Pet wellness: new solutions for anxiety, low mood and pain

Anxiety, poor mood and chronic pain are common issues for pets, often impacting their quality of life. To meet these challenges, innovative products, including cannabinoids (CBDs), and advanced and modern pain management options, are gaining traction.

Focusing on health

A survey of over 2,000 pet owners published in The Canadian Veterinary Journal found that 43.6% prioritized purchasing healthy food for their pets over their own well-being.

With such devoted pet parents, it’s no surprise that demand for products that support mental and physical health has surged.

In the US, the pet CBD business is booming. According to Grand View Research, the pet CBD market has grown from almost zero in 2016 to $248.4 million (€228.8M) in 2023, with projections it will reach $1.7 billion (€1.6B) in the next 6 years.

Dogs are the leading CBD consumers, with reports that 65% of pet CBD revenue in 2023 was for dogs, primarily purchased by millennials, who make up more than half (53%) of CBD sales.

Cannabinoids lead the way

A survey by PETS International indicates that 65% of pet owners have used CBD for their dogs, citing pain and anxiety as the top reasons, with joint issues being a common cause of pain.

Anxiety can stem from multiple factors, including being left alone, loud noises or car journeys.

Despite CBD’s global popularity, local regulatory frameworks shape market dynamics. In 2023, North America held 40.2% of the pet CBD market. While Canada and Europe have stricter regulations, promising growth prospects are seen in the Asia Pacific region.

Australian veterinarians are legally allowed to prescribe CBD products, whereas cannabis remains banned in Arab and Middle Eastern countries.

The market’s dynamics also reflect pet owners’ increasing demand for top-tier CBD products.

“Feedback from our customers shows that pet owners increasingly seek transparency and higher quality standards in hemp-derived products,” says Erik Rivera, CEO and founder of Honest Paws, which makes CBD oils for dogs.

Innovative pet tech for wellness

Historically, the anxiety-relieving and mood-boosting product market was limited to a few options, such as pheromone diffusers, thundershirts, weighted blankets and calming beds.

However, today, technology has inspired the emergence of novel pet product categories, like pet tech commerce, valued at $10.5 billion (€9.7B).

Expensive, high-end gadgets are becoming mainstream, making their way into the baskets of tech-savvy pet owners keen to support their pets’ well-being.

For instance, Seattle-based Furbo offers a pet camera with a rotating 360° view and HD resolution, featuring 2-way audio and barking alerts, allowing owners to monitor and interact with anxious pets remotely.

Similarly, Austrian company Tractive has developed an intelligent dog GPS tracker that clips easily onto collars and combines location tracking with wellness monitoring.

PetPace’s Smart Collar, designed with veterinary input, tracks vital signs, activity levels and overall health.

SureFlap provides additional security with its radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled pet door, ensuring only pets with recognized ID chips can use it.

Through the app, owners can create custom settings for individual pets. For anxiety relief, Pet Tunes offers a Bluetooth-compatible music player preloaded with calming music, while Paw Wave makes massagers for dogs.

Finally, interactive toys like PupPod, iFetch and PetGeek keep dogs mentally stimulated and physically active, helping maintain a balanced mood.

Next-generation painkillers for dogs

The veterinary pain management market is on an upward trajectory, and arthritis is the top issue.

According to the UK’s Canine Arthritis Management, arthritis potentially affects 35% of all dogs and 80% of dogs over 8. Mordor Intelligence reports the market’s value will reach $1.7 billion (€1.5B) in 2024.

At the end of 2022, UK pharmaceutical company Norbrook patented Firox, a chewable dog tablet containing anti-inflammatory drug firocoxib.

Earlier that year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medetomidine and vatinoxan for pain control in dogs.

In May 2023, Librela – launched by Zoetis in 2021 after the European Medicines Agency granted marketing authorization – became the first monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for osteoarthritic dogs. Zoetis also offers Solensia for cats with the same issue.

With the market seeing expanding options for pet pain medications, competition is increasing – driving prices down and making meds more affordable.