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 very frisky and still puppy like 11 year old mini schnauzer began having very bad tremors and then very suddenly lost her hearing after taking Bravecto for one year. I told my vet and he said it was a completely safe flea and tick treatment. I took her off of Bravecto and now another year later she is having increasingly serious episodes. She has very violent tremors and can no longer walk up even two steps. We don’t know that there is anything that can be done as the damage is not repairable.
My Misti just turned 13 she has had the neurological issues she also developed a severe heart murmur. She has been on medications for years for her heart issues, loses balance and has “petit mal” type seizures where it almost knocks her off her perch from the head jerking. This all started after Brave to and Simperica because she vomited phlem about 20min after so they gave her the other.
Sadly today we will have to euthanize her because she is also deaf and has cataracts. Because I am in Canada I was given no warnings. What can I do to get my furbaby justice?
Treated my little 19 lb dog, Beans, with a 90 day dose of Bravecto right after Thanksgiving 2021. Within a few days she was having diarrhea and her appetite crashed. Forward to Dec 15th, she is drinking a lot of water and very lethargic with daily diarrhea and throwing up, with what looks like bile. Started noticing that she was losing weight. Took her into the vet the third week of December…Weighed in at 14.7lbs. Had a complete blood test performed and the Veterinarian suggested a Ultra Sound procedure because something didn’t feel right in her abdomen. Results showed a mass in the vicinity of her liver and pancreas and a cyst on her kidney. The blood work showed very elevated liver enzymes…kidneys were so-so OK.
I have an appointment (in 2 weeks!) with an Internal Medicine Specialist who supposedly is more expert at diagnosing these conditions better. What tests do I need done to help substantiate the Bravecto connection? Or if there even is a connection? All I know is that her liver appears to be very, very damaged and coincidentally, it started within days of her ingesting Bravecto…she has always been healthy, no issues. I’m not the “sue crazy type” but if Bravecto had something to do with this…I’m all in!! Thanks, Kenneth
Switched vets because of emergency medical needs and this vet switched our 12-yr-old corgi from frontline to Bravecto. He got his first dose just before being kenneled over Thanksgiving 2021. When we came home and got our precious baby from the kennel we noticed that he was drinking way more water than usual and he was peeing more frequently than usual often having accidents in the house.
On Dec. 8th he went outside to potty and never came to the door to come back in. I found him laying on the garage floor unable to do more than lift his head a little. He wasn’t able to stand or walk and I had to carry him inside. He remained like this from 1 am until almost noon the next day. He appeared to be his normal self the rest of the next few days, reminding me when it was time to eat and playing, but still drinking more water and having accidents.
12/12 my husband woke and found that our baby had vomited in 4 different places and also had peed even though I have been withholding water overnight because of the accidents. He has shown no interest in food or water and is again unable to use his back legs. He only raises his front a little bit off the ground and is shaky when he isn’t laying down. He has been sleeping all morning.
This is pitiful behavior from what has been an active, healthy, and loving pet. I will be cautioning everyone to not use this horrible drug.
We took our two dogs to our local vet for checkups and rabies shots. The vet saw a flea on our 13 year old Yorkie and both dogs were given a Bravecto pill. Our 8 year old Yorkie, Monty, started vomiting the next day and quit eating. After seeing no improvement, my wife took him back to the vet. Monty was diabetic and on on insulin so not eating was more serious and the local vet recommended we take him to the emergency vet hospital. After multiple days and $7k in vet bills, Monty still would not eat and was not getting any better. We finally discharged him from the hospital so he could at least be with those who loved him. After two days of being home he was still deteriorating and we chose to end his suffering. I don’t know if the Bravecto alone or in combination with his diabetic situation caused the problem but he was normal one day and much much worse the next. We will never give this type drug to a pet. If you feel inclined to do so, I suggest a much reduced dose to start so you can watch for a reaction. There are just too many reports of serious problems to all be meritless. Nothing can bring Monty back.
I have experience serious cancers in two of my dogs treated with Bravecto. I had four dogs all of the same age and similar breed mix. I didn’t treat two of them because they seemed to be naturally immune to fleas and ticks. The other two suffered from fleas so at my veterinarians urging I used Bravecto to treat them for about 2 years. Within that time, both were diagnosed with severe skin rashes, lymphoma cancer, splenic cancer and nasal cancer – in just two dogs! My other dogs who were never exposed to Bravecto are basically healthy at 10 years of age. I don’t believe this is a coincidence and I blame the Bravecto. It is the only difference in treatment, food or activity for these dogs. My beloved dog passed away last summer and I am now treating my other dog for lymphoma which is expensive and difficult. I will never use these drugs again. I should have known that treating an animal with a systemic pesticide is NEVER a good idea and I am angry at myself for being so gullible. I no longer trust veterinarians as I think they know exactly what the deal is with these drugs and continue to prescribe and sell them for profit.
OMG, this is just tragic. I just brought my cat home from a visit to the vet for a treatment of ticks – the medication utilized Bravecto and since the application this afternoon our cat has been lethargic and out of it. I knew immediately that something wasn’t right with him, a 14 lb cat about 1.5 years old. I am sick, just sick thinking about how I trusted my cat, our family member, to this drug.
I have my 9lb dog Bravecto on my vets advise. Within a few weeks she began throwing up 3 days a week. Took her to the vet, they did xrays and barium looking for a blockage. The vet suggested exploratory surgery. I ask if it could be the Bravecto. He said if it were the Bravecto she would of had symptoms sooner. She had the surgery and no blockage was found. She continued vomiting every week. I gave her a second dose of Bravecto. She continued vomiting every week for 3 days. I did some studying and read about the problems with Bravecto. It petrified me! I decided not to give it to her anymore. We had another month to go. The last time she vomited was 3 days before her next dose was due. I did not give her the next dose even though I had already purchased it. That was in August, she had not vomited since. I’m convinced it was the Bravecto. I spent $1200 on her very care.
I have a 16 year old shelter mutt 40lbs that began to black out, usually when waking, and he would just rock back and forth. I would rub and talk to him and then after about a minute he would just shutter and wake. They couldn’t find anything in the normal test. This happened every couple of months for two years and then after one episode he couldn’t balance and walk right for a few hours. Then a year ago October he had a stroke and we thought we would have to put him down. He worked hard and readjusted to partial function losses in his body so that he could walk without falling. A month later he had another episode like the first ones and they continued off and on until 3 weeks ago he had a severe 15 minute seizure. How he has survived all of this is sheer will power. His jaws now clatter often. During this he began to growl at us if we tried to take off his harness or sometimes pick him up. Something we did several times a day. He never tried to bite but would open his mouth real wide while growling. He doesn’t do it very often now. I would have never thought about the flea pills until I saw a TV ad for one and read some of the side effects that included neurological problems. The vet didn’t even know about it saying she didn’t think it was the pills because so many animals used them and they were FDA approved. Let’s stop this before more pets get this way. I would like to join the suit if possible.
I gave my 100lb lab bravecto chewable tablet and within 10 hours he had a tonic/clonic seizure, he is 10 years old and has had no history of seizures or neurological deficits. The vet would not confirm or deny the correlation between the seizure and the Bravecto, but advised me to discontinue use of Bravecto.
My frenchie just went through the same thing after Bravecto and UC Davis said to stop the meds immediately. She now has clonic seizures as well.