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
I sent a e mail to you saying I want my story told and let everyone know how bad this bravecto is. it killed my cat . please let me know what to do to help you guys out
my dog just past away this October 27th 2020. As usual the vet said no way. I am just so sad and heart broken!
My Yorkie took nexgard only bc my vet stopped selling his regular flea pill. After consuming it he had 5 seizures back to back. This is ridiculous my husband wants to take legal action
My dog had 1 dose of Bravecto and suffered seizures, tremors, aggression, horrible skin infections and more beginning less than 8 hours after the one dose. Please add me to the law suit.
My dog was given 1 dose of Bravecto in July 2020. She began having seizures 8 hours later that continued for weeks. She had tremors, loss of balance, anxiety, chronic crying, and she became aggressive. She developed skin irritations that took over her whole body. She has had multiple antibiotics, a series of injections, and weekly medicated baths. Half of her body had to be shaved because of the infection. Three months later and thousands of dollars later the skin infections are beginning to clear up. Three months is how long the dose of Bravecto stays in the body. Merck sent me a check for $500 which did not even cover the 1st vet bill. I want to join the class-action lawsuit. Please advise.
Vets are now recommending that dogs are put on Bravecto 12 months of the year. My dog was put on it spring 2018 continually until the last dose May 3rd, 2019. The day after, she collapsed. A perfectly healthy and energetic dog almost 11 years old. To this day the vets claim “It could not have been the Bravecto”. I adamantly disagree. Severe neurological problems followed, ataxia, drunken, laboured walk, and she was zoned out. She started coming out of it in September 2019, but I believe it altered her health significantly permanently. Merck was contacted by myself and was not helpful. This is in a very dangerous Isoxazoline category of drugs that need to be off the market. She now has cancer of the spleen; no cure.
Please add me
Please include me in this class action lawsuit.
My cat was prescribed Bravecto in 2017. I’m a matter of minutes after it was applied he started to walk like he was drunk and then started painting very heavily. We brought him in to emergency vet immediately.
They had washed it completely off of him and tried to make him comfortable.
They kept him there to monitor him.
Since then he suffers from multiple daily tremors to where sometimes he falls completely over.
Now, 2020 – were just discovered he has oral SCC (cancer) which I know is from the Bravecto.
We had to bring him in to emergency because he had thick blood dripping from his mouth. Yes, dripping from his mouth.
He had been completely healthy beforehand. His blood results today are really good per the emergency vet – only slightly higher than normal kidney levels.
Now we’re trying to fight this cancer for our little furbaby, which I know he will soon succumb to because after all, it is cancer.
The vet that prescribed the Bravecto said nothing about any side effects and did not even hands us a pamphlet about it. She just said she recommends it and that it’s a very good flea medication.
I am extremely beyond disgusted and devastated and I’ve warned many others about this medication. I’m so beyond angry at this vet and at Merck.
How can the live with themselves?!
*panting heavily
Put me on the list please. Bravecto caused neurological damage resulting in severe epilepsy in my shepherd that we were unable to control. The epilepsy killed her.
At 4 months old my mini Australian Shepherd was diagnosed with puppy mange. They treated it with this flea medication because it is included in the parasites that it treats. After that he screamed for months every time something touched him. He didn’t get another dose until he was 1 years old. It was a slow acting reaction for him. He was diagnosed with muscle dystrophy by 2 1/2-3 years old when he started running wrong. Then his skin started to thin and he kept tearing his skin on things or while he played! Then by the time he was 4 and no longer had been on the medication! He started having 10 minute or longer seizures starting with paralysis in his rear. He had to be medicated out of his seizures. Medications multiple times a day to prevent any seizures. Running or over excitement can also put him into seizures not.
I have been detoxing him ever since.