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 dog named Harley starting having seizures after first dose & had some trembling , she has been weak tore her ACL just had surgery to fix her leg I javelin taken her to vet last 3 seizures failed to tell them them that she was taking Bravecto because I get it on line paid many vet bills because of these seizures ,worried just gave her Bravecto 2 days ago before I found out about it
The vet gave brevacto to my beautiful border collie. No symptoms before but she now has idiopathic epilepsy. The stress and the cost is horrendous.
My 5 year old Maltese just died of kidney disease. He was fine at doctors visit in the spring. Blood work and all. I had never gave him Braveto but chose to get it that day. 3 months later he was in renal kidney failure. He passed away suffering from this poison
I’m on my way to put my 9 yr old Bernese down. First neuro event we saw at 1 wk after his second dose. Omg he looked liked videos and only had arthritis in one leg prior to this. I feel so bad knowing this might have caused him an early death. He first dose was maybe February. He became pickier eater but the more troubling stuff started post 2nd dose.
My 7 year old lab is currently on a drip. Took Bravacto 5 days ago, became twitchy and stopped eating. No doubt it was the drug
Two weeks ago our beloved Siamese cat was dosed by one of our family members with Bravecto spot on the back of his neck. Immediate vomiting and drooling, then progressively lethargic and then lost use of his hind legs, he was rushed to Urgent After Hours Care and they found his kidneys stats off the graph, he died a few hours later of acute renal failure despite the Vets best intensive care. The company – in New Zealand put me onto their Vet, Hannah Field and her senior Karen Lipworth who said there was no evidence of Bravecto causing Taipan s death!
I am now compiling a package of facts and reports of Bravecto in fact causing renal failure and death as well as all the other side effects mentioned by others here and I want to send it to the media.
They are very irresponsible and do not care about the serious side effects and deaths caused by their drug.
My chi Harley died 3/9/22. He was taking Bravecto . He had a very bad seizure with his last dose of Brevecto. Harley was 15 years old and he was my baby. He could hardly walk and would not eat or drink. If this drug was so dangerous for my baby why did it stay on the market. I am more heartbroken knowing I forced this down my babies throat.
Given bravecto first time to our beagle and 6 days after first seizure now 2 more occurred and not sure if this will become her life will this get worse last seizure came faster than the previous one..would like to get added to class action?
My Patsy (age 13 – my world & baby) was given a 3-month Bravecto chew on April 13th. By May 23rd she was gone. My heart had never been so broken. Three weeks after the chew she started having diarrhea, vomiting and indications of neurological symptoms. At that time she had her first seizure, we took her to the emergency hospital where they told us she had signs of a small liver and lung tumor which had never been diagnosed before.. by her vet (which we had asked for an exam). after 12 hours at the hospital they sent her home on Keppra to help control or prevent seizures, we followed up with her vet 2 weeks later for continued diarrhea and vomiting, more meds administered -we went home & all she could do was walk in circles not wanting to eat or drink. Five days later we’re back at the ER after her seventh seizure (almost 2 minutes) she was howling in pain, loss of bladder control.. it was the most horrific, gut wrenching, painful heartbreaking thing I have ever experienced. We truly felt we had no choice but to euthanize.
Please add us to this lawsuit!!!
My 18 year old Rat Terrier Mix just passed away from a “Neurological event” that was undetermined. I had used Bravecto twice. Once last year without any issues and then this year and he passed within weeks of me giving it to him. Can’t tell you how bad I feel right now discovering this information. I was not told at all about the adverse effects by our vet. Yes, he was old, but he was in excellent health prior to this. He had dental surgery back in February and the vet said they couldn’t believe how healthy he was with how old he was.