Pet parents are gravitating more and more toward functional options for their furry friends. And while functional diets used to be largely the purview of the veterinarian space (see: Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet and Purina ProPlan, for example, offering prescription-only diets focusing on such conditions as kidney health, urinary care, weight loss and gastrointestinal health), that has changed, with more and more companies responding to consumer demand for over-the-counter options.
“Pet health innovation is accelerating as pet parents seek targeted, functional benefits that go beyond basic nutrition,” said Scoular in its 2026 report, “Beyond the bowl: Science-driven wellness solutions for the modern pet.” The report covers six primary functional categories seeing growth:
