When it comes to receiving trustworthy information about pet food nutrition many dog and cat owners seek advice from their veterinarians.
“Dog owners turn to vets for food advice nearly as much as for medication, more so for cats,” said David Sprinkle, publisher and research director at Packaged Facts, during his presentation at Petfood Forum 2018.
Sprinkle shared results from a recent pet owner survey conducted by Packaged Facts in the United States, which evaluated current and future trends.
In the Packaged Facts survey, 27 percent of respondents strongly agreed with the statement that they trust information provided by their veterinarian about pet food. Similarly, 35 percent agreed and only one percent strongly disagree with that statement.
Additionally, 36 percent of dog owners and 31 percent of cat owners reported buying a brand of dry pet food within the past year following a recommendation made by their veterinarian. Also, 27 percent said they bought a pet treat following a similar recommendation.
Watch a short clip from David Sprinkle’s presentation at Petfood Forum 2018
When scientific research supports the advice from the veterinarian, pet owners may be especially receptive to the information suggested Sprinkle. However, by itself, scientific research had a moderate amount of trust from pet owners. Veterinary advice and scientific research were more trusted than information directly from a pet food company.
Want more Petfood Forum 2018 session coverage? Check out the article “Human trends pawing their way into pet foods,” written by Sarah Mouton Dowdy, associate content specialist with dvm360. Dvm360 magazine provides timely, unbiased news on all issues affecting the veterinary profession.
Petfood Forum 2019 is scheduled for April 29-May 1, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri at the Kansas City Convention Center. SUPER Early Bird registration is now open.
