There’s no doubt that a shift has occurred in how people are treating their pets.  While dogs have always been considered “man’s best friend”, there’s been a transition from friend to family over the past couple of decades. In fact, this transition is so blatant that according to Fortunly.com “dogs are the biggest influence driving first-home purchases among millennials” because of the space required for a current or future pet.

Dr. Richard Hawkins, KeraVet Bio Advisor, retired veterinarian, and the founder and previous owner of Colony Park Animal Hospital in Raleigh, NC, said “I believe now more than ever that the Human Animal Companion Bond is as strong as ever. Even more since Covid we are connecting with our pets for comfort and companionship.”

While our love has grown for our pets, sometimes our ability to properly maintain follow-up care still falls short. According to Dr. Hawkins, pet parent compliance while using veterinary therapies depends on many factors:

1. Route of administration (e.g., oral, injectable, topical)
2. Frequency of application
3. Parent’s willingness or physical ability to comply

“The more frequent the administration or the more difficult the route of application is when we see the biggest drop off in pet parent compliance,” Dr. Hawkins explained. “Another issue can be parent’s lifestyle. For instance, do they often travel or have an otherwise inconsistent schedule?  Finding the products and processes with simple instructions and proven safety and efficacy is the goal.”

Learn more about KeraVet Bio Advisor, Dr. Richard Hawkins, by visiting him on LinkedIn.