FDA expands Bravecto Quantum label for two tick species in dogs

The FDA has approved an expanded label for Merck Animal Health’s Bravecto Quantum, adding treatment and control claims for Asian longhorned tick and Gulf Coast tick infestations in dogs for 12 months. Merck announced the label expansion on March 18, 2026, building on the product’s original July 10, 2025 FDA approval as the first long-acting injectable flea and tick treatment for dogs. Bravecto Quantum is a fluralaner extended-release injectable suspension for dogs and puppies 6 months and older, and it must be prescribed and administered by a licensed veterinarian. The product’s dosing interval still depends on tick exposure: 12 months for several labeled tick species, but 8 months for dogs at risk of lone star tick exposure. (merck-animal-health-usa.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the new claims broaden the product’s relevance as tick ranges shift and as Asian longhorned tick continues to spread in the eastern half of the U.S. CDC says the invasive tick had been found in 20 states as of April 12, 2024, while USDA says it has been collected from New York to Georgia and west to Missouri. The updated label may give practices another option for dogs needing long-duration protection, but case selection and client communication remain important because protection is not uniformly 12 months across all tick species, especially in lone star tick regions. That distinction has also drawn outside scrutiny: earlier this month, the National Advertising Division said Merck should modify or discontinue some marketing claims that could imply all dogs get a full year of tick protection from a single annual dose. (cdc.gov)

What to watch: Watch for how quickly clinics adopt the expanded indication in endemic areas, and whether Merck’s pending advertising appeal changes how year-round protection messaging is framed. (bbbprograms.org)