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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
I’ve purchased numerous times for my dogs. Please add me.
I gave my toy poodle this pill for flea prevention and she begin having seizures not long afterwards and after her second one I came home to find her no longer breathing.
Bravecto caused seizures that killed my dog. He was completely healthy before taking it. This drug crushed our family and these monsters need to be held accountable. Even though it will never bring back our beloved family member, add us to the list.
Please add us. Our Pomeranian started having seizures in August while taking Bravecto. He’s only had four seizures but after consulting with our vet last month she told us to discontinue bravecto.
PLEASE ADD MY NAME
I can’t believe this! I have bought this for my fur baby multiple times, thinking his looking like his stomach was bothered n vomiting before was just an effect like when we take a vitamin on an empty stomach!!!!! This makes me soooo mad!!! Yes please add my name & thank you!!!
I gave my dog titian the medication. 2days later he was walking and just fell over on his side he did this 3 times that day the next day he just laid in his bed .he did not eat. He tried to get up but just could not. This went on 2 weeks he was 2 mins siezures. Now he still gets off balance all the vet says is its something he eat maybe he did blood test but it was neg
Count me in. I was sold this drug but never gave to my dog and cats.
This is disgusting. I absolutely will be stopping use of Bravecto for my animals.
I gave my 9 year old Collie oral Brevecto approximately 15-16 months ago. After about a month, his skin began to turn red and itch, and he smelled atrocious. Over the next 2 months, the itching and smell worsened. Thinking it was mange, I took him to my veteranarian. He x-rayed my dog, and diagnosed him with a tumor in one lung, and a generalized fungal infection, gave him an allergy shot, prescribed an antibiotic, and sold me 2 expensive shampoos, one an anti-bacterial, and the other an anti-fungal, with instructions to bathe him every other day with both. During this visit, it was determined that he was due for another dose of Bravecto, which I also purchased and administered.
Though the bathing schedule was difficult, we did our best to follow it as best we could. For a short while, the redness lightened to a pink, and the itching subsided somewhat, but, after a couple of weeks, it was back full-force. We returned for a follow-up, and were given (sold) more medication, and another allergy shot was administered. During theis period, our dog had begun to develop cataracts, and was obviously losing his sight. The vet diagnosed it as early-onset aging.
Since then, we have returned twice more for antihistamine shots, and more shampoos. Because of massive hair loss, I requested a thyroid evaluation, which initially showed 1.0. A follow-up check showed 1.1.
At this point, we are on a monthly regimen of allergy shots, and once-a-week baths with Dawn dishwashing liquid and then the anti-fungal shampoo. Our dog has regained some of his hair, but due to scarring, will never regain the beautiful full coat that he had before. He is almost totally blind, bumps into things, and, just tonight, completely missed the bridge that crosses a small stream in our back yard, falling 3 feet into the stream. He can only locate food by scent, even on the floor in front of him.
I believe that the Brevecto medication is at the root of all of this. He is 10 years old, and looks and acts like he’s 15+. His sister from the same litter lives two doors down, and has a full, thick coat, and looks more beautiful than ever.
I have fed my dog nothing but the food recommended by the vet since he was two months old. I have never allowed him to have table scraps, except for meat. I have taken better care of this dog than any other before, and I feel incredibly cheated. Over the last year, I have spent several hundred dollars in the treatment of this condition, with no end in sight, and no hope of his regaining his sight.