BUSINESS - Zoetis to Expand Manufacturing Capabilities

Zoetis Inc. plans to expand capacity at its Global Manufacturing and Supply facility in Kalamazoo, Mich.

The company will install two new production lines and related operations to manufacture oral tablet and chewable medicines for companion animals.

Having more chewable medications on the market will make any pet owner who has wrestled with a stubborn cat or canine very happy.

Zoetis expects to add up to 45 manufacturing positions in the next three years as a result of the expansion and will spent about $64.5 million on the project.   

“Kalamazoo is home to one of the largest and most important manufacturing sites in Zoetis’ Global Manufacturing and Supply network,” Matthew Everhart, Vice President, Pharmaceutical and Aseptic Operations, Global Manufacturing and Supply at Zoetis, said in a release.

“Locating manufacturing here gives us continued access to a highly skilled and diverse workforce which is essential to managing a global animal health company.”

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) awarded Zoetis a Business Development Program incentive grant for their choice to build in Michigan rather than another state.

“Today’s investment announcement by Zoetis will foster a long-term positive impact on western Michigan’s economy and bring new jobs to the area. Numerous public and private partners deserve thanks for helping make this project happen, and we are pleased to support that collaboration,” said MEDC Chief Executive Officer Steve Arwood.

Zoetis currently employs approximately 300 people at its manufacturing facilities in Kalamazoo and Portage, including 265 dedicated directly to manufacturing.  

Renovations to the 524,000-square foot facility in Kalamazoo will expand production of Simparica(R) (sarolaner) Chewables, the oral flea and tick medication for dogs, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2016.

The company expects to begin renovations later this month and to complete the project by early 2019.

This expansion isn’t a first for a company that continues to grow steadily.

Zoetis increased their manufacturing capabilities at their Nebraska facility in 2014.

The company was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s best employers for a second year in a row and made news with their acquisition of Nexvet Biopharma.

 

HEALTH - Canine Cancer Treatment With "Mind-blowing" Results

Imagine scientists being able to unleash a dog's own immune system to attack cancer.

Then imagine the potentially life-saving treatment, (which would allow cancer-stricken canines to avoid more conventional side-effects of chemotherapy,) being downright affordable.

It's much more than a pipe-dream for Melbourne scientists behind a free clinical trial being conducted Down Under which is already proving to have what Dr. Noam Pik calls “mind-blowing” early results.

(Dr. Noam Pik, photo: Chris Eastman)

Pik, head of the veterinary division at West Melbourne biotechnology research group Biotempus, told the Herald Sun if the trial proves effective, the plan is to offer it as treatment to ailing canines within the next two years and “then continue to humans.”

Essentially, the treatment sees dogs take a pill to thwart cancer's bid to kill.

In the year-long trial being done at 20 vet clinics in Australia, dogs are given a single dose of chemotherapy, that's one tablet, designed to decimate T-Regulatory cells within the pooch's own immune system.

These cells suppress the cancer-fighting mechanism of the immune system's T-Effector cells.

Mere months into the trial, researchers say they have already seen several dogs with early signs of remission.

“If the T-Regulatory cells can be selectively killed, the T-Effector cells can get on with the job of eliminating cancer undisturbed,” Pik told the Herald Sun.

Part of reaching that goal has been accomplished by the team's discovery that a dog's immune system, which moves in cycles, can be mapped.

With that in mind, blood samples are taken every second day allowing researchers to determine when suppressor cells are most vulnerable and then delivering chemotherapy at the optimal juncture.

Not only are there promising results, so far, but the prospect of honing in on a cancer-fighting treatment which is affordable would make any cancer-fighting coups that much more accessible to pet owners trying to get help for their dogs.

Researchers say prohibitively high canine cancer treatment costs, which can run in the tens of thousands, could be dramatically reduced and severe chemotherapy side-effects, such as nausea, would not be associated to the low-dose tablet.

“If this works ... it will save animals from having to go through a lot of nasty chemo,” says Swan Street Veterinary and Wellness Centre’s Dr Kathryn Farquharson.

Pik and his partners, although buoyed by the potential research findings which could lead to a breakthrough in human treatment, are cautiously optimistic.

“The results have been very exciting but we want to remain skeptical. We’re trialling it over the next year — compiling data, publishing in scientific journals,” Pik says.

Dr. Maureen Cooper, a Melbourne veterinary oncologist, says the field of immunotherapy – using a patient's own immune system to combat cancer – has seen much progress in recent years and she she is anxious to see if Biotempus findings add to that wealth of knowledge.

“I believe that in order to improve outcomes in cancer patients, novel treatments and treatment approaches are needed,” Cooper told the Herald Sun.

“We now believe the contribution of the tumour micro-environment is immense and has been previously largely underestimated. Thus, we believe it is important to aim treatment at both the tumour itself and the tumour environment with the aim of achieving more effective and durable cancer treatments.”

Sadly, it seems the disease has taken a stronghold on Carol Veldhoven's eight-year-old dog, Jack.

When she learned a broken leg was in fact symptomatic of aggressive bone cancer, Veldhoven invested more than $10,000 towards vet care but stopped short of having Jack endure amputation or chemotherapy.

It might be too late for Jack, but because the dog is enrolled in the Biotempus clinical cancer trial held in January, he may leave behind quite the legacy – being part of ground-breaking research which will benefit dogs facing a similar plight in future.

“We’re not expecting anything,” Veldhoven told the Herald Sun. “It’s more about helping others down the line.”

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

HEALTH - Vaccine Debate Part One: The History

(Variolation - pbs.org NOVA)

Vaccine history is unexpectedly fascinating and complex.

It is older than Louis Pasteur finding a vaccine (and cure) for rabies in 1885, older even than Edward Jenner’s 1798 use of cowpox to confer smallpox immunity.

Humans have been using infected material to inoculate domesticated animal populations, and themselves, for much longer than the practice has been documented.

The history of vaccination, and of the symbiotic interplay between human and veterinary medicine, offers insight into yet another way that our relationship with domestic animals enhances our lives.

Veterinary vaccines protect human health by limiting the spread of zoonotic diseases – those diseases, such as rabies, that can be transmitted from animals to humans – and there is a long history of the two fields of medicine learning from one another.

Farmers and nomadic herders, like the Tulani in Africa, have inoculated herd animals against diseases such as sheep pox for centuries. Animal inoculation was mentioned in the notes of European explorers and colonizers in Africa as early as the 16th Century.

There is evidence of human variolation, which is a similar type of inoculation via infectious material, in China at 1000 CE, and in 1706 a British minister learned of variolation against smallpox in Turkey.

Although the origins of the practice are not known, it is likely that human variolation was a result of applying successful veterinary techniques to human health care.

Variolation was effective but unpredictable. Smallpox variolation involved introducing infected human material taken from smallpox scabs or the fluid in pustules into healthy humans, often via an open vein. Although it offered solid immunity, there was a significant risk of post-inoculation mortality.

Smallpox vaccination, in contrast, used cowpox to inoculate humans, and this procedure, which was pioneered by Edward Jenner (1749-1823), was much safer. It was also less effective over time, and though the post-inoculation mortality rate was lower, revaccination was often necessary.

The history of smallpox vaccination perfectly demonstrates how human and animal vaccination have overlapped and intertwined.

Variolation likely started among animals, and was transferred to humans, and the development of vaccination as a safer alternative to variolation happened simultaneously among human and veterinary physicians.

The practice of vaccination itself went through multiple iterations including using humans as vaccine reservoirs, then back to using cows as the vaccine source, and many attempts to transport the vaccine outside of a living body.

This complicated interplay between human and animal medicine continues throughout vaccine history, and extends even into our current context.

Louis Pasteur expanded the understanding of viruses and vaccines, and worked with veterinarians and livestock farmers to develop his first two virus vaccines - against fowl cholera and anthrax. He eventually turned his attention to rabies, and this work would not have been possible without his collaboration with veterinarians.

These collaborations continue today.

When a disease affects both human and animal populations, sometimes the human vaccine comes first and sometimes the animal vaccine does, but there is always collaboration happening between the two fields of medicine.

The history of inoculation among both animals and humans extends further back than most people realize, and so do the controversies surrounding vaccine use.

Part two in this series will look at vaccine controversies, from anti-vaccination arguments in the 1880’s to today.

By Tiffany Sostar

Tiffany is a writer, editor, academic, and animal lover who came late to her appreciation of pets. At 18, a rescue pup named Tasha saved her from a depression and she hasn't looked back. She has worked as the canine behaviour program coordinator for the Calgary Humane Society, and was a dog trainer specializing in working with fearful and reactive dogs for many years. She doesn't have any pets right now, but makes up for it by giving her petsitting clients (and any dogs she comes across on her frequent coffee shop adventures) extra snuggles.

B.C. Cat Will be First to Get Prosthetic Blades

Eight-month-old Cassidy is now one step closer to walking and jumping like other normal cats. He was injected with Botox in his hind legs to relax the muscles before placing prosthetic blades on his back limbs.

"This will be the first cat in the world to be fitted with prosthetic blades, so our hope today was just the final step before that surgery can be performed," Dr. Mike Higgins, a neurologist with Canada West Veterinary Specialists told Tech Times.

Cassidy will travel to North Carolina State University for the prosthetic limb implant.

These types of 3D printed prosthetic blades have already been used for dogs, but this is a first for cats.

Dr. Higgins predicts prostheses will be more available for paralyzed and malformed animals in about 10 to 15 years.

Cassidy lost his rear legs due to wounds caused by E. Coli. He was found and rescued by Shelly Roche of Tiny Kittens Rescue last year.

Read the full story.

Canine Influenza Found in Cats

(Cheryl Wallach Photography)

Sandra Newbury, clinical assistant professor and director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Veterinary Medicine, has confirmed that canine influenza has now infected a group of cats in Indiana.

Newbury, along with Kathy Toohey-Kurth, virology section head at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, tested multiple cats at an animal shelter in Northwest Indiana and found them positive for the H3N2 canine influenza virus.

“Suspicions of an outbreak in the cats were initially raised when a group of them displayed unusual signs of respiratory disease,” Newbury says in their press release. “While this first confirmed report of multiple cats testing positive for canine influenza in the U.S. shows the virus can affect cats, we hope that infections and illness in felines will continue to be quite rare.”

Cats that have contracted the virus in the shelter have displayed symptoms such as runny nose, congestion and general malaise, as well as lip smacking and excessive salivation. Symptoms have resolved quickly and so far, the virus has not been fatal in cats.

Newbury and the UW Shelter Medicine team are working closely with the animal shelter to manage the influenza outbreak.

An H3N2 vaccine is now available for dogs, but no vaccine is currently approved or recommended for cats.

FDA Approves New Drug for Canine Osteoarthritis

As dogs live longer lives there has been an increase in incidence of painful chronic conditions like osteoarthritis. Pain killing drugs are almost always part of the treatment for this condition, if not at the beginning then as it progresses.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Galliprant (grapiprant tablets) for pain management in dogs.

While there are other non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the market like meloxicam and deracoxib, Aratana Therapeutics, who developed the drug, state that “Galliprant is a first-in-class non-cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibiting, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in the piprant class.”

Piprants are a newly recognized drug class.

Aratana goes on to say that, “using a new mechanism of action, this therapeutic directly blocks one of the key receptors involved in pain and inflammation — the EP4 prostaglandin receptor.”

Aratana hopes to market it based on data showing both effectiveness and a lack of dangerous side effects like gastrointestinal bleeding.

CEO Steven St. Peter is confident Aratana's new drug will be able to grab significant market share. "As the first approved product in the new piprant class, Galliprant offers veterinarians a needed therapeutic option for the millions of dogs treated each year for osteoarthritis," St. Peter said in the press release announcing the FDA approval.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD), is defined as the progressive and permanent long-term deterioration of the cartilage surrounding the joints. Arthritis is the medical term for inflammation of the joints.

RESEARCH - Canine Genetic Study Can Help Breed Healthier Dogs & Fight Disease in People

Domestic dogs share hundreds of diseases with humans and ground-breaking research out of Cornell University relying on canines might lead to discoveries in fighting disease in people.

The largest genetic study of dogs conducted by the university, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, saw the genetic analysis of 4,200 dogs.

And the findings are a coup considered it could offer a viable lead to help link genetic markers of disease with the responsible gene.

“The more we know about the genetic basis of diseases, the better we are at keeping pure-bred dog populations genetically healthy,” says Adam Boyko, assistant professor of biomedical sciences at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the paper’s senior author.

The study investigated 180,000 genetic markers, DNA sequences with a known physical location on a chromosome – ultimately offering “a big step toward efficiently mapping genes responsible for complex disease in dogs, most of which are very similar in humans, thereby accelerating our understanding of human genetic diseases.”

Researchers say that by identifying important genes and proteins in dogs for diseases and traits, it may be possible to then test those homologous genes in humans.

In the study, samples were taken from more than 150 purebreds, 170 mixed-breed dogs and 350 free-ranging village dogs from the Cornell Veterinary Biobank with the work taking place over several years.

From hip dysplasia to lymphoma, dogs share more than 350 diseases with humans and similar pathways and genes associated – making mutts increasingly popular as model subjects for studying human disease.

As well genetics in dogs are far more simple than in humans making relying on them as research tools a “useful and underused way to understand genetic diseases from a human perspective,” Boyko says.

Existing research has made links between standard poodles and squamous cell carcinoma, German shepherds at atopic dermatitis and canine compulsive disorder in Dobermans, the study cites, while stating “domestic dogs” are “excellent animal models for human disease.”

In the Cornell study, for instance, hundreds of genes contribute to body size in humans while the research proved much easier with canine subjects.

“We found 17 genes for body size in dogs, and by looking at those genes we can predict a dog's size with 90 percent accuracy,” Boyko says.

For complex diseases, researchers identified areas on the genome associated with elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, lymphoma, mast cell tumour, granulomatous colitis and idiopathic epilepsy, which is often described as epilepsy without cause and often used to describe genetic epilepsy.

In addition to body size, researchers also succeeded in identifying genes which influence traits like fur length and shedding.

Human disease-mapping studies generally include genotyping tens of thousands of individuals and looking at 1 million markers across the genome.

In this study, Boyko says, researchers conducted simulations to show that “in dogs, we expect to be able to identify genetic risk factors for most major diseases with 1000 individual dogs and 1000 controls.”

The study was funded by Zoetis Animal Health, the Cornell University Center for Advanced Technology in Life Science Enterprise, the National Geographic Society, National Institutes of Health, The American Kennel Club and the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

INNOVATE - Revolutionary New Cat Litter

Cats Incredible, a revolutionary new clumping cat litter, is set to launch at Global Pet Expo in Florida this month.

What makes this litter so different? The Dow Chemical Company’s patent-pending nontoxic technology that prevents ammonia from developing in the litterbox.

It doesn’t simply mask or neutralize the toxic gas; it stops it from forming, according to Andre Argenton, global research and development director for Performance Materials and Chemicals at Dow.

“At Dow, we’re problem solvers,” Argenton told Pet Product News. “Odour control is the No. 1 problem in the cat litter market. We believe we have broken through this problem with a disruptive technology solution for the litter industry that can improve the health of cats and their owners. Cats are important members of many families; our breakthrough technology gives cat owners peace of mind knowing their cat’s litterbox is providing a safe, ammonia-free environment.”

Joey Herrick of Lucy Pet Products has filed a worldwide patent on the innovative package design. The bright, recyclable bag features a side removable cap and ergonomic side and top handles for ease of use, and Ricky, a cat rescued by Herrick, graces each bag. His tail curls around to create one of the handles.

“It’s just a beautiful, extremely functional bag,” Herrick told Pet Product News. “There isn’t another like it out there.”

The litter is available in unscented and lightly scented with lavender, and was accepted by 100% of the felines at Lucy Pet who tried the product.

Four corporations collaborated to make this product a reality – Lucy Pet Products, Central Garden and Pet Co., Horn Co. and The Dow Chemical Company.

They expect Cats Incredible to be a "game changer" that revolutionizes the cat litter category.

READ MORE: A Winning Combination: Sparked by Lucy Pet Products’ Joey Herrick, a pet industry innovator extraordinaire, four corporations collaborate to revolutionize the cat litter category.

Dr. Jim Berry, on pet obesity

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association president Dr. Jim Berry discussed the risks of obesity in pets with Best Health Magazine for its Jan/Feb 2014 issue. 

Berry reported an estimated 60% of Canadian pets are obese or overweight, often caused by too much food and not enough physical activity. 

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Pet Health driving pet supply market

Earlier this month, Packaged Facts reported an increase in health care related pet products are the key to growth in pet supply sales.

"We are certainly seeing more health-related and preventative health products on the market that help pets maintain healthy lifestyles," said Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association (APPA). 

Vitamin enriched dental chews are driving growth in the pet products category, according to a recent report from Mintel. Mintel expects chews, toys, grooming products made with natural ingredients and other supplies that contribute to the health and well-being of dogs and cats to drive sales in the pet supplies sector. 

According to the report, pet supplies saw a 2% increase, bringing sales to $11.1 billion. The market research firm projects that this year, pet supplies will grow 4% over 2012 sales. 

READ THE ARTICLE

Sergeant's Pet Care encourages pet owners to emBARK on Pet Health

Sergeant's Pet Care Products is enlisting the help of celebrity animal advocate, Tiffani Thiessen to emBARK on Pet Health in an effort to educate and empower families during Responsible Pet Owners month. 

The emBARK on Pet Health campaign asks pet owners to take a simple online pledge to become more mindful of their pet's ongoing needs. Each pledge will trigger the donation of a Sergeant's Pet Health Kit which, with the help of American Humane Association, will be sent to help one of the millions of animals waiting for their forever homes at local shelters nationwide. 

In addition to taking the pledge, visitors to the emBARK on Pet Health website have access to pet health tips and a pet health calendar. 

Sergeant's is committed to providing up to 5,000 Pet Health Kits to shelters. Each kit is estimated at a total value of $50 and features popular Sergeant's products. 

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Edmonton Humane - The Future of Pet Ownership

Will pet ownership be reserved for the elite? 

Edmonton Humane Society CEO, Stephanie McDonald recently posted an article that asks important questions for the future of pet ownership. Undoubtedly, members of the companion animal industry as well as pet owners are interested in this conversation. The article reviews issues around the rising cost of owning a pet. 

McDonald notes the number and nature of surgeries taking place at Edmonton Humane has  changed. 

"The pressure on our shelter and our surgeons seems to increase each day," she said in the post. "It used to be that the shelter's clinic only booked spays or neuters; now it is a daily routine to perform several dentals and more complex surgeries such as orthopedics, amputations, wound repairs, eye enucleations, the list goes on and on..." 

While McDonald is careful not to place blame, she wonders about options to keep healthy companion animals within the reach of lower income households.

• Obtaining alternate diagnosis
• Dispensing medications from other sources

A respondent to MacDonald’s article recommended pet health insurance as another way of eliminating or leveling health care costs. 

Last fall at Summit 2012, the industry alumni developed a new conversation that continues under the leadership of Drew Van Niekerk. The conversation hopes to clearly define the Positive Pet Experience, to determine the barriers pet families encounter as they seek to achieve it and to develop strategies and tactics that resolve issues.

In April, the 2013 Regional Conferences will extend this conversation through four workshops across Canada. In the meantime, everyone sees costs are driving change in the pet industry paradigm. MacDonald’s blog contributes to a discussion which is likely to be the significant focus of Summit 2013 in October.

READ THE ARTICLE

Healthy Pets Make Healthy People

Courtesy Google Images

Pets make great companions but recent studies show they're also beneficial to our health. 

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) released an article earlier this month citing studies showing pets help to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, prevent heart disease, fight depression and as a result, lower health care costs.

Similar studies done in Germany show parallel results. A survey conducted by the German GFK Panel shows that owners of companion animals believe their pets are beneficial for their own health. A third of all surveyed said they've felt healthier since owning a pet. Ten per cent said a relative they are taking care of felt healthier, eight per cent even bought a pet after a severe illness.  

Ultimately, the evidence gathered from studies such as these can go a long way towards abating the gap between pets and pet families, a imperative  conversation generated at Summit 2012.  

When we consider these studies as a means to benefit the industry, several factors come to mind. In fact, all four sectors of the companion animal industry can make use of this evidence to promote and enhance their own quarter of animal welfare. 

For example, "Healthy Pets Make Healthy People" might be a successful adoption campaign in the Animal Humane & Rescue sector. Animal Health & Wellness and Animal Services & Retail agents would see the promise of such a campaign to encourage pet families to keep their companions in better health. And the Animal Care & Control sector could use these studies to encourage permanent licensing of man's best friend. 

Stay in the know with PetLynx

Petsecure steps up to support worthy cause and promote pet health insurance

Celebrating nine decades of serving the companion animal community, the Calgary Humane Society recognizes the value in encouraging pet parents to purchase pet health insurance to the benefit of their animals. This year, the Society is teaming up with one the industry's leading pet health insurance companies to put on its largest fundraising event.

Western Financial Insurance Company (Petsecure) is helping the Calgary Humane celebrate this 90th Anniversary by supporting its Cocktails for Critters event later this month.

"In its 90 years serving the Calgary community, the Calgary Humane Society has cared for countless animals and taught countless pet parents what it means to be a responsible pet owner," said Bill Skubovius, Vice President of Business Development at Petsecure. "It's our privilege to help them celebrate their legacy by sponsoring Cocktails for Critters."  

The Calgary Humane Society is one of the many Canadian animal shelters that benefits from Petsecure's Adoptsecure Program. Adoptsecure provides up to six weeks of accident and illness insurance coverage valued at up to $500 for all newly adopted dogs and cats.

"Cocktails for Critters is our largest fundraising event of the year," said Mark Takhar, Executive Director. "This event helps us offer hope to thousands of animals in need every year, but without dedicated support from organizations like Western Financial Insurance, this could not be possible." 
                

Stay in the know with PetLynx

Industry - Perrigo acquires Sergeant's Pet Care Products

Perrigo Company announced 13 September 2012 ,that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Inc. (Sergeant's), a privately-held, Omaha, Nebraska-based manufacturer of over-the-counter (OTC) companion animal healthcare products, for approximately $285 million in cash. 

"This acquisition allows us to penetrate the pet care category by offering numerous flea and tick, health and well-being and consumable products to pet owners at affordable prices," said Perrigo Chairman and CEO Joseph C. Papa. 

"Sergeant's has a proven record of innovation, high quality manufacturing with great customer service. We welcome Sergeant's two hundred-plus employees and over one thousand SKU's to the Perrigo family. We are excited to bring quality and value to consumers and their extended families."

Indeed, recent market trends have shown an increase in companies dedicated to providing healthcare to the companion animal sector as pets make the shift from back yard animals to bedside family members. This move by Perrigo is the first step in executing a strategy to expand its Consumer Healthcare portfolio into pet care, an adjacency of interest to its retail customers. 

"We are very impressed with Sergeant's strategic direction, growth and product offerings since its founding in 1868," said Papa. 

"The team has built a company focused on bringing high quality, affordable pet care products quickly to market and the barriers to entry in this category are high. This strategic acquisition will expand our existing Consumer Healthcare business and add tremendous value for our shareholders for years to come."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Brand - Petsecure wants us to get serious about pet health insurance

You have it for your jewelry, your home and your car. Why wouldn't you insure your beloved pet as well? 

September is Pet Health Insurance Month and Petsecure is hoping to promote this cause and educate pet parents about the benefits of insurance and costs of veterinary care. Because pet health insurance can mean the choice between life and death for animal, Petsecure will be running its seventh annual Pet Health Insurance Month contest beginning September 2012.  

"No matter how much we love and care for our pets, accidents and illnesses are beyond our control," said Bill Skubovius, vice president of business development for Petsecure. "Pet Health Insurance Month is a chance for our industry to come together and promote responsible pet ownership by helping pet parents learn about pet health insurance." 

Contestants can enter the contest by filling out a ballot at participating veterinary clinics or online. Contest sponsors include Dyson, PetLynx, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Modern Dog magazine the Farley Foundation and the Canadian Kennel Club. 

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Petsecure is a member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). 

VISIT PETSECURE WEBSITE

               

Pet Owners Report Reveals the Economy Doesn't Affect Spending on Pets

Pet spending in the U.S. has been proven to be recession-proof, according to a new online survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from April 19th - 23rd, 2012.

Among 1,299 pet owners surveyed, three-in-four (75 per cent) said the state of the economy doesn't affect how much money they spend on their pets. Twelve per cent said they spend $101 or more per month on their pets, while more than one in five (21 per cent) said they spend $51-$100 per month on their pets.

More than one-quarter (26 per cent) of pet owners would put their pets' health care needs before their own. In addition, nearly one-in-five (17 per cent) said they don't currently have pet insurance, but would consider purchasing it. Seven per cent of pet owners said they currently own pet insurance.

According to the survey, expensive and unnecessary grooming treatments topped the list of excessive pet spending. Purchases considered too expensive to spend on a pet:

• Getting your pet a professional massage: 77 per cent
• Paying for beauty and groom treatments beyond typical grooming (nail polish, hair styling, body wraps, etc): 73 per cent
• Extravagant pet hotels and boarding: 71 per cent
• Regularly buying your pet gourmet food: 48 per cent
• Medicating your pet for any psychological needs (e.g. anxiety medicine, depression medicine, etc): 44 per cent
• Paying for expensive experimental health treatments (e.g. new cancer treatments to save pet's life): 40 per cent
• Buying your pet too many toys: 33 per cent

View the complete New Release