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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1,797 thoughts onBravecto Class Action Says Meds Aren’t Safe For Pets
I’ve been giving my lab, now 7 yo, Bravecto since I first adopted her in 2017. We never had any issues, and were not aware of these possible side effects. However, in March 2022, 10 minutes after I gave it to her, she threw it up. I assumed it was due to a number of other reasons, and she seemed to be OK. I didn’t give it to her again until this past June, with no issues. However, after reading these posts, I am NOT going to be using it any longer. We live in the AZ desert so fleas and ticks are not a common issue. Thank you to all those who shared your stories, and I’m so sorry for those who have pets being adversely affected by this medication.
I purchased the topical flea and tic the end of May 2022 for my German Shepherd Kona, was extremely allergic and had her to the vet on June 1st.. says is lasts 3 months and still having horrible sun issues
She she has been having horrible skin issues. I just had her to her vet 8/30/2022 due to both weight lost and lethargic issues. We walk 5 days a week, and I am literally pulling her behind me. Full blood work done, hemoglobins are high. Temp is also up…I will check daily…. Vet will recheck blood in a month. All very unusual.
My Pomeranian started on Bravecto and suddenly she developed seizures just days after her first dose. She had never taken the medication before and I had never witnessed her having seizures before. I had no idea Bravecto caused seizures therefore I did not suspect it was the medication. However I started to notice a trend. I gave her a dose in early November of 2021 and she had multiple seizures (at least five or more) until New Years day of 2022. I stopped giving her Bravecto as I suspected it might be the medication. She has not had a seizure since January 2022. I gave her a dose of Bravecto late August of 2022 just to see if it was possibly the cause. The very next day after receiving the medication the seizures started again. I am devastated watching her go through this. She has been lethargic laying around since taking this medication. This is not her normal behavior. I wish there was a way to wash this medication from her system but I know it must just run its course. I will never ever give her this medication again. It should be taken off the market!!!! I will be contacting the company tomorrow morning for sure.
I just got my girl home from a visit to the Vets.. My girl is a healthy 4yr old.. I gave her the Bravecto 3mth chew and the day after she was vomiting and diarrhoea with blood in it.. These companies need to be held accountable for this I am so angry and won’t be shutting up about this I’ll be letting everyone know about these products.. Yep add me to the class action
Our five year old Afghan hound has started showing all of this l. She was out on Bravecto by the vet because she has a bad reaction to flea bites. We gave her her last dose in July and a couple weeks ago she started jerking around a lot and falling down. Now she has an episode about once a day. She’s been to the vet three times and an emergency vet. All blood work up is normal, she was given fluids. They were completely baffled by what it could be. We are praying it passes and she remains safe and alive. She will never ever take that again. I don’t know what we would do if we lost her. To see this graceful and beautiful hound scared and not sure what’s going on as she stumbles and shakes. How can this still be a thing. How can this still be prescribed?
I am absolutely astonished that this product is still on the shelves and ANY Vet would recommend it. I am doing some research on account of loosing my 16 yr old lab due to a reaction to this crappy product and am heartbroken that there are this many stories to read. How is it that my vet didn’t know?
Briefly, I just lost my dutiful lab after two days of Bravecto. He had an amazing life and while he was a true senior, he got around pretty good. I fully expected he would pass one night in his sleep at some point, but for now he was content with a couple walks a week, bark a squirrel now and then and naps. He had earned that after 16 years. We were having issues with fleas and topicals were not working, so we went to the vet (the professionals) for some solutions. They put Blackjack on Bravecto oral flea meds. He took it Monday afternoon and by that evening he was vomiting profusely. This lasted the entire second day, but the box plainly states that may be a sign effect. He was drinking water but would not even look at food. By day three he would not look at water, jaw was tight and his gate was sloppy until it stopped all together. We took him to the vet around 48 hours after the dose was administered and by then he could not stand, eyes were dialated, vet stated he looked jaundiced, but I am not sure about that. The options for a 16 year old dog were limited at that point. Vet did not believe he would make a recovery from the neuralgic damage he most likely had already suffered. We euthanized him that night. So goes the peaceful passage of life this dog truly deserved.
This product needs to be removed from everywhere.
My puppy GSP had immediate sickness , terrible runs …after 3 hours started with convulsions and tremors ….emergency vets all night and took 3 long days for the fitting to stop….she is ok now but after reading up on the number of dogs who have had similar effects ..Why is this product not banned ??? I will help anyone try to ban this awful product causing unnecessary animal suffering worldwide , disgraceful
My 2 year old standard poodle developed non-infective meningitis with a near death event, 2 months after ingesting a 3 month dose of Bravecto. He is currently in week 3 of high dose steroid treatment with high vet bills, multiple side effects, and a long road to recovery. I plan to contact Merck today. Why is this drug still on the market? (My 9 year old yorkie vomited soon after taking a dose of weight appropriate bravecto: given the same day as my poodle..no neurological symptoms, but I assume this is because he vomited up pill fragments).
My dog has had two episodes of jerky movements., inability to stand lasting 3 hours , vomiting , non responsive after taking Bravecto . He had to be taken to the emergency hospital , has had multiple tests costing almost $2000. I will never give him Bravecto again and hoping he will not have another episode .
I gave my golden retriever Bravecto plus over five year period. I was told by the vet it was safe. Abbey always vomited a day after taking the product but I never thought it was the cause, Then she got pancreatitis and her hair all fell out. My vet tried different products but they never helped. Then Abbey had massive bleed out and we rushed her for surgery to Toronto. She came home 2 days later and had mini bleeds throughout the next six weeks. I gave her another Bravecto beginning of April 2022 and shortly there after she had massive bleed from cancer and had to be euthanized. After researching this product I realized it was the cause of her episodes and her death at 9 yrs old. Its a bitter pill for me to swallow.
I am so very sorry to hear about your Abbey. I just posted about an episode my dog had back in March – she threw it up shortly after I gave it to her, but like you, I didn’t think much of it as she’s had it before without issue and has vomited for a number of various reasons. So I gave it to her again in June, no issues, BUT I’m not buying it again. My heart goes out to you!