any side effects to buprenorphine in cats?

What is the appropriate dose of Buprenex orally for a 16 year old, 4 pound cat?  Is there a dosage per weight recommendation.  We gave our cat 0.1cc orally and she died 12 hours later! :-(

My 18 yr. old cat with chronic renal disease was prescribed Buprenex for pain relief of her rear leg which became very painful and lost about 85% function due to unknown cause.  Along with limiting her activity (no running/jumping) she's administered this medication every 8 hrs. every day hoping for the leg to improve and heal.  It's now been 13 days.  Pain relief is achieved but only while on the Buprenex.  The leg doesn't seem to be gaining back function yet.  I'm afraid this opiate will cause damage to her kidneys and more, not to mention it's addictiveness.  She may continue this regeime for at least another 8 days (3 weeks).  I'm very concerned about withdrawal once she's taken off the buprenorphine.  WHAT ARE the WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS for my old cat?  I'm anxious to get her off this as soon as possible (vet approved) as I just read this drug can harm her kidneys further.  IS THIS TRUE?  THANK you.

Buprenorphine is a synthetic opiate that binds to opiate receptors and stimulates them. It is similar to one of the original opiates, morphine.

Opiates are a class of drugs originally derived from the poppy flower. When comparing potency, opiates are compared to morphine.


That is as accurate of an answer you can get.......good luck
Buprenorphine is 30 times as potent as morphine and does not result in the negative gastrointestinal effects typically associated with morphine.


Precautions and Side Effects


While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, buprenorphine can cause side effects in some animals.

Buprenorphine should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug.

The drug should be avoided in animals with kidney disease, underactive thyroid gland and Addison's disease.

Buprenorphine should be used with caution in animals with head trauma, compromised cardiovascular function and geriatric or severely debilitated animals.

Since it is metabolized by the liver, buprenorphine should be used with caution in animals with liver disease.

Buprenorphine may interact with other medications. Consult with your veterinarian to determine if other drugs your pet is receiving could interact with buprenorphine. Such drugs include certain antihistamines, tranquilizers, barbiturates and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

In rare cases, buprenorphine can slow breathing, as with other opiates.

The most common side effect of buprenorphine is sedation.

Due to a high index of safety, overdose is rare.

The most common side effect is sedation, and you seem to be seeing that already. I have posted a link that has more information on the drug.

i used to be perscribed buprenorphine also called subutex off my doctor but am now on methadone which is alot more addictive. one day a few years ago the dog i used 2 own ate one of my subutex tablets & within about half hour my dog was well spaced out,shaking uncontrolebly & couldn't control its bowells or bladder & its back legs were giving way. i thought it was going to die & didn't know what to do for the best but by the next morning the dog was back to normal. Subutex, when perscribed to humans have to be put under the tongue until dissolved into the bloodstream through the veins under the tongue & will not work on humans if swallowed. subutex in humans is addictive as when i tried to stop taking them i didn't have the energy to lift myself off the bed, felt pretty ill & ended up relapsing back on heroin but i had been on four tablets a day for over a year. If you have any concerns about what you've asked or anything i've said i would go back to the vet & tell him your concerns. i hope this has helped, best of luck.