U.S. Veterinary Surgical Disposables Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Surgical Sutures, Surgical Mesh), By End-use (Clinics, Hospitals), By Animal Type, By State, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

Market Size & Trends

The U.S. veterinary surgical disposables market size was estimated at USD 112.64 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.78% from 2024 to 2030. The increasing uptake of pet insurance and product advancements is primarily driving the market growth. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in animals is significantly driving the veterinary surgical disposables market. The obesity rate in dogs has increased by 74% since 2007. Dogs are also more likely to develop other serious conditions such as diabetes mellitus, arthritis, heart disease, and respiratory disorders.

With the rise in chronic diseases among animals, the frequency of surgeries and medical procedures is also increasing, further fueling the demand for these disposable products.

As animal population grows, the need for veterinary care to ensure the health and well-being of these animals also increases. This includes wildlife species. National parks often serve as protected habitats for various wildlife species. With more national parks in states like California and Utah, there might be a larger and healthier population of wildlife, which could lead to more instances where surgical intervention is required due to injuries, illnesses, or other health issues. National parks play a crucial role in wildlife conservation efforts. In some cases, surgical procedures may be part of conservation initiatives aimed at managing wildlife populations, treating diseases, or rehabilitating injured or orphaned animals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes and challenges to the veterinary business over the last two years. Both veterinary workers and pet owners have had to overcome these obstacles to receive or provide veterinary care. The primary obstacles encountered by veterinary practitioners throughout the pandemic have been the closing of practices, insufficient staffing, elevated caseloads, reduced productivity, and increased burnout due to the high workload.

The increase in adoption of pet insurance can lead to a rise in the number of surgeries performed on pets. Pet insurance typically helps cover the costs of veterinary care, including surgeries. When pet owners have insurance, they may be more likely to authorize necessary surgeries for their pets, knowing that a portion of the costs will be covered. This can result in more surgeries being performed overall. In addition, with insurance coverage, pet owners may be more inclined to seek out advanced or specialized procedures that they might have otherwise deemed too expensive.

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The market exhibits a moderate nature of concentration. The market growth stage is high, and its pace is accelerating. The increasing pet ownership in the U.S. is fueling the demand for veterinary services, including surgical procedures. This trend is expected to continue as more people consider pets as part of their families, thus driving the demand for veterinary surgical disposables. According to the American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey 2023 - 2024, around 66% of households owned a pet in the U.S. in 2023, which translates to approximately 86.9 million homes owning a pet. In addition, pet owners are becoming more aware of the importance of regular veterinary care for their animals’ health and well-being. This increased awareness translates into higher spending on veterinary services, including surgeries, which, in turn, boosts the demand for surgical disposables.

The market demonstrates a moderate degree of innovation, characterized by ongoing product launch, partnership and collaboration between market players, and supportive initiatives. For instance, in January 2024, MWI Animal Health, a subsidiary of Centora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), collaborated with Hound, a leading veterinary talent platform, to provide innovative technology and services for veterinary practices in a rapidly changing industry.

Within the market, there exists a low to moderate level of mergers and acquisitions activity, indicative of ongoing consolidation and strategic partnerships among industry players. For instance, in March 2023, Patterson Companies' Animal Health division, a subsidiary of Patterson Companies, Inc., signed an agreement with Stratford Care USA, a subsidiary of Swedencare, to acquire exclusive rights to market & promote the Animal Pharmaceuticals brand of dermatology, dental, and nutritional products in the U.S. Animal Health Market.

The market experiences a low impact of regulations. Veterinary medical devices, including surgical sutures and sponges, are typically regulated by government agencies responsible for overseeing veterinary medicine or medical devices. In the U.S., for example, the FDA regulates veterinary medical devices through its Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Veterinary surgical sutures and sponges may be classified as medical devices and are subject to regulatory requirements based on their intended use, materials, & risk level. Class I medical devices are considered low risk, while class II & III medical devices pose higher risks and are subject to more stringent regulatory controls.

The risk of substitutes is expected to be moderate. Emerging biologically derived glues and sealants may offer alternatives to sutures in certain veterinary surgeries, posing a threat to the growth of the suture market. As minimally invasive and noninvasive procedures become more prevalent in veterinary medicine, there might be reduced reliance on sutures for wound closure. Moreover, the threat of internal substitutes is considered to be moderate, as there are a significant number of players offering surgical disposables such as sponges and sutures at lower costs.

Product Insights

The surgical sutures segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 80.02 % in 2023. It is also estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to several key factors, including technological innovations, a focus on animal welfare, and increasing pet ownership. Advancements in material science and manufacturing technologies have led to the development of surgical sutures that offer superior strength, flexibility, and biocompatibility. These innovations enhance surgical outcomes and drive the adoption of disposable sutures in veterinary surgery. There is a growing awareness and emphasis on animal welfare, leading to an increase in the demand for safe & effective surgical products. Veterinary surgeons prioritize the use of high-quality disposable items to minimize the risk of postoperative complications and infections in animals.

In small animal surgery, numerous types of surgical sutures can be used based on the type of tissue being sutured, the location of the surgery, and the duration of tissue support required. Monofilament or multifilament suture materials have been used intradermally to close skin incisions in dogs and cats. Some of the sutures used in small animals are SilverGlide Suture, Chromic Catgut, Fluoromid, and Polydioxanone. Moreover, key players offering surgical sutures for small and large animals include VeterSut (Sutumed Corp), ProNorth Medical, and B. Braun Vet Care GmbH.

Animal Type Insights

The pets segment held the largest market share in 2023. Increasing pet ownership, growing awareness of pet healthcare, increasing pet humanization, and rising prevalence of chronic diseases in pets are among the key drivers of the segment. Pet ownership has steadily increased in the U.S. over the years. Dogs are the most popular pets overall. Around 70% of U.S. households (90.5 million homes) owned a pet as of 2022, with 69 million households having a pet dog.

In pets, sutures are used to close surgical incisions after procedures such as spaying, neutering, tumor removal, or orthopedic surgeries. For example, in the U.S., pet obesity is increasing, according to Banfield Pet Hospital's 2020 report on Veterinary Emerging Topics. Of the 1.9 million adult dogs examined at the hospital, 51% were reported to be overweight. Banfield Pet Hospital has been observing this upward trend in pet obesity since 2007. The hospital reports that one in three dogs and cats is overweight. Obesity leads to comorbid conditions, such as osteoarthritis, which frequently require surgical interventions. For example, according to the same source, the most common osteoarthritis conditions affecting cats and dogs were arthritis and ligament or tendon conditions. This is estimated to increase the need for orthopedic surgeries in pets.

The exotics segment comprises pet birds, small mammals, and reptiles. It is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period as market players are diversifying their offerings. All animals are susceptible to orthopedic disorders such as arthritis, luxation, and fractures. Over time, the popularity of small mammals has grown, and many of these species have orthopedic issues that can be successfully resolved surgically. Moreover, hospitals that provide care for small mammals or reptiles include Winter Park Veterinary Hospital. Although they might not need much outdoor exercise, pocket pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and ferrets are nevertheless susceptible to illness, according to Winter Park Veterinary Hospital. Furthermore, rabbits and pocket pets require regular veterinarian care, a healthy diet, interaction with humans, and proper environment management, just like dogs & cats.

End-use Insights

Based on end-use, hospitals held the largest revenue share of the market, 83.47%, in 2023. Veterinary hospitals generally provide a wide range of medical services, including emergency care, specialty services, surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, and preventive care. Therefore, they need an extensive variety of equipment and disposables to support these services effectively. Compared to smaller clinics or mobile practices, veterinary hospitals serve a higher number of patients, which translates to increased utilization of equipment and disposables daily.

Clinics are anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 5.14% over the forecast period. Veterinary clinics are primary consumers of veterinary surgical sutures. The demand for sutures increases proportionally with the increasing number of pets and animals requiring surgical procedures. Surgical procedures such as spaying, neutering, orthopedic surgeries, and wound closures performed in veterinary clinics are boosting the demand for sutures. Moreover, the presence of numerous veterinary clinics in the country that offer services, including diagnostics, general surgery, and dental care, is fueling the market growth.

State Insights

The growing pet population in California is increasing the demand for veterinary services, including surgeries. Thereby, increasing the need for surgical disposables such as sutures, drapes, and gloves. Several animal shelters are collaborating with nongovernmental organizations and are offering spay and neuter surgeries in California to reduce pet overpopulation. This increase in free spay and neuter surgeries results in increased surgical volumes and demand for related products & services, which is expected to drive the veterinary surgical disposables market. For instance, in February 2024, Bradshaw Animal Shelter collaborated with Animal Balance to organize free spay/neuter clinics in Sacramento County's North Highlands and Florin communities to reduce pet overpopulation. Furthermore, increase in demand for veterinary sutures creates opportunities for sutures manufacturers and suppliers to expand their market presence in California. Absorbable sutures such as Polydioxanone (PDS II) are commonly used in spay & neuter surgeries of cats & dogs due to their balance of strength and decreased reactivity, making them suitable for a large, varied population.

Key U.S. Veterinary Surgical Disposables Company Insights

The U.S. veterinary surgical disposables industry is characterized by intense competitive rivalry among existing players. Existing players are enhancing their product portfolios with technologically advanced products and are widening their geographic reach by acquiring small & local players. These market players undertake several strategic initiatives to boost their market presence and share, including partnerships & collaborations, mergers & acquisitions, facility expansion, and product launches. For instance, Membra, a novel hydrogel wound sealant introduced by Animus Surgical in March 2023, provides an innovative solution to treating open wounds and safeguarding suture sites across a range of species. Membra is a novel, translucent hydrogel membrane that degrades naturally and is safe. These factors are likely to intensify rivalry in the market.

Recent Developments

• In January 2024, MWI Animal Health, a subsidiary of Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), collaborated with Hound, a leading veterinary talent platform, to provide innovative technology and services for veterinary practices in a rapidly changing industry.

• In July 2018, CP Medical and B. Braun Vet Care GmbH entered into a collaboration arrangement. As per the agreement, CP Medical gained the authority to market & distribute B. Braun's line of wound and veterinary infusion therapies in Canada & the U.S.

U.S. Veterinary Surgical Disposables Market Report Scope

U.S. Veterinary Surgical Disposables Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at state levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. veterinary surgical disposables market report based on product, animal type, end-use, and state.

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Surgical Sutures

    • Absorbable

    • Non-Absorbable

  • Surgical Mesh

  • Sponges

• Animal Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Pets

  • Horses

  • Exotics

  • Large Animals

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Clinics

  • Hospitals

• State Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • California

  • Florida

  • Texas

  • Michigan

  • Washington

  • Colorado

  • Pennsylvania

  • Missouri

  • Ohio

  • Wyoming

  • Others