FDA expands Bravecto Quantum label for two additional tick species

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Merck Animal Health said the FDA has approved an expanded label for Bravecto Quantum, its extended-release injectable fluralaner product for dogs, adding 12-month treatment and control claims for Asian longhorned tick and Gulf Coast tick. The company announced the update on March 18, 2026. Bravecto Quantum was first approved on July 10, 2025, as the first FDA-approved long-acting flea and tick treatment for dogs, with protection ranging from 8 to 12 months depending on tick species. Under the updated label, a single veterinarian-administered injection now covers Asian longhorned tick, Gulf Coast tick, black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick for 12 months, while lone star tick protection remains limited to 8 months. (merck-animal-health.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the expansion broadens the product’s relevance as tick ranges shift and new species establish in more parts of the U.S. The Asian longhorned tick is an invasive species first reported in the U.S. in 2017, and USDA notes it can reproduce without mating, which supports rapid population growth. Gulf Coast tick also matters clinically because it is associated with pathogens of veterinary and public health concern, including Hepatozoon americanum in dogs, and CDC researchers have documented its establishment in parts of the Northeast. The label update may make Bravecto Quantum a stronger fit in parasite protocols for practices in emerging-risk regions, but veterinarians still need to match dosing intervals to local tick pressure because dogs exposed to lone star tick may still need re-dosing at 8 months. (animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov)

What to watch: Watch for how quickly practices in areas with expanding tick pressure adopt the updated label, and whether Merck adjusts marketing language further as its appeal of the recent NAD decision proceeds. (bbbprograms.org)