Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market Assessment, By Technology [Molecular Diagnostics, Immunodiagnostics, Urinalysis, Hematology, Others], By Animal Type [Food Producing Animals, Companion Animals], By Infection Type [Viral Infections, Parasit

Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market Assessment, By Technology [Molecular Diagnostics, Immunodiagnostics, Urinalysis, Hematology, Others], By Animal Type [Food Producing Animals, Companion Animals], By Infection Type [Viral Infections, Parasitic Infections, Bacterial Infections, Others], By End-user [Veterinary Laboratories and Clinics, Point of Care/In House Testing, Reference Laboratories, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2017-2031F

Global veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market is projected to witness a CAGR of 9.25% during the forecast period 2024-2031, growing from USD 2.11 billion in 2023 to USD 4.28 billion in 2031. The market expansion is supported by increasing adoption of companion animals, rising research and development activities, growing consumption of meat products, and increasing prevalence of zoonotic diseases.

The increasing adoption of pets due to rising nuclear households and urbanization is propelling the requirement for veterinary infectious disease diagnostic devices and solutions. Pet owners are extremely invested in the health and well-being of their pets and ensure that they are provided with essential veterinary care. The rise in demand for veterinary infectious disease diagnostic solutions can also be attributed to the growing prevalence of various vector-borne and zoonotic diseases due to climate change, the introduction of exotic vectors, and habitat modification. To combat the spread of such diseases, the requirement for precise and rapid diagnostic tools is increasing, boosting the market expansion.

The market is also expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to enhanced capabilities of diagnostic devices and the increasing availability of technologically advanced diagnostic methods, including RTPCR. Furthermore, the growing popularity of pet insurance and increasing concerns about the wellbeing of pets, coupled with rising disposable incomes, is bolstering the market growth. Growing awareness about regular health checkups for animals is also boosting the market demand. According to Forbes, approximately 5.36 million pets are insured in America, of which 20% are cats and 80% are dogs.

Growing Popularity of Companion Animals

The increased adoption of companion animals can be attributed to the various emotional benefits offered by them, including unconditional love and loyalty. These animals also offer various health benefits, including empowering their caretakers to lead more active and healthier lifestyles. Companion animals have been proven to reduce different overwhelming negative emotions that trouble those with mental illnesses, such as depression, stress, isolation, anxiety, and fear. They also provide the brain and body with powerful chemicals for boosting positive emotions. The adoption of companion animals is also increasing as they provide a sense of consistency and normalcy, stabilizing routines to individuals living with mental illness.

According to the Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS), approximately one in five Canadians live with some form of mental illness as per the Mental Health Commission of Canada. It is estimated that 8.9 million Canadians (almost 23% of the country’s population) will be suffering from some sort of mental illness by 2041.

Increasing Research and Development Activities

Growing investments towards the development of novel and advanced diagnostic solutions and the increasing emergence of smaller companies and startups are providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. Such activities are also promoted by the rapid expansion of the animal healthcare infrastructure in various regions across the globe. In the diagnostic journey, research and development activities aid researchers in addressing the different challenges by translating concepts and ideas into diagnostic technologies and tools, which can then be used for identifying different infectious diseases in animals. Over the past few years, small companies and startups, including Wellness Ready, have increased their efforts toward introducing products essential for conducting point-of-care tests in veterinary medicine. Due to the different advantages associated with point-of-care tests, such as minimal sample processing, elimination of sample transportation, minimal sample requirement, and simple analytic process, their demand has been increasing for diagnosing veterinary infectious diseases.

North America Expected to Account for Significant Market Share

The increasing availability of advanced diagnostic solutions, high disposable incomes, the growing popularity of pet insurance, and rising adoption of pets and companion animals are some of the major factors supporting the North America veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market growth. According to Forbes, pet ownership in the United States significantly increased over the past few years. It is estimated that, as of 2024, approximately 66% of the households in the country own a pet. The increasing availability of novel products and services, owing to the strong presence of various key market players and the growing expansion of pet healthcare infrastructure, is further boosting the market demand in North America. Due to the growing consumption of dairy products and meat in the region and increasing awareness about the importance of maintaining the health of food-producing animals, emphasis is being put on ensuring animal health. As per the estimates of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2021, 56.2 pounds of beef per person were available in the United States for human consumption and 68.1 pounds of chicken per person were available.

Immunodiagnostics to Witness Significant Expansion

The expansion of the segment can be attributed to the increased development of advanced diagnostic solutions, platforms, and novel immunoassay formats. The rising utilization of immunoassays for testing infectious diseases, the growing popularity of automation, and increasing concerns about animal fitness and health are further boosting the growth of the segment. The efforts towards enhancing the accuracy of immunoassay-based diagnostic solutions and replacement of traditional methods with tests that require less effort and time and offer improved accuracy are increasing. Strategic collaborations between leading market players are yet another major factor supporting the growth of the segment. For instance, in 2021, Indical, one of the leading providers of innovative veterinary diagnostic solutions, acquired the Svanova product portfolio from Boehringer Ingelheim, becoming the exclusive provider of their veterinary testing products, including approximately twenty-five livestock ELISA assays.

Reference Laboratories Expected to Account for a Significant Market Share

The increase in demand for veterinary infectious disease diagnostic solutions by reference laboratories can be attributed to the rise in number of veterinary practitioners in various regions across the globe and increasing rate of adoption of pets. As per the collected records from the Humane Society and ASPCA, about 3.5 to 4.1 million dogs and cats are adopted every year in the United States. Additionally, the rising investments in laboratory services owing to the growing threat of infectious diseases in animals is further supporting the segment expansion. The growing requirement for high-volume specialty and routine veterinary testing is further expected to boost the demand for reference laboratories.

Future Market Scenario (2024 – 2031F)

Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of various infectious diseases in animals and the availability of durable and accurate diagnostic solutions, an increase in research efforts is essential for the provision of accurate diagnostic strategies for eradicating and controlling animal diseases. An increase in investment by pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, veterinary practices, feline-oriented nonprofits, and academic institutions is also required for creating sustainable and effective antimicrobial stewardship solutions.

In 2023, Virginia Tech Animal Laboratory Services (ViTALS) was selected as part of the Partnership to Improve Early Detection of Emerging Diseases. ViTALS, along with four other laboratories, was selected for a new partnership between the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The partnership is expected to address the looming threat of infectious diseases and will emphasize next-generation sequencing for evaluating and developing diagnostic solutions for zoonotic and animal diseases.

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

Key participants in the veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market are Biomerieux S.A., Zoetis, Inc., IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Indical Bioscience, and Heska Corporation. The market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years owing to rising research and development activities and strategic collaborations between key market players.

For instance, in 2022, INDICAL BIOSCIENCE, one of the leading providers of veterinary diagnostic solutions, entered a partnership with Evonik, one of the leading specialty chemicals companies, to expand and develop precision monitoring solutions through the ScreenFloX® service in poultry. The ScreenFloX® service combines Evonik’s Precision Livestock Farming portfolio with INDICAL’s veterinary diagnostic capabilities to ensure the provision of proactive analysis of the flock’s pathogen status.