Going the extra mile? Average pet owners apply sunscreen to their pet
- 10 months ago
Sun’s out, paws out — more than one in 10 pet owners put sunscreen on their pet.
That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. pet owners split evenly by region, where during the summer, 15% apply sunblock to their pet.
Through other small, mighty precautions, like checking the temperature of the pavement before walks (15%), it’s clear that pet owners are taking caring for their pets during the summer seriously.
As the dog days of summer get longer and warmer, pet owners are gearing up for what 27% claim to be their pet’s favorite season — with 62% of owners sharing the same favorite.
But pet parenting steps up a notch, as a similar number (29%) find summer to be the most challenging season to care for their pets.
One-third (33%) of pet parents even spend somewhere between 11 and 20 minutes preparing their pet for summer outdoor adventures, while another 23% take up to 30 minutes.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Merck Animal Health, the survey looked to understand how pet owners are approaching the summer months and ensuring their pets are safe and healthy.
In going that extra mile, they’re also providing fresh water (59%), air conditioning and fans (54%) and using flea and tick prevention (48%) to care for their four-legged companions.
During the summer specifically, pet parents are vigilant and find themselves on high alert for fleas and ticks (49%), burnt paws (26%) and heat stroke or exhaustion (24%).
However, while pet owners are going above and beyond to care for their pets during summer, less than half (43%) of pet owners have microchipped their pets – an important precaution, especially as pet owners partake in outdoor activities during the warmer months.
Moreover, specific concerns vary by region. While pet owners in the Southeast also find themselves worried about fleas and ticks (44%), they are more concerned about aging (37%) and heartworm disease (32%) than any other region.
“While it’s unsurprising that pet owners in the Southeast are more concerned about fleas and ticks than any other region given the warmer temperatures, it’s important for all pet owners – no matter the region – to keep their pet up to date on a preventative as fleas and ticks can thrive in most environments,” said Kathryn Duncan, DVM, PhD, DACVM, parasitology field specialist, Merck Animal Health. “With the introduction of the Asian longhorned tick, a new invasive species found in over one-third of the states in the U.S., keeping your pet on a preventative is especially important now more than ever. Pet owners should speak to their veterinarian about a prescription.”
In general, respondents visit their vet about four times a year.
Most of those visits in the past year consisted of yearly check-ups (72%) and vaccines (75%), with only 17% of all pet owners needing to rush to the veterinary hospital for an emergency visit.
However, almost one-third (31%) of Northeasterners visited the emergency vet over the past 12 months, compared to only 12% in the Southeast.
That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. pet owners split evenly by region, where during the summer, 15% apply sunblock to their pet.
Through other small, mighty precautions, like checking the temperature of the pavement before walks (15%), it’s clear that pet owners are taking caring for their pets during the summer seriously.
As the dog days of summer get longer and warmer, pet owners are gearing up for what 27% claim to be their pet’s favorite season — with 62% of owners sharing the same favorite.
But pet parenting steps up a notch, as a similar number (29%) find summer to be the most challenging season to care for their pets.
One-third (33%) of pet parents even spend somewhere between 11 and 20 minutes preparing their pet for summer outdoor adventures, while another 23% take up to 30 minutes.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Merck Animal Health, the survey looked to understand how pet owners are approaching the summer months and ensuring their pets are safe and healthy.
In going that extra mile, they’re also providing fresh water (59%), air conditioning and fans (54%) and using flea and tick prevention (48%) to care for their four-legged companions.
During the summer specifically, pet parents are vigilant and find themselves on high alert for fleas and ticks (49%), burnt paws (26%) and heat stroke or exhaustion (24%).
However, while pet owners are going above and beyond to care for their pets during summer, less than half (43%) of pet owners have microchipped their pets – an important precaution, especially as pet owners partake in outdoor activities during the warmer months.
Moreover, specific concerns vary by region. While pet owners in the Southeast also find themselves worried about fleas and ticks (44%), they are more concerned about aging (37%) and heartworm disease (32%) than any other region.
“While it’s unsurprising that pet owners in the Southeast are more concerned about fleas and ticks than any other region given the warmer temperatures, it’s important for all pet owners – no matter the region – to keep their pet up to date on a preventative as fleas and ticks can thrive in most environments,” said Kathryn Duncan, DVM, PhD, DACVM, parasitology field specialist, Merck Animal Health. “With the introduction of the Asian longhorned tick, a new invasive species found in over one-third of the states in the U.S., keeping your pet on a preventative is especially important now more than ever. Pet owners should speak to their veterinarian about a prescription.”
In general, respondents visit their vet about four times a year.
Most of those visits in the past year consisted of yearly check-ups (72%) and vaccines (75%), with only 17% of all pet owners needing to rush to the veterinary hospital for an emergency visit.
However, almost one-third (31%) of Northeasterners visited the emergency vet over the past 12 months, compared to only 12% in the Southeast.