The Experts in Animal Health

Brakke Consulting’s 
Animal Health News & Notes for May 15, 2026
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Christine Merle DVM, MBA, CVPM
************************************

IN THE NEWS:

Brakke Consulting News
2026 Sentiment Index White Paper – Available Now
2026 Pet Medications Home Delivery Study – Early Order Discount Ends Today
Tails of Talent: Branding Lessons to Win the Talent Game

Company News
ADM
AHV International
Bimeda
Bond Pet Foods
Ceva Animal Health (EVP)
Ceva Animal Health (JP)
Ceva Bussan Animal Health (JP)
Converium Capital (UK)
CVS Group (UK)
Elanco
Genius Dog
Gerosynth Labs
Hill’s Pet Nutrition (Bond)
Hill’s Pet Nutrition (ADM)
ImmuCell Corporation
Jaguar Health
Norbrook Laboratories
Meatly (EU)
Merck Animal Health
Mitsui (JP)
TriviumVet
U.S. Bank
Veterinary Dentistry Specialists
VetSnap
Vets Pets
whiskerDocs

Animal Health News
Global
United States

************************************
Brakke Consulting
Now Available: The 2026 Brakke Animal Health Industry Sentiment Index White Paper

Brakke Consulting is excited to announce the release of its inaugural Animal Health Industry Sentiment Index—a comprehensive new resource designed to help organizations better understand current market conditions and what lies ahead.

Developed from a recent survey of animal health industry professionals, this white paper captures forward-looking perspectives on business conditions, innovation trends, and the challenges shaping today’s environment. Prepared by Marnette Falley, PCC, and Robert W. Jones, PhD, the report delivers a thoughtful analysis of industry sentiment and what it signals for the future.Sentiment assessments are a powerful business tool because they reveal confidence levels among industry leaders—often before those views are reflected in financial performance. These insights can play a critical role in guiding strategic decisions, from resource allocation and innovation investments to hiring and long-term planning in an increasingly complex and dynamic market.

The findings highlight a landscape marked by measured optimism, driven by continued innovation and strong development pipelines, while also acknowledging the growing complexity companies face in the near term. This balance of opportunity and challenge makes understanding industry sentiment more important than ever.

As the first edition of what will become an annual study, this report establishes a valuable benchmark for tracking how perspectives evolve over time and how organizations can position themselves for success.

To download your copy, please click here, complete a short form, and you will receive a PDF version of the full report.

************************************
Company News Releases

  • Hill’s Pet Nutrition andBond Pet Foods received a No-Objection Letter from the FDA for their first animal protein produced via precision fermentation. This completes the FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notice review process for their Lamb Protein Yeast ingredient. (company press release) 
  • ADMhas partnered with Hill’s Pet Nutrition to accelerate adoption of regenerative agriculture practices on farms in the US and Europe. (com) 
  • Elanco announced the completion of its acquisition of AHV International,expanding its portfolio of dairy health products. (ie) 
  • Merck Animal Health announced the Veterinary Wellbeing Collective.a collaborative initiative to advance a unified strategy to address veterinary mental health challenges. (company press release) 
  • Ceva Animal Healthannounced the appointment of Ian Tarpey as Executive Vice President, Group innovation and R&D Director. (com) 
  • A settlement agreement regardingclaims related to a 2019 Development Services and Commercial Supply agreement between ImmuCell Corporation and Norbrook Laboratories has been reached with Norbrook agreeing to pay $2M to ImmuCell. (com) 
  • Bimedalaunched its enhanced BOVitalize Plus with Aspergillus oryzae for cattle health, digestion performance. (company press release) 
  • GerosynthLabs announced the launch of Mytulin EQ, a nutritional supplement for horses. (com) 
  • The FDA has given conditional approval to Liavium-CA1 (pregabalin chewable tablets) for the management of pain and clinical signs associated with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia in dogs,the product was sponsored by TriviumVet. (fda press release) 
  • Jaguar Healthannounced that it regained compliance with Nasdaq’s publicly held share requirement and received an extension to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s bid price rule. (company press release) 
  • S Banklaunched a new startup loan product for dentists and veterinarians expanding their current offering to first-time practice owners. (company press release) 
  • VetSnap, a federal DEA regulation compliant digital controlled drug log software for veterinary practices, has introduced a 2-Bay Smart Locker, providing a compact solution to store and track controlled substances.(company press release) 
  • Veterinary Dentistry Specialists(VDS), a national network of specialty veterinary dentistry and oral surgery practices, opened its sixth location in Philadelphia, PA. (company press release) 
  • Vets Pets, aNorth Carolina based cooperative network of small-animal hospitals, appointed Audrey Lysko as Chief Operating Officer. (co) 
  • Genius Dog, adog lifestyle subscription brand, launched three tiers of monthly box subscriptions. (com) 
  • whiskerDocs, a 24/7 veterinary telehealth provider, reports that they are expanding their capabilities to provide a more comprehensive support system for ongoing careincluding Chronic Condition Management. (com) 
  • EU- Meatly, a producer of cultivated meat, closed its series A funding round raising £10.4M (US$14.2M) which it will use to build Europe’s largest cultivated meat facility. (net)
  • JP-Mitsuiand Ceva announced the creation of a new joint venture Ceva Bussan Animal Health to drive growth in the Japanese animal health market. (company press release) 
  • UK- CVS Groupis being pressured by an investor, Converium Capital, to implement a share buyback program. (co.uk) 

***********************************
Brakke Consulting/Trone Research and Consulting
Pet Medications Home Delivery Study


Coming Early Fall 2026: Now Accepting Preorders

Online sales of pet medications are growing rapidly and today’s pet owners have more choices than ever when it comes to where they purchase. But in this evolving and highly competitive market, key questions remain: who is capturing this revenue, how veterinary clinics are adapting, and what drives pet owner decisions?

The 2026 Pet Medications Home Delivery Study, developed by Brakke Consulting and Trone Research & Consulting, delivers the answers. Building on more than a decade of research, this comprehensive study provides a data-driven view of the home delivery landscape from both veterinarian and pet owner perspectives.

Based on surveys of 400 U.S. veterinarians and 1,200 pet owners, the study offers statistically reliable insights into purchasing behavior, channel performance, and competitive pressures. It explores key trends such as subscription and auto-ship models, customer retention, compliance, and the growing influence of online retailers and new market entrants.

Key insights include: 

  • Pet owner preferences and purchasing drivers
  • How clinics are protecting revenue and adapting to
  • online competition
  • Where prescription sales are being retained, or lostThe impact of telemedicine and evolving service models
  • Benchmark comparisons to track market evolution

The final deliverable is a comprehensive 100+ page PowerPoint report with expert analysis and actionable recommendations to support marketing, product development, and growth strategies.

Priced at $19,000, the study includes a one-hour consultation with a senior TRC consultant. Orders placed by May 15 (with payment by June 15) receive a $1,000 discount, with an additional $500 discount for previous purchasers.

For more information about the Pet Medications Home Delivery Study, please contact, Doug Barton at dbarton@troneresearch.com. To order, click here.

 ********************************************
Animal Health Stock Price Tracker

***********************************
Brakke Consulting
Tails of Talent: Branding Lessons to Win the Talent Game

Webinar Dates & Times:
June 2nd | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
June 4th | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
** All dates are EST **

In today’s competitive animal health industry, attracting top talent goes beyond job postings—it starts with how your organization is perceived.

In animal health, the war for talent isn’t won with job postings; it’s won with perception. It starts with how the market sees you. Join us for an insight-rich session that shows why companies with strong, trusted brands consistently attract better candidates, shorten time-to-hire, and boost long-term retention. Using fresh data and real examples from across the industry, our seasoned experts will walk you through how to evaluate your organization’s brand reputation and elevate it to the level top talent seeks out. Instead of chasing candidates, learn how to position your company as the place they want to be.

Presented by:

  • Jeff Santosuosso – Executive Recruiter – Brakke Consulting
  • Jake Yarbrough – Group Director – Schaefer Advertising

This session is a valuable opportunity to rethink your recruitment strategy and position your company as a destination for top talent.

We look forward to seeing you there and helping you win the talent game. Click here to register, this session is a high-value investment in the future of your recruitment strategy.

Please email Amanda McDavid or call 336-396-3916 for assistance with registering.

We look forward to helping you win the talent game.

***********************************
Animal Health News

  • GLOBAL- STATE OF WORLD’S ANIMAL HEALTH- In the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) annual report, it states that animal health receives as little as 0.6% of global health spending despite animal diseases being responsible for destruction of more than 20% of global animal production each year. (organization press release)
  • US- AVIAN INFLUENZA TRANSMISSION- In a recent report published by the CDC, transmission of the avian influenza type A H5N1 from a domestic cat to a human was documented. (org)
  • US- VESICULAR STOMATITIS- A new case of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus has been reported in a horse in Colorado. (usda.gov)
  • US- STERILE FLY DISPERSAL- The USDA has expanded the sterile fly dispersal area into more areas of South Texas along the border of Mexico to prevent New World Screwworm into the US. (org)
  • US- FOCUSED ULTRASOUND FOUNDATION- A $1.5M gift establishing the Caudine and Fritz Kundrun Veterinary Program has launched a fundraising campaign to seek an additional $3M to help fund innovative clinical trials in companion animals. (organization press release)
  • US- PATHFINDER- A $1M private gift to the University of Kentucky is being used to pilot Pathfinder, an initiative to address the national shortage of equine veterinarians. (uky.edu)
  • US- EQUINE INDUSTRY STUDY- The USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System in partnership with the National Agricultural Statistics Service announced that a national study of equine operations will begin in August 2026. The most recent study was completed in 2015. (usda.gov)

************************************
Brakke Consulting Viewpoint

We recently published the animal health industry’s first Sentiment Index and the respondents’ sentiment for 2026 was “cautiously optimistic.” But after watching the stock market’s response to Zoetis’s 1Q performance and their updated full year outlook, perhaps the sentiment could turn pessimistic. So, I thought I would try to find some optimism for you this week.

Here are the 1Q 2026 growth rates (corrected for exchange) for the animal health businesses in the companies that have reported so far:

Of these 13 companies, 9 of them are at or above the 5-6% long term average animal health industry growth rates. So, when I saw a recent article from McKinsey, The case for optimism in uncertain times, I had to read it.

The author makes a great point when he states, “Many influential figures have argued, correctly, I think, that long-term optimism is not just descriptive, it’s generative: it helps to shape a better future by motivating the search for solutions.” In the article, the author references a book, A Century of Plenty written by several McKinsey authors. “[The authors] …argue that sustained growth is good, that there is enough for all, that it’s up to us to build the future, and that how we think and talk about the future really matters.”

Progress is uneven, unpredictable and driven by innovation. And innovation was the primary reason for optimism in our Sentiment Index.  The article concludes “Again and again, optimists have been on the right side of history. Optimism keeps us moving forward.” Even after some have had slow quarter.

Robert Jones

***********************************
YOUR VIEW 

Last week we asked about animal health companies that had both a companion animal business and a livestock business splitting up in the future.  Just over 50% of the respondents said that it is not likely, but 36% said it was likely or very likely – and 10% said absolutely.  Close enough for a tie.

The McKinsey article mentioned above states that optimism is not blind positivity and that some famous people, like Thomas Malthus had pessimistic views on human population yet had a cheerful personality, which was the opposite for Winston Churchill.  So, this week, let’s see where our readers personally fall on the optimistic and pessimistic scale.  I consider myself overall to be… 

en_USEnglish