Last updated: 2026-05-09

PetMaxxing Research

PetMaxxing publishes original research on pet health economics and evidence-based supplementation. Our studies combine first-party owner surveys with veterinary guidelines, breed-club statistics, and supplement clinical evidence reviews.

Published research

2026-05-09 · published

Pet Drug Pricing Audit 2026: 30 Drugs Across Vet, Pharmacy, Online

Three-channel cost comparison of 30 commonly prescribed companion-animal medications (vet office, Costco/Walmart with vet script, Chewy/PetMeds online). Median vet markup over Costco cash price is 4.6x; range 1.4x to 9.8x. 22 of 30 drugs share an identical active ingredient and dosage form with a human-approved generic. Cross-references FDA CVM, Merck Veterinary Manual, AVMA practice surveys, AKC cost guides, GoodRx, and KFF Health News pricing reporting. Veterinary review pending DVM partner.

Dataset: 30 drugs Primary sources: FDA CVM, Merck Veterinary Manual, AVMA, AKC, Cornell Feline Health Center, UC Davis Vet Med, GoodRx, KFF Health News, Mark Cuban Cost Plus, Banfield, Chewy, PetMeds

Upcoming research

expected Q3 2026

Real Cost of Owning a Dog 2026: Tracked Vet, Food, and Supplement Spend Across 1,000 Owners and 20 Breeds

In progress. Methodology being finalized.

How we work

Every study ships with full methodology disclosure: dataset size, time range, exclusions, and source attribution. Surveys disclose sample size, recruitment platform, and demographic stratification. We publish raw data alongside the analysis under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license so researchers, journalists, and operators can verify our claims and build on the work.

We do not run sponsored research, paid placements, or vendor-funded studies. Every study is funded directly by PetMaxxing as part of its independent editorial mission.

Press and citations

Journalists, researchers, and operators are welcome to cite our findings under CC-BY 4.0 with attribution. For interviews, exclusive embargoed access, or additional data cuts, contact [email protected].

Each study includes a press kit at its /press/ subpage with quotable findings, downloadable charts, and methodology summaries. Embargo requests honored when received at least 72 hours before scheduled publication.

All PetMaxxing research is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Attribution required: link to the study URL or to petmaxxing.com/research/.