Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Type, By Animal, By Mode Of Delivery, By Parasite (External Parasite, Internal Parasite), By Care, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

Market Size & Trends

The global flea, tick and heartworm products market size was estimated at USD 6.59 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2024 to 2030. Key factors expected to drive the market growth include the growing importance of preventive care, emergence of novel FTH products, and awareness campaigns. A rise in spread of heartworm disease among animals and increasing cases of parasitic infestations are also expected to fuel the growth of this market.

The market is set to experience high growth prospects in the forecast period. One of the crucial drivers in this market is the increasing emphasis put by veterinary professionals on the importance of preventive care in animals for managing parasitic infections like flea, tick and heartworm. Preventive care focuses on administering FTH medication to animals like cats & dogs since their early years of development, irrespective of infestation. Product manufacturers are also actively innovating and seeking regulatory approvals to increase their product portfolio and assist in effectively managing these conditions.

The spread of parasitic infestations among animals like dogs & cats is quite common, and many treatment options are available. Among these parasites, heartworm is considered to be the most fatal infestation. These worms are known to grow up to 1 foot in length in the animal's blood vessels, heart, or lungs. If left untreated, they can cause inflammation of the blood vessels and ultimately block them, leading to complications like cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and pulmonary thrombosis. Heartworm disease is a vector-borne disease and is spread by the means of mosquitoes. This facilitates the rapid spread of it, making it a fatal parasite.

In recent years, their spread has been on the rise globally. According to 2023 data published by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Heartworm Society (AHS), estimates that in 2022, many veterinary clinics in the U.S. handled over 100+ cases of heartworm disease in animals per clinic. Of the total veterinarians who responded to this survey, 29% reported that heartworm disease cases have steadily risen over the last year. The prevalence of heartworm diseases was reported to be about 20% for dogs and 33% for cats in the U.S., according to a March 2024 study published in Parasites & Vectors journal.

A March 2024 release by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) reported that even though the disease is not endemic in the UK, heartworm disease diagnosis has been steadily increasing, with most cases found in dogs. Additionally, a study was conducted in Australia to understand the prevalence of heartworm infection in dogs. This February 2023 study inferred that the prevalence was estimated to be as high as 32.1%, varying slightly in different areas of the country.

This disease is known to cause cardiac complications like heart failure and cardiomyopathy. According to a 2023 study conducted by Banfield Pet Hospitals, dogs affected by heartworm disease showed a rise in higher relative risk of cardiac complications like right heart failure (3.59%), left heart failure (2%), and cardiomyopathy (3%). All these factors highlight the positive outlook for the market owing to the rising demand for diagnostic and treatment products to tackle this situation. Diagnostic products like heartworm antigen test kits prove to be very useful in accurately detecting the presence of these heartworms in the sample. Post-diagnosis, the animals are put on a periodic regime of medications to curb the infection and prevent them from spreading to other animals.

Another driving factor is the rising attempts by industry participants to raise awareness about flea, tick and heartworm complications in animals. For instance, the AHS conducts Heartworm Awareness Month in April every year to promote preventive care and timely diagnosis and educate animal owners about heartworm disease in animals. Furthermore, San Antonio Pet Alive (SAPA) partnered with the BISSELL Pet Foundation in December 2023 and initiated an adoption campaign. The individuals who adopt receive vaccinations, flea and tick prevention medication, microchips, etc., for their pets. Additionally, PetIQ, in March 2024, along with its topical flea, tick and heartworm (FTH) product, NextStar, launched a pet parent education program to spread awareness about FTH complications in pets. Such campaigns ensure that awareness among the pet parents about effective and preventive management of these conditions rises, ultimately boosting the FTH products market.

Industry Dynamics

The degree of innovation in the market is estimated to be high. The industry manufacturers are actively launching innovative products using novel techniques to address market problems. For example, in July 2023, amidst the lawsuit against Seresto Collar of Elanco, Alzoo launched a new FTH collar for dogs that repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes using natural materials like cedarwood and peppermint oil.

The market has a low level of mergers and acquisitions. Industry participants are trying to consolidate the distribution channels for FTH products by acquiring other platforms. For instance, in January 2023, PetMeds acquired PetCareRx. The acquisition was completed to capitalize on the latter's vast pet FTH, vitamins, treats, etc., portfolio to increase the former's product portfolio and market reach.

The regulations are estimated to impact the market greatly. On the one hand, the market is constantly experiencing an influx of FTH product approvals by the regulatory authorities. On the other hand, the market is also experiencing a turbulent phase amidst regulatory action about the safety issues of some of the major products. For example, Elanco's Seresto flea & ticks collar is facing a lawsuit of over USD 15 Mn, as there have been many reports of the product harming the animals and causing over 1000 deaths. This will have a negative impact on the brand as well as overall market. But such instances also ensure increased regulatory scrutiny for other products, highly impacting the market.

The market is currently led by a few players, such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Zoetis, and Merck & Co. Inc. These players have captured the market with their blockbuster drugs, such as Simparica Trio, NextGard, Frontline, Heartguard, and Bravecto. These drugs dominate globally, contributing majorly to the market revenue. Therefore, despite the availability of product substitutes, the market is comparatively concentrated owing to the brand recognition of these established products.

The market is experiencing moderate regional expansion. Industry leaders are increasing their influence by distributing their products between animal shelters and other organizations. For example, in June 2023, Zoetis partnered with Adopt a Pet to announce recipients of their Shelter Grant, which provides over 20 animal welfare organizations with essential medications like vaccines, antibiotics, and FTH products to care for cats and dogs before adoption. 

Product Insights

The treatment products segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 76.0% in 2023. This segment is further bifurcated into products like spot-on, oral pills/chewables, sprays, liquid solutions, shampoos, etc. This spot-on product took the highest share owing to its ease of access, greater absorption, and effective treatment. Since they are applied topically, spot-on products are simpler and more practical than other flea, tick, and heartworm medications. Spot-on are ready-to-use liquid parasiticides applied topically in one or two locations on the head and back of dogs and cats. Spot-on, also known as flea drops or squeeze-on, are typically sold in single-use, disposable vials.

The diagnostic products segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This segment consists of test kits and consumables used to determine the presence of parasites like heartworms. This growth can be attributable to the rise in demand for antigen testing of pets for heartworms. Owing to the rising number of heartworm cases globally, demand for test kits to accurately and timely diagnose this condition is also rising. This has led many manufacturers to develop specific test kits that can accurately detect heartworm, essentially driving the market growth.

Type Insights

The prescription segment dominated the market with a revenue share of over 60.0% in 2023. Most flea and tick medications doctors prescribe are taken orally, typically as a tasty, chewable tablet or applied topically for ectoparasites like fleas & ticks. Veterinarians are noticing an increase in fleas and ticks developing resistance to components of over-the-counter preventatives in some areas. Different chemicals that may be more effective are used in prescription flea and tick treatments. One can only purchase them with a veterinarian's advice because they can have a lower margin of error regarding safe, effective use.

The OTC segment is expected to showcase lucrative growth over the forecast period. This high growth is attributable to the increase in the number of OTC products such as collars, shampoo, and powders. These products are available on all distribution channels and do not require a veterinarian's prescription to buy. Consumer buying behavior is shifting slowly toward using supportive products to aid in the current flea, tick, and heartworm prevention and treatment regime, thus driving the segment.

Distribution Channel Insights

The hospital/clinic pharmacy segment dominated the market for flea, tick & heartworm products in terms of revenue share in 2023. This is explained by the fact that veterinarians must prescribe most flea, tick, and heartworm products before procuring. Additionally, the readiness of pet parents to spend money on their pets and the rise in FTH complications in these animals are boosting the market's growth. Patient volume to veterinary clinics is on the rise as most drugs require obligatory monitoring by veterinarians before use.

The online segment is estimated to grow the most over the forecast period. This segment is driven by factors such as increasing penetration of online pharmacies in under-developed and developing economies, increasing variety of OTC products, and, most importantly, the convenience of procuring FTH products. Online pharmacies offer a wide range of veterinary products, from non-medical products to OTC veterinary drugs to prescription drugs, at the convenience of the user's handheld device. The animal owners can easily procure any veterinary drug (OTC or prescription) at their comfort and time. Furthermore, the online pharmacy channel is increasingly getting competitive due to several options at the behest of users providing a variety of offers to animal owners, thus driving the market.

Animal Insights

The canine segment dominated the market with a revenue share of over 48.0% in 2023 due to the high prevalence of FTH complications among dogs and the availability of several flea, tick, and heartworm preventative and treatment options. The market has grown due to an increasing prevalence of parasite infection in the canine population. Moreover, as pet adoption and ownership rates rise globally, individuals are more willing to spend more time and money on the health of their cherished pets.

The other segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2024 to 2030. This segment contains animals like ferrets, horses, and others. Parasites like FTH, even though they mainly affect dogs and cats, are also present in these other animals. Despite the majority of products available in the market being for dogs and cats, the emergence of these products in other animals is slowly gaining traction. Several studies have exhibited a high efficacy of existing FTH products in these animals. Furthermore, researchers are actively involved in research studies exploring newer drugs that can address these FTH complications in these animals.

Mode of Delivery Insights

The topical segment dominated the market in 2023 due to its advantages over oral flea, tick, and heartworm medications. One of the primary advantages of topical flea treatments is that many are not systemically absorbed, which means they do not penetrate the skin barrier or enter a pet's bloodstream. This may be advantageous for animals with a history of adverse drug reactions or who have not previously responded well to oral flea treatments.

The injectable segment is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be owed to the fact that this mode of delivery provides a higher bioavailability of drugs used for internal infections such as heartworm disease. Now, with heartworm disease on the rise among dogs, cats, and other animals, combined with increasing injectable product launches, the demand for injectable delivery is set to soar.

Parasite Insights

The external parasite segment dominated the market in 2023. This is attributable to the high prevalence of external parasites like fleas and ticks among dogs and cats. For instance, according to a February 2023 study published in Parasites & Vectors, the prevalence of tick infestation across European countries of Germany and Austria was estimated to be about 79% in dogs and 69% in cats. This high prevalence is expected to drive the demand for medications to prevent and manage these parasites.

The internal parasite segment is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. Heartworm is one of the most prevalent internal parasitic infections in dogs and cats. According to several reports by AVMA, BSAVA, and AHS from 2023, heartworm disease has been one of the fastest-spreading parasitic infections in animals and can be particularly fatal owing to its manifestations in the animal’s cardiac system.

Care Insights

The preventive care segment dominated the market in terms of revenue share in 2023 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the fact that veterinarians, as well as animal welfare organizations throughout the world, focus on taking preventive measures for FTH complications. Irrespective of whether the animal is suffering from FTH complications or not, the animal owner is advised to take preventive medications preemptively and periodically to try and avoid the parasitic infestation from ever affecting the animal. In some cases where infections and infestations have been diagnosed beyond preventive care, a structured treatment regime is designed to eradicate it.

Regional Insights

In 2023, North America accounted for the largest market share of 39.7%. The number of Americans who own pets is increasing, driving up demand for flea, tick and heartworm products. The region's need for FTH products is also anticipated to grow as the incidence of illnesses caused by fleas, ticks, and heartworms in pets rises. North America's veterinary industry is substantial and well-established, with many clinics dispersed throughout the continent. Additionally, rising pet health spending has increased pet care costs, further fueling the market growth.

U.S. Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Trends

The U.S. held the largest share in the global market in 2023. This dominance can be attributed to the significant product approvals by the U.S. FDA and strict regulatory screening of FTH products and their effects in practical applications in recent years.

Europe Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Trends

Europe is expected to witness growth due to the increasing product demand driven by the rising risk of parasite transmission from pets to humans. For instance, according to 2024 data by Animal Health Europe, between the years 2009 and 2016, more than 700 new parasite infections emerged in Europe as a result of transmission from dogs. Furthermore, in Europe, about 128,888 cases of Lyme disease were reported between 2005 and 2020, with an origin in the tick infestation of pets.

The UK flea, tick and heartworm products market will likely expand due to the country's growing infestation of ticks and fleas. For instance, as per data published by Animal Health Europe in 2024, it is estimated that 1 out of 4 cats and 1 out of 7 dogs in the United Kingdom are infested by fleas. This rise in infestation in the country naturally boosts demand for FTH products such as shampoo and spot powder.

Asia Pacific Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Trends

The Asia Pacific (APAC) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.9% over the forecast period. Ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes are the most common vectors for the transmission of infections among animals and humans. For instance, a 2021 study from Science Direct revealed that cat flea infestation was estimated to be as high as 60% in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. Owing to this high infestation among countries in the region, the need for appropriate medications is set to drive the market.

The India flea, tick and heartworm products market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 11% from 2024 to 2030. The country is a thriving industry for pet products, with pet adoption increasing exponentially yearly due to growing pet adoption. For instance, according to 2024 data published by Dogster, it is estimated that over 11% of the Indian population owns at least four pets in their home. Recognizing the potential, global leaders are investing in the country through product launches, and regional expansion, among others, driving the market growth. For instance, in April 2024, Boehringer Ingelheim launched NexGard Spectra, chewable tablets for internal and external parasites, in India after approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Latin America Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Trends

The regional market’s growth is driven by the rising pet ownership and the subsequent rise in demand for veterinary medications. Countries like Brazil and Argentina are among the world's pet owners per capita. For example, according to 2024 data published by Dogster, Argentina is estimated to have the highest rate of pet ownership per capita in the world, with around 80% of the country's population owning a pet at some point. 

The flea, tick and heartworm products market in Brazil is expected to witness growth driven by factors such as the rise in pet ownership & disposable incomes, and changing consumer perceptions of pet healthcare. The rising public awareness regarding the significance of trying to prevent heartworm, flea, and tick infections, as well as encouraging government actions, is also expected to fuel the market growth in Brazil.

Middle East & Africa Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Trends

The Middle East & Africa (MEA) market is formed by South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. The primary driving factor is the rapid rise in pet ownership in different countries of the region. For instance, according to data published in 2023 by Zawya, the UAE experienced a rapid growth of over 30% in pet ownership. Rising pet ownership increases the spending by pet owners on healthcare and subsequently seeking preventive or therapeutic treatment for parasitic infections and infestations in their pets.

The South Africa flea, tick and heartworm products market growth is driven by the high dog adoption rate in the country. For example, according to a 2024 article by Dogster, around 78% of the pet owners in South Africa own dogs. Dogs are the primary host of fleas, ticks, and heartworms; also, most of the products manufactured are for tackling FTH complications in dogs. Hence, the high dog adoption rate is set to increase the demand for flea, tick & heartworm products in the country, providing a lucrative market growth prospect.

Key Flea, Tick, And Heartworm Products Company Insights

The market is competitive due to the presence of domestic players in each country, fragmenting the market. Thus, creating an intense competition to maintain in the market Moreover, companies and organizations are engaging heavily into activities such as research & development, product launch and expansion of portfolio as well as geographical presence.

Recent Developments

• In May 2024, Petco, a nonprofit animal welfare organization, provided a monetary grant to Montgomery County Animal Care and Adoption Centre. This investment is directed towards providing preventive care products like vaccines, diagnostic tests, FTH medications, and other veterinary products for animal care.

• In May 2024, the USDA approved an antigen test kit for canine heartworm (CHW), “Rapid CHW Ag 2.0”, manufactured by Bionote Inc. This rapid diagnostic kit will enable veterinarians and pet owners to detect heartworms in their pets.

• In March 2024, Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation (BI Cares) donated over 1.9 million doses i.e., about USD 42.6 million worth of NexGard chewables to several animal shelters across the U.S.

• In September 2023, a subscription pet care company known as PetFriendly launched its first prescription heartworm disease medication Heart Defense.

• In July 2023, Boehringer Ingelheim received FDA approval for NexGard Plus, a beef-flavored chewable tablet for dogs against both internal & external parasites.

Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Report Scope

Global Flea, Tick And Heartworm Products Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country 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 flea, tick and heartworm products market report based on product, type, animal, mode of delivery, parasite, care, distribution channel, and region:

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

  • Diagnostic Products

    • Test Kits

    • Consumables

  • Treatment Products

    • Spot on

    • Oral pills/Chewable

    • Spray

    • Liquid Solution

    • Shampoo

    • Others

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

  • Prescription

  • OTC

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

  • Canine

  • Feline

  • Others

• Mode of Delivery Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Topical

  • Oral

  • Injectable

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

  • External Parasite

  • Internal Parasite

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

  • Preventive Care

  • Therapeutic Care

• Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Hospital/Clinic Pharmacy

  • Retail Pharmacy

  • Online Pharmacy

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

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • UK

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • India

    • China

    • South Korea

    • Australia

    • Thailand

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait