Corporate Influence in the Veterinary Sector

Mars and Nestle, the world’s biggest candy manufacturers, are also the biggest players in pet food, annually grossing $17.2 billion and $12.5 billion of turnover, respectively. 

Colgate-Palmolive bought out the MMI, creators of Hill’s Science Diet and publishers of the SACN, the leading canine nutrition manual for vets today. 

Colgate-Palmolive were the first multinational to properly pursue vets to recommend their pet food. Authors note they did it by offering generous cash donations to cash-hungry veterinary departments. It is now recommended by most veterinary departments in the Western World. Colgate-Palmolive also cash-funded the largest veterinary organizations and scientific journals. 

Mars does their share of veterinary department sponsorship too. FOI requests reveal their desire to be more closely associated with the education process in veterinary schools’. In return for the monies given to the university of Edinburgh, Mars inc. was the first to teach small animal nutrition to veterinary students. Further FOI request reveal this implantation of industry ‘residents’ into veterinary colleges happens the world over. 

Over the last three decades, Mars has been buying up independent vet practices. They also bought veterinary giants Banfield, Blue Pearl, Pet Parterns, Antech Diagnostics and VCA, to name but a few.

Mars now has more than 50,000 vets worldwide on the payroll.

Mars also owns the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, the science and marketing arm of the Mars Pet Food. They publish the popular Clinical Nutrition of the Dog and Cat. Much like Colgate-Palmolive’s SACN, it does not discuss the potential benefits of fresh, biologically appropriate ingredients in meat-eating cats and dogs. 

Bloomberg highlights how companies such as Mars Banfield have provided their vets a long list of treatment recommendations for diseases such as atopy and actual sales targets to hit.