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
Bravecto is toxic and I’m sorry I ever gave it to my three dogs. All the same day all sick with bloody mucus stools and lethargy. I really thought they wouldn’t make it
I just gave my Yorkie Bravecto, within 6 hours he had diarrhea, lethargic, had trouble walking, would stumble. Took to vet as an emergency visit… he was checked for other possibilities, all were ruled out. Now 5 days latter he is returning to normal, still has diarrhea, but at least has his energy back some. Hoping no lasting effects but still too soon to know.
I’m not someone who normally jumps on class action lawsuits. In fact, I tend to be against them. But, after my experience today I believe something has to be done to make the public aware of the risks to their dogs and cats who are exposed to this particular drug: ie: Bravecto
Especially the chewable form.
Saturday night I dosed my healthy. jubilant,almost 3 year old Standard Poodle with her 3 month dose of Bravecto. Sunday morning she was listless, uncomfortable and began vomiting. This continued off and on thru the day til I observed some blood in the vomit late afternoon. Concerned, I took my dog to an emergency vet clinic.Blood work was good other than dehydration. They gave her fluids and anti nausea medication.Still not sure how she’ll come out of this. I guess I could write this off as one of those dog got into something. But, that’s not my dog. She hates anything new and she can find a hint of a drug in a roll of braunschweiger. I had to force down her dose of Bravecto. Something I am currently regretting.She has had minor reactions to Bravecto before, lethargy, listless and anorexia. Wish I would have taken it more seriously. I now have a $460 vet bill and am hoping she’ll be alright. Don’t feed your pets poison.Bravecto is a neurotoxin. I did check after my first observation of minor symptoms with her, but all information dismissed any concerns. My dog didn’t want. to take it. Should have listened to her. She’s smarter than all of us.
I purchased 5 doses after asking my vet if they were 100% positive that it was safe. I was told it was 4 of my 5 died after taking it and the only reason my 1 is alive is because she refused to eat it and I don’t force anything down their throats.. BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE!
Romeo, a healthy male lab aussie shepherd mix, had his first seizure 10 days after his second dose of Bravecto, he was 2 years old, the vet said he thought it could be related to Bravecto because he was aware there were neurological side effects, but this was not on the warning label, he suggested we contact the manufacturer, we put him on medications after a night in the hospital. Merck agreed to pay half of his first night in hospital and covered his neurological exam, then they said it had nothing to do with them. He continued to have cluster siezures every couple of weeks in spite of keppra, pheno, potasium bromide, and cluster busters, finally he had a series of seizures that wouldn’t stop and we had him euthanized december 20th 2021.
My havanese went blind!!! We gave both of our Havanese dogs perfecto in July 2021 and by October he got juvenile cataracts! This is a $5000 surgery.
The breeder has excellent records of his pristine Pedegree and was shocked to hear this news. asked if he had flea and tick meds!
I have two dogs and after I gave them Bravecto they both have heart murmurs.
My 13 year old Brussels Griffon took Bravecto Wednesday afternoon April 6th. I woke up Thursday morning April 7th and she had died. But my three other dogs took same time and they are all fine. I hate to think I gave her something I did not know would kill her. I am heartbroken.
Sorry to hear about Griffon 😢 I gave my healthy cocker spaniel his first dose bravector November 17, 2017 a few days later he had his first seizure as of April 11, 2022 he has had 27 seizures he sees a Neurologist and is on phenobarbital twice a day. Do not give BRAVECTO to your dogs. I tried rubbing a little coconut oil on my dogs belly and it did kills his fleas.
My 10 year old Shih Tzu just had a Mal Seizure less than 24 hours after taking Brevecta, Then the next day he had a 10 second seizure. I will NEVER administer this product to any other animal. I even spoke with a Bravecto pharmacist before starting on this product to make sure it would be safe for my little rescue dog.
I’ve given my cat Bravecto in the past with no issues but I administered it this morning and I, myself, had a bad reaction to the fumes. I reported this to the manufacturer (Merck) and their poison control department. I explained to them that I administered their product with gloves on, as per their instructions, but the fumes caused me to feel very dizzy, lightheaded, heaviness in my forehead and I was having difficulty focusing and concentrating. They said they haven’t had reports of this before. It’s no wonder my cat acts funny after I give it to her, it’s so toxic! I’m never giving this to her again. If anyone can recommend a safe flea/tick prevention product, I would greatly appreciate it.