MADISON, N.J., June 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck Animal
Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the US and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK),
today announced a new survey1 that unveils the support
dog and cat owners are seeking as the country reopens following the
COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions continue to ease across
the United States, individuals are
starting to spend more time away from home and potentially, less
time with their four-legged companions. Pet parents have spent more
time with their dogs and cats than ever before, and now, they are
worried about how their pets will handle their inevitable absence
after so much time together.
Results from the "Bravo, Buddy" survey revealed that, while the
majority of people are looking forward to returning to normal, most
pet owners have not taken active steps to prepare their pets for
this once-in-a-lifetime transition. The survey uncovered that only
29 percent of pet parents left their pets alone for extended
periods of times to prepare them, just seven percent of individuals
who will be returning to work in-office have arranged for their
pets to go to a daycare facility, and only six percent of dog
owners have hired a dog walker.
To help prepare pet parents for the post-pandemic transition
with their four-legged friends, Merck Animal Health is partnering
with New York City veterinarian
Dr. Lisa Lippman to develop a Pet
Parent Guide that provides expert advice for owners and their
four-legged friends to ease into their new day-to-day routines.
"After spending so much time together this past year, pet
parents are clearly anxious about their pet's emotions as they
begin to spend more time outside of the home. Those concerns are
well-founded, as separation anxiety can impact pets just as it does
humans," said Dr. Lisa Lippman, DVM,
a New York City-based veterinarian
who is one of the most followed and socially influential
veterinarians in the country. "The Bravo, Buddy survey shows that
owners want to support their pets but may not know the best way to
go about easing this once-in-a-lifetime transition. Now, more than
ever, we need to be providing pet parents with advice on leaving
pets home alone more often and relieving stress through pet care
solutions that help people and their animals adjust to their new
day-to-day routines."
The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated stay-at-home orders
were a difficult time for people across the globe, and pets offered
a bright light for owners. The survey revealed that 83 percent of
pet owners agree that they have a stronger connection with their
pets, 79 percent believe that their pets seem happier and, among
those who worked from home, 82 percent feel that spending the
workday with their pets improved their mood.
As pet parents prepare to return to "normal," they are spending
more time away from home which has caused emotional strain. Pet
owners are concerned that their pets will feel sad (67 percent),
lonely (67 percent) and abandoned (64 percent) when they're left
home along. Pet parents also worry about their own emotional
well-being, as 62 percent are upset that they'll be spending less
time with their pets, 63 percent feel guilty leaving them alone and
50 percent feel separation anxiety when away from their pets.
Preparing pets for more time home alone is crucial for their
well-being, as well as pet parents' peace of mind. To aid in this
transition, Merck Animal Health and Dr. Lippman are providing
important advice to support pet parents who are getting ready to
return to their pre-pandemic daily life. Suggestions from the Pet
Parent Guide include:
- Encouraging pet parents to schedule appointments with their
veterinarians, which, the Bravo, Buddy survey shows, fell to the
wayside during the pandemic, with 24 percent of dog owners and 20
percent of cat owners reporting that they spent less time taking
their pet to the veterinarian. Rescheduling missed appointments is
crucial to confirming a pet's vaccinations are up to date and
taking recommended preventative health measures.
- Talking to a veterinarian about how to simplify pets'
healthcare needs to fit into increasingly busy schedules, such as
considering long-lasting flea and tick protection with
BRAVECTO® (fluralaner) Chews for Dogs.
- Using smart devices, such as the product from pet care
technology company, Sure Petcare®, to help with common pet parent
concerns. For example, the SureFeed® Microchip Pet Feeder Connect
and the Felaqua® Connect allow cat owners to monitor
their cat's food and water intake throughout the day; and Sure
Petcare's Animo®, is a wearable behavior monitor that
tracks dogs' activity levels and gives parents a greater
understanding of their pet's health and well-being.
"Based on the findings of our Bravo, Buddy survey and
partnership with Dr. Lisa Lippman,
Merck Animal Health's new Pet Parent Guide will provide pet owners
with concrete solutions to enhance and streamline their pet care
routines as they transition back to their daily, post-pandemic
lives," said Christine Royal, DVM,
Associate Vice President, U.S. Companion Animal and Equine. "While
we would all love to continue spending every day with our pets, we
know dogs and cats will benefit from the alone time if properly
prepared. We are proud to offer pet parents with the guidance and
resources they need to ease some of the expected challenges of this
transition back to normal, so we can continue caring for the health
and well-being of our pets for many years to come."
To spotlight pets and their owners during the transition, Merck
Animal Health also announced the #BravoBuddySweepstakes, in which
12 winners will be selected to receive 12 weeks of pet care
support. The sweepstakes aims to help pet parents focus less on the
stress of leaving their pet home alone and more on the reasons they
love coming home to them each day. Pet owners can enter for a
chance to win one of the $2,500
prizes by posting a picture or video of their dog or cat on their
Instagram, sharing how that pet helped during the pandemic. NO
PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes void where prohibited. For complete
rules and to obtain more details on the #BravoBuddySweepstakes,
visit www.bravecto.com/bravobuddy/.
Survey Methodology
This online survey of 1,041 owners
of either dogs, cats, or both in the U.S. was sponsored by Merck
Animal Health and fielded by Toluna from May
26, 2021 to June 2, 2021.
About BRAVECTO® (fluralaner)
Since its
introduction in 2014, BRAVECTO has provided longer-lasting flea and
tick protection with more than 125 million doses distributed in 85
countries. BRAVECTO is available in a variety of extended-duration
formulations, including products for both dogs and cats six months
of age or older. One treatment with BRAVECTO Chews for Dogs lasts
up to 12 weeks, protects almost three times longer than monthly
treatments and is proven to kill fleas on dogs and to eliminate
them from the home.[i] BRAVECTO products are only available through
licensed veterinarians.
BRAVECTO 1-MONTH Chews are for the treatment and
prevention of flea infestations and the treatment and control of
tick infestations (black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown
dog tick) for one month in dogs and puppies eight weeks of age and
older and weighing 4.4 pounds or greater. Side effects may include
itching, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, elevated ALT,
lethargy, and weight loss. BRAVECTO 1-MONTH is not effective
against lone star ticks in puppies less than six months of
age. Fluralaner is a member of the isoxazoline class. This
class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions
including tremors, ataxia, and seizures. Seizures have been
reported in dogs receiving isoxazoline class drugs, even in dogs
without a history of seizures. Use with caution in dogs with a
history of seizures or neurologic disorders. BRAVECTO
1-MONTH is also indicated for the treatment and control of lone
star tick infestations for one month in dogs and puppies six months
of age and older and weighing 4.4 pounds or greater.
BRAVECTO Chews are for dogs six months of age or older
and weighing 4.4 pounds or greater. BRAVECTO Chews kill adult fleas
and are indicated for the treatment and prevention of flea
infestations and the treatment and control of tick (black-legged
tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick) infestations for 12
weeks. BRAVECTO Chews are also indicated for the treatment and
control of lone star tick infestations for eight weeks.
The most commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting,
decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, polydipsia, and flatulence.
BRAVECTO Chews for Dogs have not been shown to be effective
for 12-weeks' duration in puppies less than six months of age.
BRAVECTO Chews are not effective against lone star ticks
beyond eight weeks of dosing. Fluralaner is a member of the
isoxazoline class. This class has been associated with neurologic
adverse reactions including tremors, ataxia, and seizures. Seizures
have been reported in dogs receiving isoxazoline class drugs, even
in dogs without a history of seizures. Use with caution in dogs
with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders.
About Merck Animal Health
For 130 years, Merck, a
leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for
life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the
world's most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division
of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth,
N.J., USA, is the global animal health business unit of
Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®,
Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and
governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals,
vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an
extensive suite of digitally connected identification, traceability
and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to
preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of
animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in
dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global
supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50
countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets.
For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or
connect with us on LinkedIn , Facebook, and Twitter at
@MerckAH.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This
news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of the company's management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions
prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual
results may differ materially from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general
industry conditions and competition; general economic factors,
including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations;
the impact of the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease
(COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and
health care legislation in the United
States and internationally; global trends toward health care
cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents
attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product
development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's
ability to accurately predict future market conditions;
manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of
international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the
effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for
innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including
patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2019
Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's
Internet site (www.sec.gov).
1 Data on file.
Merck
Media
Contact:
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Laurel
Mundth
+1 (908)
872-9783
laurel.mundth@merck.com
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SOURCE Merck & Co., Inc.