What Is It?: Buprenorphine is used as a pain medication for dogs and cats.

How Should It Be Given? Buprenorphine is available by injection, transdermal gel, oral liquid, or oral chew treat.  If you are uncertain about using this ask your pharmacist to explain. Buprenorphine is usually given orally to dogs and cats up to three times daily for relief of pain.

Possible Side Effects: Sedation is the most commonly experienced side effect. Rarely, depression of breathing to the point of respiratory distress has occurred. Buprenorphine must be eliminated by the kidneys and should be used carefully in animals with kidney disease. The liver is also responsible for removing buprenorphine from the body and this drug should be used carefully in animals with liver disease. Buprenorphine can depress breathing ability and should be used very carefully in animals that have lung injury or lung disease.

Certain flea collars and dips containing amitraz (an MAO inhibitor) should not be worn or used within 14 days of buprenorphine as this combination may cause a dangerous rise in body temperature and blood pressure. Aged cheese can also cause this effect, so make sure that your pets do not get into any aged cheese while on this drug.

Other pain relievers may accentuate the side effects of buprenorphine. Do not administer any other pain relievers to your pet without the recommendation from your veterinarian.

Storage: Buprenorphine should be stored in a tight, light resistant, childproof container away from all children and other household pets.

Note: Do not skip doses or stop giving the medication. If you have difficulty giving doses consult your veterinarian or pharmacist who can offer administration techniques or change the dosage form to a type of medication that may be more acceptable to you and your animal.

If you miss a dose of this medication you should give it as soon as you remember it, but if it is within a few hours of the regularly scheduled dose, wait and give it at the regular time. Do not double a dose as this can be toxic to your pet.