Humans, pets united under ‘one health’ concept

A large and growing majority of U.S. pet owners consider their pets to be part of the family, and this human-animal bond is one of the most important factors behind pet owners' willingness to spend generously on pet products and services, according to Packaged Facts, a market research publisher with a diverse catalog of reports on pet products and services.
Part of the reason pet owners are spending more on their companions is because not only do they increasingly view their pets as family, but research indicates that an investment in their pets is also in many ways an investment in themselves. It's a concept that some experts in the medical industry refer to as "one health," or the idea that human health is connected to animal health and the environment.
According to Packaged Facts' Pet Owner Survey data from January 2015, three out of four dogs owners report being healthier and happier because of their canine companions: 38% strongly agree and 36% somewhat agree that their dogs have a positive impact on their physical health, and 44% strongly agree and 36% somewhat agree that their dogs have a positive impact on their mental health. The ratings for cat ownership are nearly as high: 34% of cat owners strongly agree and 31% somewhat agree that their cats have a positive impact on their physical health, and 41% strongly agree and 33% somewhat agree that their cats have a positive impact on their mental health.
There are several examples over the past several years that point to the blurring lines between products designed for humans and those designed for pets. The shift extends not only to retail products such as human grade pet food, but also to the veterinary segment.
For example, highly regarded Johns Hopkins University recently opened the Center for Image-Guided Animal Therapy. The new center allows Johns Hopkins to provide pets with many of the same advanced equipment and procedures that benefit humans, including imaging tools to diagnose pets and services involving image-guided biopsies and minimally invasive procedures. John Hopkins, renowned for its contributions to human medicine and unaffiliated with any veterinary schools, can now assist various veterinarians from outside practices who need to bring dogs, cats, and more exotic pet patients to the university for advanced diagnostic scans and therapies. The cost for these imaging procedures is no small sum for pet owners, yet it's no surprise that so many pet owners are willing to foot the bill, especially considering that spending on veterinary services overall has been on the uptick.
In the soon-to-be-released report, “U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2015-2016,” Packaged Facts estimates that the veterinary services segment (including pet products sold through the channel) is the pet industry's second largest, with US$23 billion in revenue in 2014, up 5%. Solid growth is expected for the future, and the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the veterinary services segment from 2014-19 is projected to be 5%.

APPA unveils national pet market opportunity study at Global Pet Expo

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) announced the official release of its newly expanded APPA National Pet Market Opportunity Study at the 2014 Global Pet Expo. The report focuses on previous pet owners and non-pet owners (individuals who have never owned a pet) and identifies new market opportunities as well as barriers to pet ownership. The study also explores comparisons between current, previous and non-pet owning households.

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One of the key findings in the survey found that there are 84.6 million US households that are current pet owners, 26.6 million US households are previous pet owners and 11.4 million households have never owned a pet.
In exploring behaviors between the three pet ownership types—current, previous and non-pet owners—there are some notable demographic differences, according to the report. Current pet owners tend to live in more rural areas, have young children at home and larger households. They report somewhat lower average household incomes, are younger and own their own single family home. Conversely, previous pet owners tend to live in mid-size markets, do not have young children at home and have the highest average household incomes. They are slightly older and live in a single-family home they own with one other person (typically their spouse). Finally, non-pet owners tend to be urban dwellers who more often live alone, rent their residence (which has a higher likelihood of being a building for three or more families) and are least likely to be married.
New to this year’s study was a look at ownership by generation. One-third of current pet owners are Baby Boomers, while another one-quarter each are Gen Y and Gen X. Only 10% of current pet owners are from the Builder generation. Previous pet owners are far more likely to be Baby Boomers (43%), followed by Gen X (21%) and Builders (20%). Gen Y makes up the smallest number of previous pet owners. The non-pet owners group is composed of one-third Baby Boomers and nearly one-third Gen X respondents. One-quarter are Gen Y and the remaining are Builders.
The report also includes the impact of current economic conditions on pet ownership, as well as the influence of TV shows/videos about pets. Media habits, leisure activities, Internet usage and care of free-roaming animals are just a few of the other topics explored, according to APPA.

Royal Canin survey looks at factors influencing petfood, pet choice

In a recent survey, petfood manufacturer Royal Canin set out to determine America's favorite breeds, uncover how "dog people" differ from "cat people," factors that come into play when choosing a pet and what influences pet owners' petfood choices. 
The survey found that more than 55 percent of cat owners rank appearance as the most important factor when choosing a feline friend, while nearly 62 percent of dog owners look at size when choosing a dog. The survey found that cat and dog owners are similar in that nearly half (40 percent) of cat owners and a third (28 percent) of dog owners say a "mixed-breed" pet is their favorite type of cat or dog. 
“It’s interesting to learn how different cat and dog owners can be when choosing, and making decisions for, their pets,” said Dr. Brent Mayabb, veterinarian and manager of education and development at Royal Canin. “Whatever factors come into play, understanding an animal’s physical and physiological traits is critical to providing the best care.” 
When asked how they select a petfood, more than half of dog owners (56 percent) and cat owners (53 percent) said nutritional factors were most important. 
“This is encouraging, as it shows that owners understand the importance of feeding pets according to their unique nutritional needs,” said Mayabb. “Whether they own a pure breed or a mixed-breed, owners should always aim to provide the most precise care and nutrition for their four-legged friends.”

AVMA releases latest US pet ownership demographic information

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently released its US Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, compiled based off a survey conducted every five years.
According to the survey, conducted in 2012 and based off of numbers from December 31, 2011, the percentage of households that made no trips at all to a veterinarian between 2006 and 2011 rose 8 percent for dog owners and 24 percent for cat owners. In 2011, the percentage of dog-owning households made at least one visit to the veterinarian fell 1.7 percent from 2006 to 81 percent in 2011. The percentage of veterinarian visits by cat owners fell 13.5 percent from 2006 to nearly 55 percent of cat owners.
“Unfortunately, the report reveals that fewer dogs and cats are seeing the veterinarian regularly, and that’s something that the AVMA and every companion animal veterinarian are concerned about. Pet owners across the country need to remember to bring their pets into the veterinarian – at least once a year – to maintain optimal health,” said says Dr. Douglas G. Aspros, American Veterinary Medical Association president.
Additionally, the survey includes a breakdown of pet ownership by state. 
The top 10 pet-owning states in the USA in 2011 were: Vermont (where 70.8 percent of households owned a pet), New Mexico (67.6 percent), South Dakota (65.6 percent), Oregon (63.6 percent), Maine (62.9 percent), Washington (62.7 percent), Arkansas (62.4 percent), West Virginia (62.1 percent), Idaho (62 percent) and Wyoming (61.8 percent).
The 10 states in 2011 with the lowest percentage of pet-owning households were: Rhode Island (53 percent), Minnesota (53 percent), California (52.9 percent), Maryland (52.3 percent), Illinois (51.8 percent), Nebraska (51.3 percent), Utah (51.2 percent), New Jersey (50.7 percent), New York (50.6 percent) and Massachusetts (50.4 percent).
The data also revealed Arkansas as the state with the most dog owners, where 47.9 percent of households own a dog, while Illinois was the lowest state for dog ownership with 32.4 percent of households owning a dog. The top cat-owning state in 2011 was Vermont, where 49.5 percent of households owned a cat, while California had the lowest rate of cat ownership at 28.3 percent.

New study aims to better understand pet ownership, end pet homelessness

American Humane Association's Animal Welfare Research Institute released the results of the first phase of a three-part study to better understand pet ownership and retention and discover the most effective strategies to ensure homeless animals find their forever homes.
Phase I of the "Keeping Pets (Dogs and Cats) in Homes Retention Study," funded through a grant from PetSmart Charities, examines why some American households don't have a pet through interviews with 1,500 previous pet owners and non-pet owners. Research indicates that of the 117.5 million households in the US., 46.3 million have a dog in their family and 38.9 million own a cat. The group says that understanding the reasons people choose to own or not own a pet is the first step toward developing strategies to increase pet ownership and reduce pet homelessness.
The study found that despite massive public education campaigns encouraging people to adopt from shelters, fewer than one-quarter of previous dog owners (22 percent) and one-fifth of cat owners (18 percent) obtained their prior pet from a shelter or rescue organization. However, 64 percent of prospective owners who previously owned dogs and 56 percent of prospective owners who previously owned cats indicated that they would adopt a dog or cat from a shelter or rescue organization. And, in spite of the widely discussed physical and emotional benefits of pet ownership for older people, seniors citizens over age 65 were among the least likely to consider a pet with nearly 60 percent of seniors who previously owned a dog saying they would not consider another dog, and 66 percent of previous cat owners saying they would not consider another cat. Among seniors who never owned a pet, 90 percent said they would not consider ever getting a dog and 94 percent said they would not consider getting a cat.
These findings suggest that lowering the barriers to pet ownership will require supporting younger future cat owners and continuing to assess negative attitudes toward cats; understanding ongoing grief is a barrier to new pet ownership and identifying methods to help people work through grief; understanding that more future owners may be adopting pets from shelters and rescue agencies and offering support at this point of acquisition; and working with broad segments of society to reduce existing barriers to ownership, such as housing restrictions and veterinary/general expenses.
Phase II of the study will research how many dogs and cats acquired from a sampling of shelters and animal control agencies still remain in their new homes six months following adoption, and what happened to pets who are no longer in those homes. Phase III will test practical interventional strategies for improving retention rates following the acquisition of a new pet.
"By understanding the reasons why so many Americans do not own a pet, and learning what we can do to increase lifelong retention of those that do," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the American Humane Association, "we can take the necessary steps to change minds, change policies and change activities to help get more of these beautiful animals out of shelters and into the arms of loving families." 

Older adults benefit from pet ownership, research shows

Aging adults can benefit from relationships with pets, according to new research from the University of Missouri. Rebecca Johnson, an associate professor in the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing, College of Veterinary Medicine and director of the school's Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, says that having a pet can lower the stress hormone cortisol while increasing oxytocin, prolactin and norepinephrine, which are hormones related to joy, nurturing and relaxation. 
“Research suggests older adults live longer, healthier, happier lives when they interact with pets on a regular basis,” Johnson says. “Pets provide companionship and unconditional love that improves the overall health of aging individuals. Caring for animals gives older adults responsibility and more reasons to get up in the mornings.”
Johnson says that although the health benefits of pet ownership are widely acknowledged, many retirement communities and elder-care facilities do not allow residents to have pets. The TigerPlace Pet Initiative offers a successful model other elder-care facilities should follow, she says.
“Health care providers are quick to give walkers and canes to aging individuals to help with their physical needs, but they make it difficult for elderly individuals to keep their pets, key facilitators of emotional health,” Johnson says. “TigerPlace recognizes the benefits of pet ownership and makes it easier for residents to own pets by having pet-friendly facilities and in-house services available to help residents care for pets.”
TigerPlace promotes pet ownership with features such as outdoor walking paths, student visits from the school's veterinary medicine and nursing programs three times per week to walk pets and clean litter boxes, monthly preventative-care visits to pets from a retired veterinary medicine faculty member, and an on-site exam room for specialized veterinary care. 

Euromonitor report examines UK pet products market trends

Euromonitor International's latest report, Pet Care in the United Kingdom, examines the changing UK pet products market, finding that the UK pet humanization trend may be playing a role in the rising pet obesity trend.
The report projects that more "diet" pet food products, including low-calorie and portion-controlled pet food options, will be offered in 2012 by petfood manufacturers. "Obesity is also emerging as a major issue for pet owners in the UK, driven in large part by the fact that many are feeding their pets 'human' food," said Lee Linthicum, Euromonitor's head of food research. "It does offer opportunities for the pet products market, as 'humanisation' fuels pet owners' desires to spend more on their pets; but it also perpetuates the increasing costs associated with owning a pet." In addition to increasing costs, Euromonitor also found that increasing time and budget constraints have caused UK pet owners to switch from owning dogs, to owning low-cost, low-maintenance animals like cats and reptiles. "Not all owners can afford these costs," Linthicum said. "It puts downward pressure on the country's dog population, because of the demand on time and money that is required for these animals. It burdens those owners that want to offer the best for their pet but cannot afford to do so."
The proportion of UK dog-owning households fell particularly for large dog breeds, whose ownership rates fell from 2.8 million in 2006 to 1.8 million in 2011, the report found. At the same time, the proportion of cat-owning households rose from 24.6 percent to 25.4 percent over the same period. The full report can be purchased online.  

Greenies dental treats conducts pet oral health study

Pet specialty dental chew and treat maker, the Greenies Brand, recently conducted a new study on pet oral health to uncover common myths about pet owners' beliefs.
Among pet owners' most commonly held beliefs, the study found that almost half of pet owners believe that dogs’ mouths are cleaner than a human’s and that any type of chewing is good for a dog’s teeth. The study also found that about 40 percent think it is normal for their pets to have stinky breath. About one-third of pet owners believe that a dog’s saliva can help cure human wounds. “There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding a pet’s oral health,” said Dr. Jan Bellows, incoming president of the American Veterinary Dental College. “Dogs’ mouths are certainly not cleaner than a human’s. Dogs often carry a variety of germs and bacteria in their mouths that stem from buildup of plaque and tartar that can potentially make humans sick through contact with saliva. Many pet owners also believe that any type of chewing is good for their dogs, but tooth fractures are a common occurrence in pets because teeth can only withstand a certain amount of pressure from hard objects before they break. Pets chewing on inflexible items like bones, ice cubes or nylon toys are often in danger of tooth breakage. And while smelly breath in pets is common, pet owners who believe this is normal may be missing the signs of poor oral health or potential dental disease.” 

Dogs can carry human norovirus strains, researchers find

A new study conducted by researchers in Finland found that pet dogs are able to carry human strains of norovirus, a leading cause of stomach flu symptoms in people, and pass the strains on to other household members, according to a report.
The University of Helinski's Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health researchers looked at 92 fecal samples from dogs living in households in which the dog or human family members had recently experienced vomiting or diarrhea, the most common norovirus infection symptoms. In these 92 fecal samples, researches found four of the samples to contain the human strain of norovirus, HuNov.  Because "generally species barriers seem to be rather strong for viruses," it was previously thought that animals did not carry human noroviruses, according to Carl-Henrick von Bonsdorff, co-author of the study and member of the faculty of veterinary medicine.  Von Bonsdorff says the most likely source of the disease is family members who have the disease, specifically small children, as norovirus is most commonly transmitted in feces, though can also be spread through saliva and vomit.  "Viruses are in general rather species specific. It seems very unlikely that the transmission would be as easy between man and dog," von Bonsdorff said. He says the next step in studying human norovirus in animals is to look at whether the virus can multiply within a dog's intestines, or whether it only passes through the animal.

Americans spend more money on pets than children

Beware what you read on the Internet. I know, that should go without saying. But even supposedly seasoned journalists like those of us at Petfood Industry/Petfood-Connection.com have to relearn this lesson from time to time.
Yesterday we posted a news item with a headline that is definitely a grabber: "Americans spend more money on pets than children." The source, a blog on the website for The Telegraph in the UK, seems solid at first glance; the blogger, Pete Wedderburn, is trained as a veterinarian and has been writing a column about pets for 25 years.
However, nowhere in his post does Wedderburn attribute his source for the claims he's making: "... in the USA, where all worldwide trends seem to start, children's toys have been overtaken by another, rapidly growing market: pet products. Astonishingly, people are now spending more on their pets than they are on their children."
Wedderburn does acknowledge that the "statistic" he's referring to (but never actually reveals) encompasses the entire pet market, including petfood, and he's comparing it mainly to children's toys. Perhaps he never makes the direct comparison because he doesn't have exact data for pet toy sales vs. children's toys sales -- and because his headline and main claim are a lot more provocative and guaranteed to grab attention?
 Americans now spend US$21 billion a year on children's toys and games, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm. (Full attribution: I found that statistic in an online article about US toy purchasing, not on the NPD site, though I looked there.)
 The American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates US pet owners will have spent a total of US$47.7 billion on their pets by the end of this year. So yes, $47.7 billion is more than the $21 billion spent on children's toys -- but it's not a very exact comparison, is it?
Unfortunately, APPA does not break out sales of pet toys, so I couldn't make the direct comparison, either. Now I'm curious! If someone knows the annual US sales of pet toys, please share.
(By the way, APPA's estimate for total 2010 petfood spending is US$18.28 billion. We should know soon if that holds up.)
In trying to find data to back up Wedderburn's claims, I did find some interesting information -- on, yes, another blog! -- that could possibly explain them. At first glance, a table with data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis on where Americans have increased spending since the recession began seems to support the claims. The table shows pets as the second category, ahead of education and child care. And the amounts spent from the last quarter of 2007 through the second quarter of 2010 (this blog was posted in August) show pet spending at US$5.7 billion versus US$3.6 billion for child care.
But you have to figure that at least some portion of the US$36.9 billion spent on education included for children (even public schools charge various fees), as did spending on healthcare, food and drink, personal care products, telephone equipment, etc. That child care figure is probably just money spent on having a child watched by someone other than the parents. (Children's toys aren't mentioned.)
Anyway, I updated our news item to reflect that the information is solely according to Wedderburn, and I included a link to the blog on American spending habits. Lesson learned!

Pup-Peroni sponsors survey about dog behavior

Pup-Peroni and Kelton Research company teamed up to conduct a survey about how dogs can pick up on their owner’s feelings and vice versa, according to ZooToo.
The survey found that 75% of people say that by reading their dog's body language and facial expressions, they can tell exactly what their dog is thinking, while over 40% of people agreed that their dog would be more likely to pick up on their bad mood than their best friend.

AFP: Processed petfood killing pets

Allergies and obesity are reducing the life expectancy of pets fed industrial food, said Gerard Lippert, a Belgian acupuncturist for animals who recently completed a study on the diets of 600 dead dogs, according to an Associated French Press article. Of the 600 corpses he examined, he alleged that “those fed on processed foods died three years earlier than those fed on food made in the home.” Scientific data to support his statement were not found in the article.

Study suggests incorrect labeling on weight-loss petfood

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University conducted a recent study on 100 commercially available weight management diets and found that information on the back of the petfood bags may not be reliable.
A wide variation existed in recommended calorie intake, kilocalories and cost for diets marketed for weight loss in pets.

New study links overweight owners to overweight dogs

A study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition investigated the relationship between body weight in pet owners and body weight in their pets.
The study found that overweight owners tend to have overweight dogs, but no significant relationship was found between owners and cats.

Article: Treats better choice than table scraps

A recent article from South Carolina News advised pet owners to avoid feeding pets table scraps and instead feed them pet treats.
Among the reasons listed why treats are better than table scraps were higher nutritional value, better effects on pets’ digestive systems and fewer calories.

US pet and owner statistics reported

Examiner.com quoted American Veterinary Medical Association statistics to state that about 60% of all households in the US have a pet. Other data reported include:

• According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), about 65% of US pet owners acquire their pets free or at a low cost.
• Most US pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. About 15 to 20% of dogs are purchased from breeders, 10 to 20%of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2 to 10% are purchased from pet shops. (Source: Ralston Purina and NCPPSP)
• At least 20% of cats are acquired as strays. (Source: NCPPSP) Many strays are lost pets that were not kept indoors or provided with identification.
• More than 20% of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter. (Source: NCPPSP)
• Spaying or neutering pets costs less than raising puppies or kittens for one year. Neutering costs less than spaying at most vets.
• The average annual cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for a dog or cat is US$400-700.
• About 75% of owned pets are neutered.

Owners spending on pet care despite recession

With more than 65% of American families having a pet, pet care—including food, accessories, veterinary services and grooming—is big business, according to a news report.
American Pet Products Association data shows spending on pet care was $43.2 billion in 2008 and is expected to cross $45 billion this year.
According to IBISWorld, an industry and market research firm, pet stores are expected to touch $11.45 billion in revenue this year. A growth of 5% over the next five years is expected in pet care, training and pet sitting.
Veterinary services accounted for $22.3 billion in 2008 and is expected to grow 4.3% over the next five years.

People less likely to switch pet brands

A recent poll by ICOM found 59% of people surveyed switched from national brands to private labels for food and household products in the last six months.
However, only 23% of people surveyed switched from national brands to private labels for pet care products, suggesting there is still a lack of trust in private label goods for specific product categories, according to an article from The Retail Bulletin.
Pet owners cannot test the pet products themselves and therefore are uncertain of its quality and less likely to switch from a brand they trust, according to Aldi UK boss Paul Foley.

Pet supplements found to be less than promised

The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) found that 24 of the 87 brands it tested recently did not contain what was claimed, said council president, William Bookout, in an article from The Associated Press.
The NASC did not specify which brands, but instead used the results to help improve quality control.
"Sometimes a company doesn't even realize they have a problem, or a company can make an honest mistake," Bookout said.

Hill's announces nutrition challenge winner

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. named intern Jessica Markovich, D.V.M., of Arizona's VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center, as winner of the 2008-2009 Evidence-Based Clinical Nutrition Case Challenge.
Her submission, An Evidence-Based Review of Taurine Responsive Cardiomyopathy in a Newfoundland, outlined the case of an adult female Newfoundland with congestive heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy. Despite the dog being on a normal dietary regimen, Markovich found the Newfoundland had a taurine deficiency requiring supplementation.
Markovich conducted an evidence-based review of the current research regarding taurine-responsive cardiomyopathy, with the conclusion that nutritional modification of canine cardiac disease may be underutilized.
Markovic’s received registration, travel and lodging to the 2009 ACVIM Forum in Montreal, Canada, as her prize for winning the competition.