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
My two dogs have been twitching after taking this. The vet did not disclose this could happen.
I live in France. I have a border collie. Our vet gave brevacto when she was 18 months old. She now has seizures, diagnosed as idiopathic epilepsy. She is now 7 years old and has cost me thousands of euros in vet bills, medication, neurologist, emergency care. I am not the same person since this began. The fear never subsided.
I live in France. I have a border collie. Our vet gave brevacto when she was 18 months old. She now has seizures, diagnosed as idiopathic epilepsy. She is now 7 years old and has cost me thousands of euros in vet bills, medication, neurologist, emergency care. I am not the same person since this began. The fear never subsided.
My pup had been on Bravecto? Time. After a dose in March 2021, she developed Myasthenia Gravis type symptoms and Megaesophagus. She tested negative for MG. Timing was a day or two after last Bravecto tablet. Don’t know what else it could have been.
My almost 10 year old Chocolate Lab service dog Olive just died in June from a “Neurological event” that was undetermined. The vet thought either a stroke or brain tumor. We had been giving her Bravecto for 7 years, 4 times a year. She was doing good and then she woke up one morning, severely limited on the right side, and progressively got worse over the next few days. Stopped eating/drinking. Tried the vet hospital, but they were unable to save her and she passed away. It was so weird and sudden and we are all extremely heartbroken. I now wonder how much the Bravecto contributed? I even asked the vet and they said they had no idea what could have caused it. Never told us the Bravecto had this side effect. 😔
My vet mentioned nothing about side effects and now two of my very healthy cats have been vomiting and having diarrhea two and three days after the topical dosage. We are taking them back to the vet for the third time this week and have already spent over $1,000 for the vet trying to find other issues claiming it can’t be Bravecto.
My dod passed away a few months/weeks after taking Bravecto.
He was vomit blood every night at the same time.
He slowly stopped eating.
His gate diminished until he could no longer walk in his own.
Then the pain and crying started along with a head tilt.
It was the most horrible heartbreaking thing I have ever gone through. Specialist could not figure out what was happening. I asked of it could be thr flea and tick chew and they said they weren’t sure and that it would be hard to detect it it was. There is no doubt in my mind that this took his life. I want in on this lawsuit!
Benson my super sweet havanese pupppy developed sudden onset juvenile cataracts 2 months after receiving bravecto! I would’ve never made the connection as the ophthalmologist vet told me it was just genetic. The breeder who has a flawless pedigree asked if he got flea/tick medicine- that’s when my jaw dropped as that is the only thing I had given my Puppy- he was 1 year old! Thankfully I did some research and found LanoMax eye drops ($100 for 5ml) to synthesize the protein of the cataract and his one eye that wasn’t hypermature cataracts which obviously happens very quickly as it had been less than two months. In one eye and within a month in the other eye. It has reversed it maybe 30% so he can someone see for now. Every day it’s a little different. He is suffering and has not the puppy he was running free throughout the yard playing with our children. He is very reluctant to run and play and has changed him totally. I have to give him drops daily and if he gets the $5000 cataract surgery will be on drops daily for life! That’s 10+ more years! Who knows how much that costs let alone my daily time.
It’s just so sad. And this drug is in the front shelf of every vet handing it out like candy with either no knowledge or care of the possible effects of this drug. I had two puppies and only one reacted with blindness – the other just excessive itching. Like allergies. Obviously not every pet is affected but it is atrocious that this DRUG is still so heavily marketed to the innocent pet owner with no warning from the vet of the stammering possibility of life changing neurological catastrophe that could ensue. How did this drug pass the FDA? Merck needs to be held responsible!
I also shared my story on social media and so many friends responded, thankful for the insight and some even mentioned planning on going to go get bravecto for their pet! Save 1 at a time! Do share your story! You never know who it could save- I wish I knew! 😢
My dog developed a 4lb splenic tumor that my vet said is directly attributable to taking Bravecto. He had to have a $5k surgery to have it removed. All of his symptoms stopped when he stopped taking Bravecto and had the spleen and tumor removed. There are a lot of articles linking Bravecto to splenic tumors in dogs. I would like to be a part of the class action lawsuit. Please contact me.
I’ve had 3 dogs affected by tick meds, all with some kind of seizures, my last dog Barney had grand mal seizures and I had to put him down.