Merck Animal Health has been hit with a class action lawsuit by consumers who claim that their dog and cat drug Bravecto contains a pesticide that is harmful to pets.
Bravecto tablets and topical medications are used on both cats and dogs, and are marketed as a way to prevent ticks and fleas for up to three months.
Plaintiff Valerie Palmieri says she paid just under $50 for one Bravecto chewable tablet to treat her 78 pound German Shepherd Jake for fleas and ticks.
After taking the pill, Jake started to vomit, did not eat, and began to show symptoms of lethargy, according to the Bravecto class action lawsuit. The plaintiff reportedly took Jake to the emergency animal clinic after the dog was no longer able to walk.
Palmieri claims that she contacted Merck to talk about Jake’s possible adverse reaction to taking the drug. The company allegedly denied that that Jake’s sickness was caused by Bravecto but offered to pay for the emergency room visit.
However, the company would only pay if she signed an agreement which would release any claims against the company, according to the Bravecto class action lawsuit.
The plaintiff states that she refused to release her claims as she wasn’t sure if Jake’s symptoms would be long-term and was still not sure if her dog’s symptoms were caused by the drug.
After more tests and a trip to a neurologist, the plaintiff’s veterinarian allegedly told her that he “presumed” that Jake’s diagnosis of meningitis was a result of “Bravecto toxicity,” which was contrary to what she was told by the defendant.
Since he ingested the drug, Jake has continued to have neurological episodes, according to the Bravecto class action lawsuit. In September of this year, he reportedly fell down a flight of stairs and broke his leg. The plaintiff claims that she has spent “tens of thousands of dollars” treating Jake after he ingested Bravecto.
Palmieri says that when she purchased the tablet, the packaging and materials enclosed therein did not state that neurological adverse reactions were possible when taking the pill. In addition, the defendant allegedly did not tell veterinarians about the possible safety issues that the drug posed to pets.
“Because Defendant failed to disclose the risks of Bravecto to consumers and misrepresented the safety of Bravecto, consumers would be reasonable in purchasing Bravecto to treat their pets in a safe manner,” the class action lawsuit notes.
The Bravecto class action lawsuit also states that in September 2018, the FDA issued an alert about the possible neurological events that are associated with medicines like Bravecto to treat fleas and ticks.
The FDA has subsequently asked manufacturers to change their labels to “highlight neurological events because these events were seen consistently across the isoxazoline class of products” and “to provide veterinarians and pet owners with the information they need to make treatment decisions for each pet on an individual basis,” according to the Bravecto class action lawsuit.
The plaintiff states that the defendant now discloses that there may be some neurological reactions to taking Bravecto, including tremors, ataxia, and seizures.
“Every consumer who purchased Bravecto without being informed of the true facts about its health and safety risks prior to purchase was injured at the point of sale when, instead of obtaining a safe flea and tick medication, they obtained Defendant’s unreasonably dangerous and defective product,” the Bravecto class action lawsuit states.
Did you purchase Bravecto for your pet? Leave a message in the comments section below.
The plaintiff is represented by Mark A. Dicello, Adam J. Levitt, and Amy E. Keller of DiCello Levitt and Gutzler LLC and Jessica J. Sleater and Ralph N. Sianni of Andersen Sleater Sianni LLC.
The Bravecto Class Action Lawsuit is Valerie Palmieri v. Intervet Inc., et. al, Case No. 2:19-cv-22024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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1,807 thoughts onBravecto Class Action Says Meds Aren’t Safe For Pets
Our dog Rowan has to be put to sleep due to neurological issues that appeared our of nowhere months after Bravecto. The vet who administered is still even now claiming that these reactions are just ‘rumours’. We are devastated and disgusted at what is happening here. we will join any fight to see Bravecto discontinued
We have been giving our almost 4 year old Portuguese Water Dog NexGuard for 3 years and all 3 of those years we have watched our sweet boy suffer terribly from vommiting, loss of appetite and seizures. He has had every available test done and results come back normal. He has had numerous emergency vet visits, has been opened up and endoscopic biopsy done, only to find nothing is wrong. We have almost lost him twice and spent over $10,000 in vet bills. Now we have just learned of the side effects caused by this terrible drug that we believed was keeping him healthy and safe from fleas and ticks but was actually the cause of all his pain. This needs to be taken off the market so no more pets have to endure the pain that he has
Our seven years old golden retriever Lou took Nexgard for 3 times and developed an imunomediated anemia, took 3 blood transfusions, and had put to sleep because it was getting worst and worst. And she was healthy until then…
Our dog Ginny developed Cushing’s Disease and I asked out Vet if I should continue this medication or switch to a different flea tick med and she said there is no issues with Bravecto and I gave her a dose 3 weeks later she couldn’t really use her back legs to walk and had to be put down.
Our Milo had 3 doses over the last two years and is now suffering from neurological issues. The vet wanted to put him on medication for seizures but after hours of research we decided to see a animal chiropractor and she told us it was neurological. It’s unbelievable that our pets have to suffer because we were trying to keep them safe.
My boy Sarge had 3 doses of bravecto. On the third dose he started having seizures. Every vet I’ve seen denies Bavecto could be the cause and says it’s epilepsy but they refused to treat him or give him meds to manage the seizures. He had seizures of and on for a year. He also has severe stomach issues that have almost killed him once.
His personality is completely different than when I got him. He is extremely aggressive to humans and animals. Anyone that is not me he will try to attack. He was not like that before the seizures he was the most friendly boy.
After a year he is seizure free I figure it’s finally out of his system but his personality is permanent I believe his brain is damaged to change him so dramatically. Vets continue to deny bravecto causes any of the problems constantly being reported. One even told me Bravecto is the safest on the market and laughed in my face when I asked if she’d even looked at all the reports now available. They had just been “visited” by a bravecto representative the week before so probably got paid off to deny everything.
My sarge will never be the same again. He didn’t die like some but his life was damaged.
My dog, Goji, had 3 doses over an extended period of 2 years. There were never 2 doses back to back. The last dose was in October 2019. Over the next few months I observed him being lethargic and acting depressed. He did not have a lot of energy on our walks. Then suddenly in January 2020 he began vomiting, could not stand up and collapsed. If I had not gotten him to the vet the next morning he would have died.
He was at the clinic for 3 nights.
His blood counts were extremely high and and his counts related to his kidney function were terrible. His kidney function was normal when I got him and I have the results to prove it.
My beloved Goji died on Mother’s Day morning after fighting hard the past few months. I took him in weekly since January to get a fluid injection. I am truly heartbroken about losing him. It devastates me knowing that this could have contributed to his death.
My vet laughed at me too and it’s been one year since I gave her this poison. Now her mental anxiety is getting so bad I’ll prolly put her down. Without a doubt, I believe BRAVECTO harmed my dog physically and mentally.
We have to take our 80 lb Australian shepherd rescue to the vet tomorrow because she can barely move all of a sudden after taking bravecto. I was opposed to her having it but, my finance and her parents said it was needed to prevent ticks…I still didnt like the idea because she just turned 11 and has been doing good despite a neurological problem with her leg from an abusive first owner we rescued her from. I knew this was going to happen, but they are so thick headed in believing people with letters after their names and not researching things for themselves.
We have a 25 lb Cocker Spaniel…. We gave Sophie Bravecto 4 x before with no problems. This time she shakes like she has the DT’s. It got a little better after 5 days but the 7th she jerks now and then. She gets confused and worried at times and has rash like symptoms by he private parts. Wished we looked into Bravecto before we gave it to her. Sounds like many here wish they did also. Is it a “new” drug that gets pushed as the New remedy ?
My dog now has seizures from this poison. He was switched to Simparica, but ends up it is the same crap. The distribution of these medications needs to stop immediately.
My dog was switched to Bravecto right before she started having seizures. Its been on-going for nearly a year and a half and was diagnosed as epileptic and on multiple antisizure medications to keep her alive. She was perfectly healthy and only about a year old when this started.
On Thursday March 20th,2020 I gave my shihpoo that is 3 years old Bravecto and by Saturday the 22nd she was puking and Diarrhea with blood in her stool. Not able to eat or drink and just laid around with zero energy!! This went on for a couple of weeks. They continue to test her and she has pancreatitis now. My poor baby isn’t her self most days. Now eating chicken and rice and drinking water but much lazier then she has ever been. I’m very worried about her.