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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
My 8 year old cat was killed by Brevecto. We had two cats. Smokey was 8.8lbs and Sadie was 14.6lbs. We were having a flea problem although my cats never go outside. But they went on the screened porch. The fleas were likely transferring from the peacocks and the squirrels who come right up to the screen.
The vet said Smokey could take the small dose for cats
Up to 13.5lbs. But Sadie would need the larger dose of up to 25 pounds. We did as we were told. Sadie began frothing at the mouth soon after it was applied. We gave fluids, milk, food. She seemed better Sunday. Monday we noticed she seemed to be walking with a little hitch in her right back leg. She slept most of the day. She was barely eating. By Thursday my husband declared she had a neurological problem. I took her to the vet. Her weight had gone down to 13.6. He stated that she was at the low end of the larger dose. I explained that she weighed 14.6lbs only a week ago. He gave her a bolus of fluids, a shot of Benedryl for allergic reaction, and antibiotics because she “seemed to have a cold”. He was to see her Friday morning. Again a bolus of fluids trying to flush the Brevecto out. More Benedryl. Vitamin B complex.
My daughter called in the afternoon. Sadie was worse. Unable to move her back legs. Breathing hard. Pupils dilated. I took her to the ER. They gave her IV fluids all night. Called me in the morning and said she was fine. Come pick her up. I did. Brought her home and took her out of the cage. She was walking better, but not good. She found her chair. Wouldn’t get up to eat or drink. I took her back to the ER. They took her out of the cage, she had had a seizure, urinated over everything and was lifeless. They gave her oxygen and a shot of something and she came to again. They put her in a cage with 100% oxygen to calm her down, thinking it was anxiety that caused the seizure. She calmed down. Was neurologically intact. I stayed until 2:30am. She looked good. The doctor stated he would call by 7am. He didn’t. I called him. He said Sadie was doing well until 15 minutes earlier. He noted she wasn’t moving. She had gone “lateral” again. Heart rate up to 240. They were trying to stabilize her.
He told me that she would have this heart thing from now on, would need echos every three months, meds daily and possibly a pacemaker.
None of this had ever surfaced until she had Brevecto. The inability to walk. The seizures. The going “lateral”. The heart condition. Sadie died December 4th. Broke my heart into a million pieces.
Brevecto killed her.
Brevecto should be outlawed. And Merck should be sued.
Why are none of you not questioning your Vet’s advice.
I feel your pain in losing a loved one. But at some point your Vet should be held accountable. If we hadnt used bravecto on our dog she would be gone today. We removed a dead paralysis tick from her face. She weighs 21kg is on cusp of the doses. Our vet recommended the lower dose more frequently as a high doses on low end of range is always RISKY due to the nature of poisons to kill.
So instead of 1 every 30 days its 1 every 28 days.
Why do your US vets not have same logic as ours. Sad that you would go after a manufacturer over a practitioner.
I agree. The vet should be held accountable as well. He advised us based on what the packaging label states. Would I had done it differently had I known there were issues? Yes. But if the drug is this dangerous, then do prior labs before ordering it. Make sure there are no other issues that would contradict medications. We do with humans, but not with animals.
Doesn’t matter what you or I or anyone else here says. My cat is gone.
On the advice of our vet, we treated our 12 year old cat with the 3 month Bravecto. The next day his hair fell out where I had put the Bravecto and he had what looked like hives. We took him to the Vet who did blood work and found nothing. He continued to deteriorate. He developed neurological problems. He acted schizophrenic. He began urinating and deficating in the bathtub and on our bed. At the end, he became lethargic and refused to eat, we had him put to sleep and I believe this was all caused by Bravecto. The Vet refuses to believe this.
My 12 year old lab had a seizure that we could not track specifically because neither the vet or myself recalled the warning. My dog had to be euthanized within 72 hours because he was paralized from the seizures. It was very traumatic for me.
My dog was a healthy near 2 year old Cane Corso. No health issues at all. He took his 5th Bravecto dose on September 22, 2022 and on started to get lethargic and collapsed. After the vet examined him, couldn’t find a cause until he collapsed a second time, he went into A&M Veterinarian Hospital on October 5th for 1.5 weeks and was diagnosed with IMHA. He is now on 2 types of immunotherapy, steroids and anti-coagulant blood thinners and monthly costly blood tests and screening. He will have to deal with this for the rest of his life if he can beat this.
My dog a Yorkshire Terrier took Bravecto this morning. I am now taking her T 3 pm to her vet as she is having severe neurological symptoms- tremors, shaking , unable to walk without falling, bumping into things. She was perfectly normal before taking the Bravecto.
I regret I ever allowed Molly to take these chewing tablets for flee and tick all her symptoms are exactly as described below, hopefully not long lasting. Merck should be brought to account. After thousands of dollars in hospital bills and exams, we could only conclude that the cause was
side effects after administration of Bravecto. Symptoms are consistent with what has been reported by other dog owners.
Excessive thirst .Dehydration .Nausea. Panting. Pink colored skin . Foot soles feeling very warm . Difficult/fast breathing . Gasping for air (heart arrhythmia) . Change in behavior 10. Low red blood cells count (anemia) 11. High white blood cells count . Elevated liver values. Elevated kidney values Weight loss .Vomiting. Bloody diarrhea . Abdominal pain. Increased heart rate Inflammation of the stomach and intestines. fever. Inflammation of the skin. Muscle weakness .Muscle tremor. Seizures
My two dogs took Bravecto. One died of liver cancer 2 years ago. My other dog died yesterday of liver cancer. Totally different breeds. Commonality was they both took Bravecto and Pro Heart 6.
I have a beautiful 6/year old bully. Other than minor hip pain she has had no medical problems. Missy has always been on flea medication with no concerns. She was prescribed Bravecto as a new treatment and had her first dose on 6/6/21. Since this dose she has had uncontrollable cluster seizures. She has been to the veterinary hospital (including emergency visits) many times for treatment, no explanation could be found for her seizures that started out of no where until the link to bravecto was found. The emotional, physical and psychological damage this has caused her and everyone involved with her care is overwhelmingly devastating.
I also have a picture in my veterinarian office that says flea medication is not toxic cannot do harm, and they themselves give their pets the same flea medicine
I gave my 5 year old Lab dog Bracvecto on 11/6 on around 11/23 my dog started to not eat, drink excessively amounts of water and just lay around. On 11/30 took to vet and all blood work fine but her liver enzymes are off the charts and after X-rays showed liver is enlarged. Was sent home with medications which she just would not take cause she not eating. She is showing signs of jaundice, her eyes, skin, inside her ears. 12/1 decided to take her to emergency vet and they talked me into letting her stay to be able to run tests and receive fluids. She is currently there.
I gave my 6 mo old Chow Bravecto and after a few weeks began to notice little bumps on his skin. I didn’t know if it was a seasonal allergy and it was effective in killing ticks (I’m in Maine in the summer and they were awful!). I did a second dose but the bumps persisted and spread. I finally took him to the vet. I told her I suspected the Bravecto as it was one of the SE’s I read about. She brought the product insert in to the exam room and we read it together. She took a swipe of the bumps and looked at it under the microscope – sure enough, there was an active skin infection. So he went on a course of antibiotics. All along his bowel moevements have been more liquidy, and now he has developed an epidemial mass on his muzzle. This appeared out of nowhere and is growing rapidly…so I’m doing a biopsy. I am convinced these toxins completely mess with our animals’ systems, especially a young, growing and developing dog. I am hoping this mass is not cancerous. And yes, I stopped giving him Bravecto after the second dose.
I lost my 3 year old Rottweiler 1 month after my vet insisted he neeed Bravecto. After giving it to him, he started losing his hair and getting scabs all over his body that he was digging open. He started going downhill big time after the p
Brave. I woke up one morning at 5 AM to him crying he was breathing but couldn’t move. I took him to the emergency vet but we didn’t make it there in time..