS (94)
Other
Death (118) Death by euthanasia (112) Not eating (97) Panting (4) Panting (4) Panting (4) Panting (4) Panting (4) Panting (3) Underdose (3) Underdose (3) Underdose (3) Underdose (3) Underdose (3) Underdose (3) Death by euthanasia (2) Death by euthanasia (2) Death by euthanasia (2) Death by euthanasia (2) Death by euthanasia (2) Death by euthanasia (2) Dehydration (2) Dehydration (2) Dehydration (2) Dehydration (2) Dehydration (2) Dehydration (2)
Cat
Digestive
Loss of appetite (310) Loss of appetite (6) Loss of appetite (6) Loss of appetite (6) Loss of appetite (6) Loss of appetite (6) Loss of appetite (6)
Neurologic
Tiredness (lethargy) (6) Tiredness (lethargy) (6) Tiredness (lethargy) (6) Tiredness (lethargy) (6) Tiredness (lethargy) (6)
Behavior
Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (815) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (9) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (9) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (9) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (9) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (9) Behavioral disorder (unspecified) (7)
Other
Dilated pupils (602) Not eating (556) Hyperactivity (486) Dysphoria (462) Not sleeping (324) Death (321) Dysphoria (8) Dysphoria (8) Dysphoria (8) Dysphoria (8) Dysphoria (8) Dysphoria (8) Hiding (8) Hiding (8) Hiding (8) Hiding (8) Hiding (8) Hiding (8) Not drinking (7) Not drinking (7) Not drinking (7) Not drinking (7) Not drinking (7) Not drinking (7) Not eating (7) Not eating (7) Not eating (7) Not eating (7) Not eating (7) Not eating (7) Death by euthanasia (5) Death by euthanasia (5) Death by euthanasia (5) Death by euthanasia (5) Death by euthanasia (5) Dilated pupils (5) Hyperactivity (5)

Data source: FDA openFDA Animal & Veterinary adverse event reports.

Adverse Event Case Summaries (openFDA)

These are individual FDA adverse event reports. They are unverified and do not prove the medication caused the reaction.

Cat, Domestic Longhair, Male, 6 month, 2.631 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Injection, solution, Subcutaneous, Dose: 0.36 mL per animal • Reactions: Hyperthermia, Underdose • Outcome: Ongoing

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-056102
  • Serious AE: No
  • Treated For AE: No
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: 6.00 Month
  • Weight: 2.631 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Subcutaneous
  • Form: Injection, solution
  • Dose: 0.36 mL per animal
Reactions Reported:
Hyperthermia Underdose
Outcomes: Ongoing

Cat, Cat (unknown), Unknown • Drug: MSK, Solution, Unknown • Reactions: Dysphoria, Agitation, Behavioral disorder (unspecified) • Outcome: Recovered/Normal

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-056125
  • Serious AE: No
  • Treated For AE: No
  • Sex: Unknown
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Unknown
  • Form: Solution
Reactions Reported:
Dysphoria Agitation Behavioral disorder (unspecified)
Outcomes: Recovered/Normal

Cat, Siamese, Female, 6 year, 3.44 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Solution, Transdermal, Dose: 1 tube per animal • Reactions: Inappropriate urination, Not drinking, Reluctant to move, Not eating, Hiding… • Outcome: Outcome Unknown

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-055785
  • Serious AE: No
  • Treated For AE: Yes
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 6.00 Year
  • Weight: 3.440 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Transdermal
  • Form: Solution
  • Dose: 1 tube per animal
Reactions Reported:
Inappropriate urination Not drinking Reluctant to move Not eating Hiding Sedation Behavioral disorder (unspecified)
Outcomes: Outcome Unknown

Cat, Domestic Shorthair, Male, 5 year, 8.61 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Solution, Topical, Dose: 1 tube per animal • Reactions: Hyperthermia, Hyperactivity • Outcome: Ongoing

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-055972
  • Serious AE: No
  • Treated For AE: No
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: 5.00 Year
  • Weight: 8.610 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Topical
  • Form: Solution
  • Dose: 1 tube per animal
Reactions Reported:
Hyperthermia Hyperactivity
Outcomes: Ongoing

Cat, Domestic Shorthair, Female, 18 year, 2.51 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Solution, Topical, Dose: 0.20 mL per animal • Reactions: Not sleeping, Dysphoria • Outcome: Outcome Unknown

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-056122
  • Serious AE: No
  • Treated For AE: No
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 18.00 Year
  • Weight: 2.510 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Topical
  • Form: Solution
  • Dose: 0.20 mL per animal
Reactions Reported:
Not sleeping Dysphoria
Outcomes: Outcome Unknown

Dog, ['Collie (unspecified)', 'Dog (unknown)'], Female, 11 year, 18.234 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Unknown • Reactions: Decreased activity, Otitis NOS, Mucous stool, Bloody diarrhoea, Loss of hearing • Outcome: Ongoing

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-055634
  • Serious AE: Yes
  • Treated For AE: Yes
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 11.00 Year
  • Weight: 18.234 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Unknown
Reactions Reported:
Decreased activity Otitis NOS Mucous stool Bloody diarrhoea Loss of hearing
Outcomes: Ongoing

Dog, ['Shepherd Dog - German', 'Dog (unknown)'], Female, 2.5 year • Drug: MSK, Intramuscular, Dose: 0.48 mL per animal • Reactions: Neutropenia, Eosinophilia, Lymphocytosis, Enamel disorder, Tooth disorder • Outcome: Outcome Unknown

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-055809
  • Serious AE: Yes
  • Treated For AE: No
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 2.50 Year
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Intramuscular
  • Dose: 0.48 mL per animal
Reactions Reported:
Neutropenia Eosinophilia Lymphocytosis Enamel disorder Tooth disorder
Outcomes: Outcome Unknown

Dog, Shepherd Dog - German, Female, 3 year, 39.463 kilogram • Drug: MSK, Unassigned, Unknown, Dose: 1.30 mL per animal • Reactions: Tiredness (lethargy), Drooling, Restlessness, Groaning • Outcome: Ongoing

  • Report ID: USA-USFDACVM-2025-US-054508
  • Serious AE: Yes
  • Treated For AE: Yes
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 3.00 Year
  • Weight: 39.463 Kilogram
  • Case-reported brand: MSK
  • Case-reported manufacturer: MSK
  • Route: Unknown
  • Form: Unassigned
  • Dose: 1.30 mL per animal
Reactions Reported:
Tiredness (lethargy) Drooling Restlessness Groaning
Outcomes: Ongoing

Data source: FDA openFDA Animal & Veterinary adverse event reports.

Overdose Information

No approved overdose-management text is linked yet. If overdose is suspected, contact a veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately.

Storage & Handling

No approved storage guidance is linked yet for this ingredient. Use manufacturer packaging and veterinary guidance for handling/storage.

Share Your Thoughts

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This medication has not been reviewed by a veterinarian yet.