The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the medication Zorbium (buprenorphine transdermal solution), the first transdermal buprenorphine animal drug intended to control pain in cats after surgery, according to an FDA press release. This is important news for cat owners: Because Zorbium is a long-acting transdermal solution that will be applied in the veterinary hospital, it may eliminate or reduce the need for cat owners to administer additional pain medications at home.
Buprenorphine is an opioid pain medication that works by acting on pain receptors in the central nervous system. Zorbium is applied to the skin at the base of the cat’s neck and is rapidly absorbed into the layers of the skin. The medication provides pain relief within one to two hours following administration and continually releases buprenorphine into the body over a period of days. A single application provides pain relief to the cat for four days.
