Pet Owners Hold Health Spending, Shift Medication
Most U.S. dog and cat owners are keeping pet health budgets steady, and many now fill prescriptions outside the veterinary clinic.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Pet Health
Live Poll
Have you cut back on your pet's health care spending in the past three months?
A national consumer survey by Elanco Animal Health found 93% of U.S. pet owners maintained or increased pet spending over the past three months, and only 7% of consumers would cut pet health spending under economic pressure. The survey, conducted online October 16-21, 2026, sampled 2,018 U.S. consumers, including 1,495 dog and cat owners.
Why it matters
Pet owners are treating their animals' health as a household priority that holds up even when other budgets tighten, with 54% of consumers saying they would cut dining out and entertainment first. Owners are also shifting where they buy medication, with 38% moving purchases outside the veterinary clinic in the past year or two, which changes where families compare prices and get prescriptions.
The national omnibus survey of 2,018 U.S. consumers included 1,495 dog and cat owners, with 93% maintaining or increasing spending over the past three months and 32% increasing it. Thirty-eight percent of owners shifted medication purchasing outside the clinic in the past year or two.
The players
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated
A publicly traded animal health company listed on the NYSE under ticker ELAN, which released the national consumer survey on pet spending and medication purchasing.
The details
Elanco's survey was conducted online between October 16 and October 21, 2026, with a sample nationally representative of U.S. adults aged 18 and older. Pet owners cited keeping their animals healthy and living longer as their main spending motive at 65%, followed by seeing their pets happy and comfortable at 59%. A doctor's recommendation was the top reason an owner would switch to a different medication, and the survey found 87% of owners say their pet's wellbeing matters as much as their own, while 63% say it matters more.
Timeline
Earlier Elanco surveys reported 93% of owners expecting to maintain or increase spending in February 2026 and 91% in May 2026.
The national survey was conducted online between October 16 and October 21, 2026.
Owners' spending outlook of 93% covers the year ahead, with 25% of current owners expecting to adopt another pet in the next year.
The Home Front
Elanco's survey extends a sequence of 2026 readings in which the share of owners planning to maintain or increase pet spending held between 91% and 93%. The findings describe owner sentiment in the surveyed sample rather than a measured change in pet-care prices or household budgets across the country.
If you own a dog or cat, review how your current medication is purchased and compare prices between your veterinary clinic and other retail sources before your next refill. Keep your pet's prescription records and your veterinarian's recommendation on file, since a doctor's advice was the top reason owners gave for switching medications.
The takeaway
Most pet owners in this survey are protecting pet health spending even as other discretionary costs get cut first. Keep your pet's medication records organized so you can compare clinic and outside pharmacy prices when refills come due.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Pet Health on We are Home.
Live Poll
Have you cut back on your pet's health care spending in the past three months?
