My dog is restless, panting, whining after buprenorphine. What to do?

This could be a side effect of the morphine administered for sedation. Keep her in a quiet, warm, dimly lit room. Restrict activity as much as possible, especially avoiding stairs or climbing onto furniture. Effects can last 4 to 6 hours, not all dogs metabolize the drug at the same rate so this period could be longer or shorter. If she is the same or worse after the 4-6 hour period has passed, consider having her rechecked by your vet. Contact your veterinarian anyway and discuss options for pain management once the morphine wears off.

Hello, and thanks for your question. Without examining Trixie I can’t say for sure if there might be another problem causing her unsteadiness, but buprenorphine can definitely cause sedation and unsteadiness. If it’s from the buprenorphine, the symptoms should resolve within about 6 hours. Hope this helps!

I'm so sorry to hear about Nena! Pancreatitis is sometimes a tough disease to deal with. Buprenorphine is actually one of my favorite pain medications for pancreatitis patients and is generally a good choice. However, like all opiate-type medications, it can cause dysphoria which is characterized by vocalizing, not seeming to know where she is, or howling at "nothing". This can happen with frequent dosing or if a patient is a little more sensitive to this drug than the average pet. Just to be safe, double check the dose you are giving and call your vet if there is any concern. Consider giving half of your prescribed dose to see if she seems better or worse. In addition to buprenorphine, I often prescribe a medication like cerenia (maropitant) which is an anti-nusea medication that also has good pain relieving effects for the abdominal organs. If Nena is not on cerenia already, call and ask your vet if it would be appropriate for her. Usually with a few days of pain and nausea control and the fluids, most pancreatitis cases do improve - though I've seen a few that required more intensive care for 4-6 days. Hang in there! You are doing a great job. Don't be afraid to call your vet's office too if you have concerns or just want to discuss treatment further. Best of luck to you and Nena!

Buprenorphine often causes sedation as a side effect - sometimes a lot of sedation, as sounds like the case with Lady! The dose she received (0.3 mg for a 25 pound dog) is within the normal dosage range, and should not be expected to cause any serious problems at all :) The sedation should wear off in the next 6-8 hours, or possibly even sooner as the drug levels in her body start to drop. Buprenorphine has no negative impact on the pancreas at all, and is very commonly used for pain control in dogs with pancreatitis. I hope Lady starts to feel better soon!

I am sorry we couldn't get to your question earlier. Hopefully Sitara is back to normal now. The symptoms you have described are consistent with opioid use (which is what Buprenorphine is). I would not be overly concerned. I am more concerned about her dental disease and the plan to treat that, since the pain medications and antibiotics won't fix that particular problem. She needs a full dental cleaning under anesthesia and may need her teeth extracted if stomatitis is a concern. https://www.petcoach.co/article/gingivitis-and-stomatitis-in-cats/

Poor Winnie! Try not to panic at this point, sometimes dogs can have odd reactions to medication. It really depends what sort of pain killer, if it is some sort of opioid such as buprenorphine/methadone etc then shaking is very commonly seen as it enters the nervous system. However with other painkillers such as metacam etc then it wouldn't be so common. Secondly, a dog can always have an allergic reaction to any medication so if this is a medication she has never had before I would consider calling your vet for advice if her condition does not improve. Finally, there is always a possibility that something else is going on. I would double check that you gave the correct dose of medicine, and if not and you overdosed ring your vet immediately for advice or to be seen. If she continues to deteriorate I would take her into the vet in case she is having a medication reaction or it could be that her original condition is getting worse or developing. But most importantly try not to panic for now, monitor her in a calm and comfy environment. Shaking can be incredibly common with many pain killers and they can also cause drooling and odd behaviour. If she becomes sick or starts to loose consciousness please go to the vet. If you want to post again with the name of the medications and dosages I can advise you better as to their specific side effects.

Poor Rufus! Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I'd take him into a vet as soon as possible to be checked out and get pain medication. If he's extremely painful, I'd rush him into an ER vet. Until he sees the vet, rest him as much as possible. Take him out to potty on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. Best of luck, I hope this helps!