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 Jakeโs possible adverse reaction to taking the drug. The company allegedly denied that that Jakeโs 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 wasnโt sure if Jakeโs symptoms would be long-term and was still not sure if her dogโs symptoms were caused by the drug.
After more tests and a trip to a neurologist, the plaintiffโs veterinarian allegedly told her that he โpresumedโ that Jakeโs diagnosis of meningitis was a result of โBravecto toxicity,โ 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 โtens of thousands of dollarsโ 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.ย ย
โBecause 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,โ 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 โhighlight neurological events because these events were seen consistently across the isoxazoline class of productsโ and โto provide veterinarians and pet owners with the information they need to make treatment decisions for each pet on an individual basis,โ 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.
โEvery 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 Defendantโs unreasonably dangerous and defective product,โ 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 Arenโt Safe For Pets
My cat died after one dose of Bravecto. He suffered a horrible death and died from neurological issues and seizures associated with this toxin. We had an autopsy done, (which Merck paid for) and it was concluded that he died from liver failure. I kept all the reports and emergency vet bills, which total close to $4K, still Merck denied that it was their drug that killed him.
Both of my Labs have been taking Bravecto for a year. My Black Lab just passed away last week. She experienced tremors and also had trouble with her back legs. I havenโt noticed any symptoms with my Chocolate Lab but will discontinue use immediately.
Our Jazzy took 3 doses and she went into to complete renal failure. The only change was the meds. She will be deceased 3 years on 1/30. The sadness and loss never does away. The only issues that were listed were diarrhea on the pamphlets.
Omg Iโm so scared now. Iโm going to stop using Bravecto. My vet pushed this on me and yelled at me about using other med. Literally she told me I was killing my dog if I continued to use Frontline. I bet they make a lot more money off of the Bravecto.
Our Millie developed kidney failure after using bravecto for the first time, she has been perfectly healthy up until now, a $4000 vet bill later we are still struggling to keep her alive for as long as possible
I have used this product on both of my German shepherds and two cats for 3.5 years now. I am very surprised my vet is still selling this stuff. I havenโt noticed any issues, but I didnโt know what to look for either. I donโt think I will be buying this again I canโt believe it hasnโt been pulled off the market.
We lost all 3 dogs within a year after one dose each. They all developed various degrees of kidney, liver and pancreas failure. Two developed chronic wasting as a result. It is horrifying to watch your babes die slowly over several months until it becomes necessary to let them go and finally be at rest. I will never be emotionally capable of having another dog again for the rest of my life. I canโt even begin to describe my pain.
My dog has taken this for two yrs and has had some lethargic episodes I never put it together please add me
My dog started have seizures after 1 Bravecto dose?
Following first and only dose of Bravecto, my Shtzu mix suffered from seizures and was lethargic. Consulted with Vet and I was told the product was safe. My dog could not walk without falling over and had a loss of appetite. Never used the product again but Vet continues to promote the product and denies any dog has had complications from Bravecto.