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
I gave my 4 yr corgi mix bravecto on 06/2016. Within 24 hrs she had diarrhea was not eating and became lethargic! Her liver enzymes were dangerously high! I believe bravecto was the cause ! We had multiple visits to the vet and to emergency vets! We had to euthanize her 09/2016! Merck was notified and was offered a check for $500 I did not sign because I truly believe bravecto was the cause of Gingers death!
my dogs 2 of them have been taking Bravecto for 5 years now. After safety concerns arose online last year I called my vets and they said no reports of any harm has been reported to them. i still continue to use Bravecto but am looking for other options as this is worrying me.
My email was mistyped in my comment. It is corrected below
My lab has also suffered seizures since ingesting Bravecto. I am interested in this case. It has been a sad journey for our sweet Bentley. Continues to show signs of concerns 4 years later.
I gave my Cavalier King Charles Spanirl one dose of Bravecto as soon as we got home from the Vets office where we were prescribed them. Almost immediately our dog began running around the room, frantically pacing and panting. I knew something wasn’t right so I called the vet. I took her back into the vet & they gave her and injection of something, then put her on an IV drip to dilute the medicine. She seemed better so we took her home. Since that dosage, she started having seizures and her heart which had been barely a stage 1 murmur jumped to a stage three then four. She was a playful loving dog. Now she won’t let us touch her and all she does is sleep. She hasn’t been the same since the Bravecto.
I was definitely not informed of any of the risks associated with bravecta when I bought it from the vets office on 3 different occasions
We lost our four year old chocolate lab to Bravecto. She had three doses of the poison during which time she lost weight and energy. It was too late before we made the connection to her illness and the medication. She developed water like stools that shortly turned into blood. We were not able to make it to the vet in time.
I filed a claim with Merck because I lost my schnauzer after treating him for the effects from BraVecto. I still have the $500 check they sent me.
Sign me up for this lawsuit!
There are other symptoms besides just neuro. Just had a friend who’s dog became noticeably sick a week after a dose and died with renal failure a month after administration. Another friend who is a vet tech lost her 4 yr old female Dane mix to seizures that couldn’t be controlled. Out of 4 dogs in our family to get a second dose – my Golden had a severe skin reaction that Merck paid for and my 10 yr old Irish Setter died a month after with a raging hemangio tumor (she never should have had it, was already immune deficient but there were no warnings.) Good Luck on the suit. I hope Merck has to cough up a bunch of profits from this horrible drug.
We lost our Double Doodle, Bentley, age 5, in March 2018, secondary to kidney failure and liver issues. He was a healthy boy prior to administering Bravecto in July, 2017 and again in October, 2017. His illness was reported both to the FDA and to Merck.
I have Bentley’s story, his treatment plan from our veterinarian, and pictures of him in his declining state. I also have in autopsy report from the University of Georgia.
This poison needs to be taken off the market!!!! Out baby was taken from us way to soon and we continue to grieve his loss. The guilt of giving him this flea and tick preventative remains.