With In-Person Work Returning, Nearly Two-thirds of Pet Owners Worry About Their Pet's Stress Levels, Harris Poll Finds

ARDEN HILLS, Minn., Aug. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With increasing numbers of people returning to in-person work, The Harris Poll's online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults — conducted in July 2021 on behalf of Exclusive^® Pet Nutrition — found that 63% of pet owners worry about the stress level of their cat or dog now that they are not home as much.

Most Americans know that dogs and cats experience digestive health issues, such as eating too fast and then throwing up, hairballs and eating things they should not at some point in their lifetime. However, eating things they are not supposed to is not the only cause for digestive issues in pets.  

"Digestive issues can also be the result of stress our pets experience when we aren't with them as much as we once were, like many people have been during the pandemic," said Dr. Michael Hayek, director of companion animal technical innovation at Exclusive Pet Nutrition.

To help support pet owners during this transitional time for pets and owners alike, Pet Digestive Health Month provides the opportunity for owners to focus on the importance of digestive health for their pet's well-being, as well as the challenges digestive issues place on the human-animal bond. Throughout Pet Digestive Health Month, Exclusive Pet Nutrition experts and veterinarians will share tips with pet owners to take the best care of their pets during the prime time for vacations, being outdoors and exposure to new situations.

"A pet's digestive health can be at risk through stress, toxic substances and other negative impacts," said Dr. Hayek. "There are a number of things people can proactively do for their pet's health to manage overall health, which starts by focusing on the animal's digestive health."

Pet owners are encouraged to use these best practices to prevent digestive health issues from developing in their pets:

• Keep pets hydrated with a fresh water supply at all times.
• Maintain an established routine with pets for consistent digestive health, especially a consistent feeding schedule.
• Exercise pets to maximize digestion and food passing through the digestive tract.
• Always be on the lookout for signs of discomfort in the digestive tract, such as excess gas, loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea and blood in the stool.

As people return to in-person work, travel more or engage in more social activities, these best practices can help pet owners to stay one step ahead of their pet's digestive issues. Exclusive Signature Comfort Care^™ pet foods offer a breakthrough formula to consistently support our pets' gastric health.

For concerns about digestive health, pet owners should consider these questions:

• Did your dog or cat get into anything they should not have, such as garbage, dangerous food items, food on the counter or treats from a non-family member?
• Was your dog or cat exposed to or did they eat any indoor or outdoor toxic plants?
• Did your dog or cat get into anything in the backyard, such as a dead animal or wildlife scat?

Pet owners should discuss all concerns and changes to a pet's eating habits with a veterinarian to determine if there are any underlying health issues.

For ongoing Pet Digestive Health Month tips and information to help keep pets healthy, follow Exclusive Pet Foods on Facebook @ExclusivePetNutrition. For more information, visit petdigestivehealthmonth.com.

About Exclusive Pet Nutrition
The complete line of Exclusive® Pet Foods can be found only at select local feed retailers across the U.S. All Exclusive brand pet foods, including Exclusive® Signature with the Comfort Care^TM Digestive Health Support System, offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If, for any reason, pet owners are not satisfied with the quality of any Exclusive Pet Foods, they can simply return them to the authorized retailer for replacement or a full refund.

To learn more about Exclusive Signature with the Comfort Care Digestive Health Support System, as well as find a local feed retailer where Exclusive pet foods are sold, please visit exclusivepetfood.com.

Survey Method:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Exclusive Pet Foods from July 22-26, 2021 among 2,067 adults ages 18 and older (1,339 cat/dog owners). This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Claire Dailey, Curious Plot, at [email protected].

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/with-in-person-work-returning-nearly-two-thirds-of-pet-owners-worry-about-their-pets-stress-levels-harris-poll-finds-301347646.html

SOURCE Exclusive Pet Nutrition