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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
Click here . . .
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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Buprenorphine
Although buprenorphine may not have the
name recognition of some drugs, it is nonetheless
a great pain medication for cats.
Buprenorphine is a potent opioid painkiller. Like
all effective painkillers of it's class, it is
manufactured mainly for use in humans. However, it
turns out to be an excellent medication to give to cats.
For a detailed discussion of how buprenorphine works,
click the link to go to another article on
Pain Management. For the short version, let's
just say that buprenorphine acts on opioid receptors in
the brain and spinal cord to decrease pain in much the
same way as morphine or demerol would. Anyone who
has ever had either of these drugs will attest to their
wonderful pain-killing properties.
Some folks who have had morphine or demerol will also be
able to attest to some of their undesirable proporties.
Some humans do not do well on them, experiencing nausea
or delirium. Cats are especially prone to
experience the adverse effects, or "bad trip" that
opioids can produce. That is reason one why
buprenorphine is so good for cats: Buprenorphine
almost never produces these types of adverse events in
cats.
Buprenorphine is generally given as an injection.
It is rapidly destroyed by the body if swallowed and
taken orally. However, in cats only, the pH of the mouth
is such that buprenorphine is rapidly absorbed across
the gums. Thus, it is in a form that does not have
to be given as a pill or injected, both of which can be
difficult in cats. T his
is reason two why buprenorphine is so good for cats.
Buprenorphine is dispensed in pre-loaded single-dose
syringes with a plastic cap on them. You will need
to give your cat one dose every 12 hours, morning and
night. But, the goal is to give it slowly a little
at a time so the cat won't swallow it. If your cat
swallows the buprenorphine, it's pain-killing effects
will be minimized.
How to give buprenorphine: Remove the plastic cap.
Gently insert the syringe tip in your cat's mouth.
Give your cat about 1/4 of a syringe or less at a time.
Give another 1/4 syringe every 2 or 3 minutes or so
until the syringe is empty. Throw the empty
syringe away. Give one syringe-full every 12 hours
until gone. Keep this and any other medication out
of reach of children.
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