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For those who haven't encountered this drug yet, it is a transdermal (topical) form of buprenorphine which is a synthetic opioid pain medication. Zorbium was FDA approved in 2022 and is commonly used after dental surgeries. It supposedly works for up to 4 days. Vets love it because they don't have to deal with state required paperwork when prescribing the oral form and they know that there's 100% compliance because they apply it for you.
What they don't tell you is that the side effects SUCK and are different than the oral form of buprenorphine.
Both of my cats have now had Zorbium. They have had the oral form of buprenorphine in the past with no noticeable side effects (maybe some mild sleepiness?) but this transdermal version is weird.
With Contessa, she refused to eat which is very unlike her. She loves food more than life itself and I was beside myself worried that she was going to get hepatic lipidosis. She didn't start eating until about 3 days after she got her Zorbium. I also think that the drug wore off early but because it "lasts 4 days," the vet would not allow me to give her any oral buprenorphine until day 5 so my cat was in unnecessary pain.
With Juliet, she is walking around with her tail held low, walks a few steps and then lays down on her side, looks around all confused, and also is refusing to eat. She had surgery on the morning of 8/22 so we're about 48 hours out from that but our vet had us fast her from 10pm on 8/21 so she is about 60 hours with no food at this point. We brought her to the vet yesterday and they gave her fluids and a transdermal appetite stimulant and she still won't eat. She also has NOT slept at all since she got home unless she has only slept while I sleep which seems unlikely. She seems like she's on guard at all times.
I will NEVER allow my cats to get this drug again. I didn't even realize my vet had started using it until Juliet got it on Tuesday. The dose that Contessa got was given at a different clinic. I will be calling Monday morning to tell them to put NO ZORBIUM in both of their files. I'm also considering filing a complaint with the FDA because this is clearly a dangerous drug if it causes cats to not eat for days on end. If vets are going to use it, they need to warn clients and maybe even put in a feeding tube while they already have the cat under anesthesia.
What they don't tell you is that the side effects SUCK and are different than the oral form of buprenorphine.
Both of my cats have now had Zorbium. They have had the oral form of buprenorphine in the past with no noticeable side effects (maybe some mild sleepiness?) but this transdermal version is weird.
With Contessa, she refused to eat which is very unlike her. She loves food more than life itself and I was beside myself worried that she was going to get hepatic lipidosis. She didn't start eating until about 3 days after she got her Zorbium. I also think that the drug wore off early but because it "lasts 4 days," the vet would not allow me to give her any oral buprenorphine until day 5 so my cat was in unnecessary pain.
With Juliet, she is walking around with her tail held low, walks a few steps and then lays down on her side, looks around all confused, and also is refusing to eat. She had surgery on the morning of 8/22 so we're about 48 hours out from that but our vet had us fast her from 10pm on 8/21 so she is about 60 hours with no food at this point. We brought her to the vet yesterday and they gave her fluids and a transdermal appetite stimulant and she still won't eat. She also has NOT slept at all since she got home unless she has only slept while I sleep which seems unlikely. She seems like she's on guard at all times.
I will NEVER allow my cats to get this drug again. I didn't even realize my vet had started using it until Juliet got it on Tuesday. The dose that Contessa got was given at a different clinic. I will be calling Monday morning to tell them to put NO ZORBIUM in both of their files. I'm also considering filing a complaint with the FDA because this is clearly a dangerous drug if it causes cats to not eat for days on end. If vets are going to use it, they need to warn clients and maybe even put in a feeding tube while they already have the cat under anesthesia.