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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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1,792 thoughts onBravecto Class Action Says Meds Aren’t Safe For Pets
Within a year of starting bravecto we lost 2 to of our dogs. One was previously being treated for seizures and no mention of this being an issue was ever brought up. Both dogs were happy, healthy 10-year olds. It was excruciating to lose both of them, watching them in pain, within 3 months of each other. Bravecto kills. It causes cancer. It should be off the market and Merck should be sued & shut down forever.
J ai un cocker qui prend bravecto a chaque annee et depuis l an passee tremblement de tete plaque et perte de poil
I gave my beautiful dog, a Jack Russell Terrier, Ariel Bravecto on Friday, August 4th, 2023. She vomited her entire food bowl of food within 2 hours of eating and then taking Bravecto. According to the side effects reported, it stated to wait 24-48 hours. I was hoping that her vomiting was getting Bravecto out of her system. She was excessively thirsty as if her thirst couldn’t be quenched. She grew lethargic and didn’t really want to go for a walk early morning Saturday, 08/05/2023. She was no longer wagging her tail. She seemed like she just wanted to lay around and rest. Sunday morning, she vomited what appeared to look like blood and I drove her to her veterinarian – waiting in the parking lot for them to open since the ERs had a 2-3 hour wait, or didn’t return my phone calls, or were too distant. She was having back to back seizures with brain damage and then I was told she also had kidney damage. Her organs were affected. I had to euthanize her Sunday, 08/06/2023.
I have a miniature schnauzer who was six years old when I gave her Bravecto at 7:00am in June, 2021. Twelve hours later she had a seizure, she had never had a history of seizures and I’d had her since she was 3 months old. She now has to take seizure medication three times a day for the rest of her life as a result of this. I’m so angry that this crap didn’t disclose the truth about the side effects.
I have an American Akita who has sensitivity to flea collars and spray so they recommended Bravecto at the time and said it was a new flea and tick treatment. Never told me the side effects. My dog was a perfectly healthy Akita in 2019 3 years old until he started taking this medicine. One day I was going to take him outside to walk him and he collapsed in a seizure and convulsions. That same day he had 4 seizures. From that day he has not been able to play like he use to he is stuck on seizure medication that helps sometimes. If he jumps or gets too excited he breaks out in a seizure. I believe and the vet also believes this was the cause.
My beautiful dog started having seizures within 12 hours of taking Bravecto. . My dog was in perfect health. He lost his balance, couldn’t focus, seizures every couple of hours. Seizures became so bad that he never recovered and we had to have him put to sleep to stop the pain and agony. Thankfully, our other two dogs did not die, but experienced extreme thirst and were lethargic for several days after taking the pill at the same time as the dog that we had to put down. Absolute poison, they are peddling.
Our Peekapoo, Bailey, died after seizures began following his first dose of Bravecto. On his last day with us, April 16th, 2015, he had 7 seizures and the vet could not stop and prevent them. Merc, through Dr. Brett Begley, offered to reimburse us for the thousands of dollars in medical expenses for Bailey but we declined to sign a release, assuring Merc we would not discuss the issue with anyone and would refrain from writing reviews blaming Merc for the results. Blood money is what we termed his offer.
Bailey was a vibrant, happy, healthy, active, loving little guy and Merc, with Bravecto as the weapon, took him from us.
Bravecto killed Bailey.
My dog passed away on 7-7-2023, 3 hours after taking a bravecto 1 month chews. I am sure this is what caused his death.
Have a three year old Karakachan dog that we switched on our vets recommendation to bravecto. There was concern right away because he started vomiting. He slept 4
For 3 days and he started dropping weight. Massive weight. He was 124 lbs and and he got to 89 lbs. He wasn’t able to guard so we list a lot of our flock. I drove out of state hours after no one could tell me why. And got into a specialist. I asked about this they said no. I went to another vet. .short of it he now will be on expensive meds for the rest of his life but he has gained back 11 lbs
My healthy 5 yr old cat just died after giving her bravecto for the first time. Took her to the vet, and they couldn’t figure anything wrong with her bloodwork.She died 2 days later.