Pet Medications in the US, 10th Edition

Description

The pet medications market has been experiencing shifts in recent years, with pet owners increasingly turning to the Internet, using e-comm retailers to fill prescriptions and relying on online research and social media for information and advice. On top of this, the veterinary sector, long the primary channel for pet medications purchasing, has been dealing with heightened prices and a diminished patient based. Pet medications marketers and retailers have had to adjust to this new reality, and the changes haven't always been painless.

That said, pet health and wellness remains on center stage, driving sales even when pet owners indicate they are scaling back on pet spending. The pet medications market has long relied on pet owners' concern about their pets' health, but in the current economic environment, a focus on value and a "need-to-have" product positioning are both critical. There are opportunities for marketers and retailers to educate consumers about the importance of pet medications in their pets' wellness regimen and show them that these products aren't "extras" to be cut but essential products to keep their pets health and happy.

This Packaged Facts report analyzes the $13 billion US pet medications market. It presents historical sales data (2020-2025) and projected sales (2026-2030) by animal type (dog and cat) and sales channel (veterinary channel and retail channels), and various breakouts by product type (prescription and over-the-counter products, medications by general type, and parasiticides by type). The report also presents competitive analysis on industry participants including Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, Merck, Virbac, and Zoetis in the prescription space and Central Garden & Pet, Ceva Animal Health, Hartz Mountain Corp., PetIQ, and Vetoquinol in the over-the-counter market. The report evaluates retail channel trends from both the veterinary channel and retail channel perspective. The marketing and new product trends discussion focuses on parasiticide products, primarily flea, tick, and heartworm products. Consumer data, drawn largely from Packaged Facts' proprietary January 2026 and February 2026 Surveys of Pet Owners, covers purchase rates by product type, retail channel, demographic breakouts, and psychographic data that provides insight into pet owner attitudes connected to pet medications and pet health and wellness.

Product Code: LA21244399

Table of Content

CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
MARKET SIZE & COMPOSITION
Pet Medications Growth Impacted by Vet Usage, Pet Population
MARKET OUTLOOK
Economy's Impact on Pet Owner Spending Mindset

Figure 1-1. Agreement with Pet Medication Cost-Related Statements, 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Changes in the US Pet Population

Figure 1-2. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I actively monitor my pet's health and wellness", 2026 (percent of pet owners)

OPPORTUNITIES

CHAPTER 2: MARKET TRENDS

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
MARKET SIZE & COMPOSITION
Pet Medications Growth Impacted by Vet Usage, Pet Population

Table 2-1. US Retail Sales of Pet Medications, 2020-2025 (dollars in millions)

Share of Sales by Animal Type

Figure 2-1. Share of US Retail Sales of Pet Medications by Animal Type: Dog vs. Cat, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)

Share of Sales by Distribution Channel

Table 2-2. Share of US Retail Sales of Pet Medications by Distribution Channel, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)

Pet Medications Sales by Pet-Owning Household

Table 2-3. Dollar Sales of Pet Medications by Sector Per Pet-Owning Household, 2020-2025 (dollars in millions and dollars)
Table 2-4. Dollar Sales of Pet Medications Per Dog-Owning Household and Dog by Sector, 2025 (dollars in millions and dollars)
Table 2-5. Dollar Sales of Pet Medications Per Cat-Owning Household and Cat by Sector, 2025 (dollars in millions and dollars)

Share of Sales by Product Type

Table 2-6. Share of US Retail Sales of Pet Medications by Product Type, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)

Parasiticide Sales by Type

Table 2-7. Share of US Retail Sales of Parasiticides by Product Type: Prescription vs. OTC, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)
Table 2-8. Share of US Retail Sales of Parasiticides by Product Type: Dogs vs. Cats, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)
Figure 2-2. Share of US Retail Sales of Parasiticides by Product Type, 2025 (percent and dollars in millions)

MARKET OUTLOOK
Economy's Impact on Pet Owner Spending Mindset
Economy a Hindrance to Purchasing

Figure 2-3. Level of Concern About Rising Prices in Consumer Categories, 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Impact on Spending

Figure 2-4. Reduction in Spending on "Extras", 2026 (percent of pet owners)
Table 2-9. Changes in Levels of Pet Care Spending in Last 12 Months, 2022 - 2026 (percent of pet care customers with 2+ years as pet owners)

Pet Owners Struggle with Pet Medications Costs

Figure 2-5. Agreement with Pet Medication Cost-Related Statements, 2026 (percent of pet owners)
Figure 2-6. Significant Challenges to Pet Ownership Faced in Past 12 Months, 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners)

Pet Medications Spending Changes

Table 2-10. Pet Owner Spending Changes, 2025 vs. 2024 2026 (percent of pet owners)
Figure 2-7. Cost Changes to Pet Medications Purchased, 2026 (percent of pet medication purchasers)

Changes in the US Pet Population
Decline in Dog-Owning Households

Table 2-11. Dog-Owning Household Population by Generational Cohort, 2020/21-2024/25 (number in thousands)
Table 2-12. Ratio of Puppy to Kitten Households, 2020/21-2024/25 (number in thousands)

Growth in the Cat Population

Figure 2-8. US Cat-Owning Households, 2020/21-2024/25 (number in thousands)
Figure 2-9. Share of US Cat-Owning Households by Generation, 2020/21-2024/25 (percent)

Cat Owners Want More Attention

Figure 2-10. Share of Cat Owners Who Agree That Pet Industry Sectors Sometimes Treat Cats as Second-Class Citizens, 2019, 2022, and 2026 (percent of cat owners)

Pet Medications Among Top Pet Health Products

Figure 2-11. Products Considered Most Important for Pet Health and Wellness: Dog vs. Cat Owners, 2026 (percent)
Table 2-13. Agreement with Selected Statements Related to Pet Health Concerns, 2026 (percent)

Anxiety, Behavioral Problems Go Hand-in-Hand

Figure 2-12. Pet Experiencing Anxiety and Behavioral Problems, 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners)

Pets' Impact on Human Health

Figure 2-13. Agreement with Pets and Human Health Sentiments, 2026 (percent)

Pet Obesity and Aging Pets Contribute to Health Concerns

Figure 2-14. Share of Dog/Cat-Owning Households With Special Needs Pets, 2025 (percent)
Figure 2-15. Share of Dog and Cat-Owning Households With Senior Pets Age 7+, 2016 - 2025 (percent of dog and cat owners)

Dermatitis, Gastroenteritis Top Health Claims

Illustration 2-1. Nationwide Insurance Most Common Pet Health Insurance Claims, 2025

Pet Health Remains Top Priority

Figure 2-16. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I am willing to cut back on my personal expenses to make sure my pet is healthy", 2024 vs. 2026 (percent of pet owners)
Figure 2-17. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I actively monitor my pet's health and wellness", 2026 (percent of pet owners)
Figure 2-18. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "My pet's health is more important than my own health", 2024 vs. 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Exercise, Nutrition Among Top Pet Health Concerns

Table 2-14. Top Pet Health and Wellness Concerns, Dogs vs. Cats, 2026 (percent of owners of dogs no cats and cats no dogs)

Pets Central to Home Life

Figure 2-19. Agreement with Pets as Family Sentiments, 2025/6 (percent of pet owners)

Pets and Owners Physically Close

Table 2-15. Where Pets Are Typically Kept: Dogs vs. Cats, 2025 (percent of pet owners)

Pet Medication Sales Dependent on Challenged Veterinary Sector

Table 2-16. Veterinary Service Usage Rates: Overall and by Dog/Cat Ownership, 2016 - 2025 (percent of dog/cat owning households)
Table 2-17. Client Base for Veterinary Services vs. Overall Dog/Cat Household Population, 2022 - 2025 (in millions of households)
Figure 2-20. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I've felt like a veterinarian recommended more expensive treatments or options for my pet in part to increase the bill", 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners)
Figure 2-21. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "If heartworm and flea/tick medications weren't prescription-only, I'd be less likely to take my pet to the vet for annual check-ups", 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners)

Changes in Veterinary Spending

Table 2-18. Spending Changes on Veterinary Services, 2024 vs. 2023 and 2025 vs. 2024 (share of pet owners who used veterinary services both years)

Why Some Pet Owners Don't Use Pet Medications

Table 2-19. Top Reasons Pet Owners Don't Use Pet Medications, 2026 (percent of pet owners who have not purchased pet meds in past 12 months)
Table 2-20. Top Reasons Pet Owners Don't Use Pet Medications by Income Level, 2026 (percent of pet owners who have not purchased pet meds in past 12 months)

Pet Owner Education May Encourage Parasiticide Usage

Figure 2-22. Pet Owner Knowledge About Parasiticide Products, 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Heartworm A Growing Problem in US
Vaccine Hesitancy on the Rise

Figure 2-23. Pet Vaccine Hesitancy Sentiments, 2026 (share of dog and cat owners)

Impact of Generics

Illustration 2-2. PetCareRx Generic Equivalents

Competition from Supplements and Pet Food/Treats

Table 2-21. Top Condition-Specific Pet Supplements, Pet Food, and Pet Treat Purchase Rates, Past 12 Months, 2025 (percent of pet owners)

Product Regulation
Topical Parasiticides: FDA vs. EPA Oversight
Labeling and Post-Market Oversight
LOOKING AHEAD
Pet Medication Sales to Approach $15 Billion by 2030

Table 2-22. Projected US Retail Sales of Pet Medications, 2025-2030P (dollars in millions)

Illustration 3-1. Allivet Generic Alternative List
Illustration 3-2. Chewy.com Generic Options
Illustration 3-3. Ceva's MilbeGuard Website
Illustration 3-4. Chewy OnGuard
Table 3-1. Select Generic Equivalents of Parasiticide Brands, 2026

Pet Tech and AI Developments
Telehealth

Table 3-2. Levels of Agreement with Selected Statements Related to Telehealth, 2026 (percent of veterinary customers)
Illustration 3-5. Chewy Connect with as Vet
Illustration 3-6. Thrive Pet Healthcare HereFurYou Helpline

Wearables
RETAIL TRENDS
Pet Medication Sales Trending Online

Figure 3-1. Retail Shares of Pet Medication Sales by Non-Veterinary Channel, 2025 (in percent and millions of dollars)

Parasiticide Cross-Shopping Patterns

Table 3-3. Cross-Shopping Patterns for OTC Parasiticides Across Leading Channels, 2025 (percent)
Table 3-4. Cross-Shopping Patterns for Prescription Parasiticides Across Leading Channels, 2025 (percent)

Internet Exerts Influence Beyond Purchasing

Figure 3-2. Use of the Internet in Past 12 Months Related to Pet Medications, 2026 (percent of prescription pet medication purchasers)

Retailers All-In on Online Pet Medications

Illustration 3-7. Walmart Online Pet Prescriptions

Amazon Enters Prescription Pet Meds Market

Illustration 3-8. Prescription Pet Medications at Amazon

Chewy Enters Veterinary Space

Illustration 3-9. Chewy Acquires Modern Animal Membership-Concept Veterinary Clinics

Mixlab Expands Its Pet Health Presence
Veterinary Influence Not as Strong in Younger Generations

Table 3-5. Most Important Sources of Pet Care Information, by Generation 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Veterinary Loyalty More Common Among Older Pet Owners

Figure 3-3. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I'm loyal to the veterinary practice I go to", 2026 (share of pet owners)
Figure 3-4. Strongly Agree with the Statement, "I'm loyal to the veterinary practice I go to", by Generation, 2026 (share of pet owners)

Veterinary and Pharmacy Consolidation a Growing Trend
VetGetRx Links Veterinarians with Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Illustration 3-10. VetGetRx

Covetrus Merges with MWI Animal Health

Illustration 3-11. Covetrus Platform

Pet Specialty Brick & Mortar Stores Focus on OTC Medications

CHAPTER 4: PRESCRIPTION PRODUCTS

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
PRESCRIPTION PRODUCTS MARKET SHARE
Prescription Products Account for Vast Majority of Pet Medications Market

Table 4-1. Retail Sales of Prescription Pet Medications by Product Type, 2025 (dollars in millions and percent share)

MARKETER PROFILES
Dozens of Marketers Participate in Prescription Pet Medications Market
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health

Illustration 4-1. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Website

Elanco

Illustration 4-2. Elanco's Consumer Website

Merck Animal Health

Illustration 4-3. BRAVECTO QUANTUM Webpage

Virbac
Zoetis
MARKETING AND NEW PRODUCT TRENDS
Pet Owner Loyalty Lacking in Prescription Parasiticide Market

Table 4-2. Brand Loyalty Rates: Prescription Pet Medications Other Pet Product Segments, 2026 (percent of pet owners)

Parasiticides
Pet Owners Choose Between Flea/Tick, Heartworm, or Combination Products

Table 4-3. Prescription Parasiticide Brands, 2026

Flea and Tick Products
Boehringer Ingelheim - NexGard

Illustration 4-4. NexGard Webpage Risk Report

Elanco - Comfortis and Credelio

Illustration 4-5. Credelio CAT Webpage

Merck - BRAVECTO

Illustration 4-6. BRAVECTO Chews Webpage
Illustration 4-7. BRAVECTO QUANTUM Webpage

Zoetis - Simparica

Illustration 4-8. Simparica Webpage

The Heartworm Market

Illustration 4-9. HEARTGARD Plus Webpage
Illustration 4-10. ProHeart 12 Webpage

Combination Products

Illustration 4-11. PARASEDGE Multi

Broad Spectrum Wormers
Vaccines and Other Drugs
Weight Loss and Longevity Drugs

CHAPTER 5: OTC PRODUCTS

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
OTC PRODUCT SALES
OTC Products Account for 19% of Overall Pet Medications Market

Table 5-1. Retail Sales of Over-the-Counter Pet Medications by Product Type, 2025 (dollars in millions and percent share)

MARKETER PROFILES
OTC Marketers Focus on Parasiticides, First Aid Products
Central Garden & Pet
Ceva Animal Health
Hartz Mountain Corporation
PetIQ
Vetoquinol
MARKETING AND NEW PRODUCT TRENDS
Parasiticides

Table 5-2. Examples of Leading Over-the-Counter Flea/Tick Brands, 2026

Flea and Tick Products
Boehringer Ingelheim's Frontline Line Up

Illustration 5-1. FRONTLINE Website

Elanco's OTC Arsenal

Illustration 5-2. Advantage Collar for Dogs
Illustration 5-3. Elanco Seresto Landing Page

Virbac's EFFIPRO and EFFITIX
Ceva's Catego and Vectra/Vectra 3D

Illustration 5-4. Catego Website

Central Garden & Pet's ADAMS and Zodiac

Illustration 5-5. ADAMS Flea and Tick Products
Illustration 5-6. Zodiac Flea & Tick Products

UltraGuard

Illustration 5-7. Hartz UltraGuard Web Page

PetIQ's Advecta, CAPSTAR, NextStar, PetArmor, and Sergeant's

Illustration 5-8. PetArmor Extend Flea & Tick Collar
Illustration 5-9. Advecta Website

Broad Spectrum Wormers & Mite Treatments
Natural Products
First Aid Products

CHAPTER 6: CONSUMER TRENDS

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
PET MEDICATION PURCHASING PATTERNS
A Note on the Data
Purchasing Rates by Product Type

Figure 6-1. Pet Medications Purchase Patterns by Type in Last 12 Months, 2026 (percent of dog/cat owners)
Table 6-1. Pet Medications Purchase Patterns by Type in Last 12 Months by Household Income, 2026 (percent and index of dog/cat owners)

Parasite Prevention More Popular than Parasite Treatment Products

Figure 6-2. Usage of Flea/Tick Prevention vs. Flea/Tick Treatment Products, 2026 (percent of pet owners using parasiticide products)

Combination Flea/Tick/Heartworm Products Most Popular Prescription Product

Figure 6-3. Prescription Pet Medications Usage by Type in Last 12 Months, Dog vs. Cat, 2026 (percent of pet owners using prescription pet medications)

Flea/Tick Prevention Most Popular Over-the-Counter Product

Figure 6-4. Over-the-Counter Pet Medications Usage by Type in Last 12 Months, Dog vs. Cat, 2026 (percent of pet owners using over-the-counter pet medications)

Two-Thirds of Dog or Cat Households Use Parasiticide Products

Table 6-2. Percentage and Number of Dog or Cat Owners Who Use Flea/Tick or Other Parasiticides, Winter 2026 (percent and thousands of dog- or cat-owning households)
Table 6-3. Percentage and Number of Dog or Cat Owners Who Use Flea/Tick Prevention or Other Parasiticides, Winter 2022-Winter 2026 (percent and thousands of dog- or cat-owning households)
Figure 6-5. Flea/Tick Medication Usage, Past 12 Months, Dog or Cat, Dogs no Cats, and Cats no Dogs, Winter 2022-Winter 2026 (number of households)
Table 6-4a. Number of Dog or Cat Owners Who Use Prescription Parasiticides, Summer 2024-Winter 2026 (percent and thousands of dog- or cat-owning households)
Table 6-4b. Number of Dog or Cat Owners Who Use Over-the-Counter Parasiticides, Summer 2024-Winter 2026 (percent and thousands of dog- or cat-owning households)

Pet Owner Interest in Injectable Parasiticides

Figure 6-6. Level of Agreement with the Statement, "I'd be interested in an injectable flea/tick/heartworm treatment administered once a year by my vet", 2026 (percent of dog/cat owners)

Changes in Parasiticide Purchasing

Table 6-5. Changes in Pet Medication Purchasing in Past 12 Months, Pet Owners Overall, 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners)
Table 6-6. Changes in Pet Medication Purchasing in Past 12 Months, Pet Medication Purchasers, 2026 (percent of dog and cat owners using product types)

Over Half of Dog Owners Use Oral Parasiticides

Table 6-7. Usage Rates of Parasiticides by Type, Winter 2026 (percent of dog- or cat-owning households)

Parasiticide Usage by Number, Age of Pets

Figure 6-7. Usage Rates for Flea/Tick or Other Parasiticide by Number of Pets, Winter 2026 (percent of dog- or cat-owning households)
Figure 6-8. Usage Rates for Flea/Tick or Other Parasiticide by Age of Pet, Winter 2026 (percent of dog- or cat-owning households)

FRONTLINE Most Frequently Used Flea/Tick Brand

Table 6-8. Share of Flea, Tick, and Parasite Product Usage by Brand, Winter 2026 (percent of parasiticide users)

PET MEDICATIONS PURCHASING PATTERNS BY CHANNEL
Vet Clinics Most Frequently Used Channel for Prescription Medication Purchases

Table 6-9a. Prescription Pet Medications Purchases by Channel, 2026 (percent of pet owners using prescription pet medications)
Table 6-9b. Prescription Pet Medications Purchases by Channel, by Generation, 2026 (percent and index of pet owners using prescription pet medications)
Figure 6-9. Online Prescription Pet Medications Purchases by Website, 2026 (percent of pet owners purchasing prescription pet medications online)

Convenience, Price Primary Factors in Shopping for Prescription Pet Meds Online

Figure 6-10. Reasons for Shopping for Prescription Pet Medications Online, 2026 (percent of pet owners purchasing prescription pet medications online)

Mass Merchandisers, Online Retailers for OTC Medication Purchases

Table 6-10a. Over-the-Counter Pet Medications Purchases by Channel, 2026 (percent of pet owners using OTC pet medications)
Table 6-10b. Over-the-Counter Pet Medications Purchases by Channel, by Household Income, 2026 (percent and index of pet owners using OTC pet medications)

Greatest Share of Parasiticide Purchases Made at Veterinary Clinics

Table 6-11. Parasiticide Purchase Patterns by Channel, Past 12 Months, Winter 2026 (percent of parasiticide users)

Share of Spending on Prescription Pet Medications by Channel

Table 6-12. Share of Spending on Prescription Pet Medications by Channel, 2026 (percent of prescription pet medication purchasers)