Global Pet Emergency Trends

THE VET VORTEX ANALYSIS CASE STUDY

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL (NIGERIA) PET EMERGENCY TRENDS: A DATA-DRIVEN OVERVIEW

SCENARIO

As the founder and content strategist of The Vet Vortex, I aim to explore global public interest in pet emergencies using real-time search behavior data. My goal is to uncover which pet health crises draw the most attention online, identify seasonal spikes, and analyze species-specific concerns. This insight will shape blog content, guide public awareness efforts, and support strategic SEO targeting. An accompanying analysis will focus on Nigeria’s search trends to reflect regional realities and help educate local pet owners and vet professionals alike.

BACKGROUND:

The Vet Vortex is a pet health blog designed to demystify veterinary concepts, spotlight zoonotic disease awareness, and support pet owner education. In line with our mission to combine veterinary science with public interest, we’re leveraging Google Trends to monitor how pet emergencies capture attention over time.

This study focuses on the global landscape, while a parallel seasonal report will analyze Nigeria-specific search behaviors. By identifying how interest varies across species (dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and small mammals), we provide actionable insights to the public and veterinary stakeholders.

ASK PHASE

Business Objectives

1. Identify global and regional trends in pet emergency-related searches.
2. Determine seasonal or species-specific spikes in public concern.
3. Apply findings to improve SEO, content relevance, and public education campaigns on The Vet Vortex.

Key stakeholders:

1.The Vet Vortex editorial and analytics team. 2. Pet owners worldwide (global audience). 3. Nigerian pet owners and veterinarians (local audience). 4. Veterinary professionals and public health advocates. 5. Animal welfare educators and online pet communities.

PREPARE PHASE

Keyword List Creation A structured list of 75 pet emergency-related keywords(search terms) was curated and compiled to reflect real-world conditions encountered by species such as:

• General emergency searches: e.g.,“pet emergency”, “animal hospital”
• Dogs: e.g., “dog bloat”, “dog seizure”, “dog not breathing”
• Cats: e.g., “cat urinary blockage”, “cat bleeding”, “cat heatstroke”
• Rabbits: e.g., “rabbit diarrhea”, “rabbit flystrike”
• Birds: e.g., “bird egg binding”, “bird trauma”
• Reptiles: e.g., “gecko stuck shed”, “reptile mouth rot”
• Small Mammals: e.g., “guinea pig not eating”, “hamster bleeding” etc. 75 of these keywords were saved as: pet_emergency_keywords and Nigeria_pet_emergency_keywords

These 75 keywords were saved under the variables pet_emergency_keywords and Nigeria_pet_emergency_keywords. These keywords cover a range of emergency types, such as: * Trauma & Injury * Neurological * Cardiovascular/Collapse * Respiratory Distress * Heat/Cold Related * GI Issues * Toxicity & Allergies * Urinary Issues * Reproductive * Dental/Oral * Skin/Shedding

Time frame This analysis covers a 10-year timeframe spanning from January 1, 2015, to April 30, 2025. This aid to capture long-term trends in pet emergencies, allowing us to see not only immediate spikes but also steady growth, decline, or patterns that evolve over time (Long-Term Trends & Stability).

Data Collection and Source * The data was collected using the Google Trends API and the gtrendsR() Package, which provides real-Time search. * The data was collected from: 1. Global 2. Nigeria

Does data ROCC * Reliable - Yes, Google trends is a reliable source of data for search trends. * Original - Yes, directly queried from Google’s database. * Comprehensive - Yes, data covers a wide range of pet emergencies, species, a large time frame and two regions (Global and Nigeria). * Current - Yes, includes data up to April 2025. * Cited - Yes, data citation is possible via gtrendsR query metadata and GitHub logs.

Methodology

This analysis investigates trends in Nigerian pet emergency search queries over the period from 2015 to 2025. The following steps were undertaken to ensure accurate and comprehensive analysis:

1. Data Pre-processing:

• Exclusion of Zero Hits: To focus on meaningful trends, rows with zero hits were excluded from the analysis when identifying the top hits. This step was essential to ensure that only active search queries, with measurable search volumes, were considered.

• Inclusion of Zero Hits for Bottom Hits Analysis: In contrast, for the bottom hits analysis, entries with zero hits were included to capture queries that saw minimal or no interest, providing a broader perspective on search behaviors.

2. Selection Criteria:

• Top Hits: The top 3 search queries with the highest search volumes were identified and analyzed to understand the most pressing pet emergency topics and the species-specific concerns of pet owners.

• Bottom Hits: Similarly, the bottom 3 search queries, including those with zero hits, were examined to assess the least searched terms, identifying areas of minimal engagement or awareness.

3. Analysis Techniques:

• Trend Analysis: A time-series analysis was conducted to identify seasonal spikes and overall trends in search interest over the years. The analysis was designed to highlight shifts in public awareness, with particular attention given to significant increases in search volumes.

• Statistical Measures: Descriptive statistics were used to identify the central tendencies and variations in search queries over time. The data was also visualized using charts to illustrate peaks in interest and to compare the relative popularity of specific emergency types.

Limitations

1. Relative Interest, Not Absolute Counts – Google Trends provides normalized data, not total search volumes.
2. Geographic Bias – Internet usage patterns may skew representation, especially in under-connected regions.
3. Language Bias – Non-English searches may be underrepresented; keywords were English-only.
4. Search Intent Ambiguity – Search phrases may not always imply emergency context.
5. Data Gaps – Low-interest terms in some regions may show incomplete data.
6. Keyword Selection Bias - Keyword lists were curated manually, which may have excluded relevant but less obvious emergency terms, especially in regional contexts.
7. Temporal Bias - The analysis is limited to a specific time frame, which may not capture all seasonal trends or emerging issues. External events (viral videos, pet safety campaigns, etc.) may artificially inflate search interest unrelated to true incident rates. 8 Incomplete or Sparse Keyword Batches - Batches 13 and 14, containing keywords like “reptile constipation” and “guinea pig not eating”, returned valid data but showed consistently zero search interest over the entire 10-year span. This indicates extremely low or nonexistent public interest in these specific pet emergencies within Nigeria.
8. Absence of demographic information in the dataset This would have provided additional context on the types of pet owners searching for these terms. Additionally, the analysis does not account for external factors, such as public health campaigns or events (e.g., COVID-19), that may have influenced search behavior during certain periods. Notably, COVID-19 was frequently referenced during the analysis as a potential driver of increased search volumes, likely due to heightened health awareness, lockdown-induced pet ownership spikes, and limited access to veterinary services during certain periods.

Batch 15 failed entirely after six retry attempts, returning a NULL interest_over_time object each time. This could be due to temporary rate limits or genuinely nonexistent search volume for the terms in that batch. (guinea pig bloat”, “hamster dehydration”, “guinea pig difficulty breathing”, “gerbil not moving”, “rodent overheating”)

These results may reflect regional pet ownership trends, where exotic pets are less common and thus less represented in public search behavior. While their exclusion slightly limits coverage of rarer pet emergencies, the remaining dataset still robustly represents the dominant concerns of Nigerian pet owners.

PROCESSING PHASE

Tools to used are : a) R- To manipulate, clean and analyze data. b) Tableau- For some data visualization

Data manipulation and cleaning.

I. Data Manipulation

1. load relevant/necessary libraries

library(gtrendsR) # to access Google Trends
library(dplyr)  # for data manipulation/wrangling
library(ggplot2)  # for plotting/visualization
library(zoo)  # for moving/rolling averages
library(R.utils) # for file download
library(readr) # for reading CSV files
library(tidyverse) # for data manipulation
library(lubridate) # for data manipulation
library(janitor) # for data cleaning
library(stringr) # for string manipulation

2. Define Keywords and Time Range

# Keywords to search for in Google trends. These are possible comprehensive list of commonly searched pet emergency conditions, organized by pet species (dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and small mammals) and conditions for clarity and relevance.

keywords <- c(
  # General
  "pet emergency", "animal hospital", "emergency vet", "24 hour vet clinic",
  
  # Dog
  "dog bloat", "dog heatstroke", "dog seizure", "dog poisoning", "dog choking", "dog hit by car", "dog allergic reaction", "dog broken leg", "dog vomiting and diarrhea", "dog heart failure", "dog urinary blockage", "dog collapsed suddenly", "dog bleeding from mouth", "dog insect sting reaction", "dog not breathing",

  # Cat
  "cat urinary blockage", "cat poisoning", "cat seizure", "cat respiratory distress", "cat vomiting and diarrhea", "cat not eating or drinking", "cat fell from height", "cat stuck in labor", "cat bleeding", "cat unconscious", "cat bite abscess", "cat hit by car", "cat collapsed suddenly", "cat open mouth breathing", "cat hypothermia",

  # Rabbit
  "rabbit not eating", "rabbit diarrhea", "rabbit difficulty breathing", "rabbit broken leg", "rabbit flystrike", "rabbit seizure", "rabbit head tilt", "rabbit overheating", "rabbit bite wound", "rabbit collapsed",

  # Bird
  "bird not eating", "bird trauma", "bird broken wing", "bird bleeding", "bird difficulty breathing", "bird egg binding", "bird falling off perch", "bird seizure", "bird diarrhea", "bird feather plucking bleeding", "bird poisoning",

  # Reptile
  "lizard not moving", "snake regurgitation", "turtle shell crack", "gecko stuck shed", "reptile mouth rot", "reptile constipation", "reptile lethargy", "bearded dragon not eating", "chameleon falling", "reptile burn",

  # Small Mammals
  "guinea pig not eating", "hamster bleeding", "guinea pig diarrhea", "small pet seizure", "hamster trauma", "guinea pig bloat", "hamster dehydration", "guinea pig difficulty breathing", "gerbil not moving", "rodent overheating"
)

# Save keywords to CSV for reference
write.csv(data.frame(keyword = keywords), "pet_emergency_keywords.csv", row.names = FALSE)

# Define time range for the Google Trends data - 10yrs
time_range <- "2015-01-01 2025-04-30"

3. Fetch Google Trends Data for defined keywords and time frame

1. For Global data

# split keywords into batches of 5; Google only allows 5 terms per request. # 75 keywords into 15 batches.


# Function to split keywords into 5 batches
split_keywords <- function(keywords, batch_size = 5) {
  split(keywords, ceiling(seq_along(keywords) / batch_size))
}

# Batch keywords
keyword_batches <- split_keywords(keywords, 5) 

# Store results
trend_data_list <- vector("list", length(keyword_batches))

# Fetch data with smart retries, backoff, jitter, and normalization
for (i in seq_along(keyword_batches)) {
  cat(Sys.time(), "- Starting batch", i, "of", length(keyword_batches), "...\n")
  
  success     <- FALSE
  wait_time   <- 300    # 5 minutes
  max_wait    <- 3600   # up to 60 minutes
  max_retries <- 6
  attempts    <- 0
  
  while (!success && attempts < max_retries) {
    attempts <- attempts + 1
    
    tryCatch({
      # Fetch with timeout
      result <- withTimeout(
        gtrends(
          keyword = keyword_batches[[i]],
          time    = time_range,
          geo     = "",
          gprop   = "web"
        ),
        timeout   = 120,
        onTimeout = "error"
      )
      
      # Normalize hits column: "<1" → 0.5, else numeric
      df <- result$interest_over_time %>%
        mutate(
          hits = ifelse(hits == "<1", "0.5", hits),
          hits = as.numeric(hits)
        )
      
      trend_data_list[[i]] <- df
      success <- TRUE
      
      # Save partial results
      partial <- bind_rows(trend_data_list[!sapply(trend_data_list, is.null)])
      write.csv(partial,
                "global_pet_emergency_trends_partial.csv",
                row.names = FALSE)
      
      cat(Sys.time(),
          "- Batch", i, "completed (attempt", attempts, ").\n")
      
      # Fixed 15 min pause + jitter ±60 s
      pause <- 900 + sample(-60:60, 1)
      cat("Sleeping for", round(pause/60,1), "minutes...\n")
      Sys.sleep(pause)
      
    }, error = function(e) {
      cat(Sys.time(),
          "- Error on batch", i,
          "(attempt", attempts, "):", conditionMessage(e), "\n")
      
      # Exponential backoff + jitter
      jitter    <- sample(-30:30, 1)
      sleep_time <- min(wait_time * 2^(attempts - 1), max_wait) + jitter
      cat("Sleeping for", round(sleep_time/60,1),
          "minutes before retrying...\n")
      Sys.sleep(sleep_time)
    })
  }
  
  if (!success) {
    cat("X Batch", i,
        "failed after", attempts, "attempts — skipping.\n")
    trend_data_list[[i]] <- NULL
  }
}

# Combine & save final results
all_trends <- bind_rows(trend_data_list)
write.csv(all_trends,
          "global_pet_emergency_trends.csv",
          row.names = FALSE)

cat(Sys.time(), "- All done! Data saved to global_pet_emergency_trends.csv\n")

Global data is saved as global_pet_emergency_trends

2. For Nigeria data

keyword_batches_ng <- split_keywords(keywords, 5)
trend_data_list_ng <- vector("list", length(keyword_batches_ng))

# Loop through batches
for (i in seq_along(keyword_batches_ng)) {
  cat(Sys.time(), "- [NG] Starting batch", i, "of", length(keyword_batches_ng), "...\n")
  
  success     <- FALSE
  wait_time   <- 300
  max_wait    <- 3600
  max_retries <- 6
  attempts    <- 0
  
  while (!success && attempts < max_retries) {
    attempts <- attempts + 1
    
    tryCatch({
      result_ng <- withTimeout(
        gtrends(
          keyword = keyword_batches_ng[[i]],
          time    = time_range,
          geo     = "NG",  # Nigeria-specific
          gprop   = "web"
        ),
        timeout   = 120,
        onTimeout = "error"
      )
      
      df_ng <- result_ng$interest_over_time %>%
        mutate(
          hits = ifelse(hits == "<1", "0.5", hits),
          hits = as.numeric(hits)
        )
      
      trend_data_list_ng[[i]] <- df_ng
      success <- TRUE
      
      # Save partial NG results
      partial_ng <- bind_rows(trend_data_list_ng[!sapply(trend_data_list_ng, is.null)])
      write.csv(partial_ng,
                "nigeria_pet_emergency_trends_partial.csv",
                row.names = FALSE)
      
      cat(Sys.time(),
          "- [NG] Batch", i, "completed (attempt", attempts, ").\n")
      
      pause <- 900 + sample(-60:60, 1)
      cat("[NG] Sleeping for", round(pause/60,1), "minutes...\n")
      Sys.sleep(pause)
      
    }, error = function(e) {
      cat(Sys.time(),
          "- [NG] Error on batch", i,
          "(attempt", attempts, "):", conditionMessage(e), "\n")
      
      jitter <- sample(-30:30, 1)
      sleep_time <- min(wait_time * 2^(attempts - 1), max_wait) + jitter
      cat("[NG] Sleeping for", round(sleep_time/60,1), "minutes before retrying...\n")
      Sys.sleep(sleep_time)
    })
  }
  
  if (!success) {
    cat("X [NG] Batch", i, "failed after", attempts, "attempts — skipping.\n")
    trend_data_list_ng[[i]] <- NULL
  }
}

# Combine & save final Nigeria results
all_trends_ng <- bind_rows(trend_data_list_ng)
write.csv(all_trends_ng,
          "nigeria_pet_emergency_trends.csv",
          row.names = FALSE)

cat(Sys.time(), "- OK [NG] All done! Data saved to nigeria_pet_emergency_trends.csv\n")

Nigeria data is saved as nigeria_pet_emergency_trends

4. Data Transformation

# Combine both data set together - combined_data
combined_data <- bind_rows(partial, partial_ng)

# Add a column for categorization of keywords

categorize_emergency <- function(keyword) {
  # Trauma & Injury
  if (grepl("hit by car|cat hit by car|dog hit by car|fell from height|chameleon falling|bird falling off perch|broken leg|rabbit broken leg|bird broken wing|bleeding|dog bleeding from mouth|cat bleeding|hamster bleeding|bird bleeding|bird feather plucking bleeding|bite wound|rabbit bite wound|cat bite abscess|trauma|hamster trauma|bird trauma|shell crack|turtle shell crack|burn|reptile burn", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("trauma & injury")
  }
  
  # Neurological Emergencies
  if (grepl("seizure|dog seizure|cat seizure|rabbit seizure|bird seizure|small pet seizure|head tilt|rabbit head tilt|unconscious|cat unconscious", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("neurological emergencies")
  }
  
  # Cardiovascular & Collapse
  if (grepl("collapsed suddenly|dog collapsed suddenly|cat collapsed suddenly|rabbit collapsed|heart failure|dog heart failure|lethargy|reptile lethargy|gerbil not moving|lizard not moving|not moving|reptile lethargy", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("cardiovascular & collapse")
  }
  
  # Respiratory Distress
  if (grepl("difficulty breathing|rabbit difficulty breathing|guinea pig difficulty breathing|bird difficulty breathing|cat respiratory distress|dog not breathing|cat open mouth breathing|bird not eating", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("respiratory distress")
  }
  
  # Heat & Cold Emergencies
  if (grepl("heatstroke|dog heatstroke|rabbit overheating|rodent overheating|hypothermia|cat hypothermia", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("heat & cold emergencies")
  }
  
  # Gastrointestinal (GI) Emergencies
  if (grepl("vomiting|dog vomiting and diarrhea|cat vomiting and diarrhea|bird diarrhea|guinea pig diarrhea|rabbit diarrhea|constipation|reptile constipation|not eating|rabbit not eating|bird not eating|bearded dragon not eating|guinea pig not eating|cat not eating or drinking|regurgitation|snake regurgitation|bloat|dog bloat|guinea pig bloat|dehydration|hamster dehydration", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies")
  }
  
  # Toxicity & Allergic Reactions
  if (grepl("poisoning|dog poisoning|cat poisoning|bird poisoning|allergic reaction|dog allergic reaction|insect sting|dog insect sting reaction", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("toxicity & allergic reactions")
  }
  
  # Urinary Emergencies
  if (grepl("urinary blockage|dog urinary blockage|cat urinary blockage", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("urinary emergencies")
  }
  
  # Reproductive & Birthing Emergencies
  if (grepl("stuck in labor|cat stuck in labor|egg binding|bird egg binding", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("reproductive & birthing emergencies")
  }
  
  # Dental & Oral Emergencies
  if (grepl("mouth rot|reptile mouth rot", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("dental & oral emergencies")
  }
  
  # Skin & Shedding Issues
  if (grepl("stuck shed|gecko stuck shed", keyword, ignore.case = TRUE)) {
    return("skin & shedding issues")
  }
  
  # If no match, return "uncategorized"
  return("uncategorized")
}


# apply to dataset 
combined_pet_emergency_trends <- combined_data %>%
  mutate(emergency_type = sapply(keyword, categorize_emergency))


# Parse the Date and Extract Month-Year

# Convert date column to Date type
combined_pet_emergency_trends$date <- as.Date(combined_pet_emergency_trends$date)

# Extract Year-Month format for grouping
combined_pet_emergency_trends <- combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  mutate(month_year = floor_date(date, unit = "month"))

# Add a year column for easier trend analysis 
combined_pet_emergency_trends <- combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  mutate(year = year(date))

5. check the data

# check data 
str(combined_pet_emergency_trends) # structure of the data
glimpse(combined_pet_emergency_trends) # glimpse of the data
head(combined_pet_emergency_trends) # first few rows of the data

6. Data Cleaning

# Remove unnecessary columns
cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends <- combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  select(-time, -category, -gprop)


# Remove any names from character vector 
cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends$emergency_type <- as.character(cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends$emergency_type)
names(cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends$emergency_type) <- NULL


# Already numeric, but double-check for any issues ( Convert any <1 values to numeric properly)
summary(cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends$hits)


# Clean column names -GLOBAL
cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends <- cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends %>% 
  clean_names()


# Check for duplicates
dupes <- cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  duplicated()

sum(dupes)  # Total number of duplicates

# Remove duplicates
cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends <- cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  distinct()


# Check for missing values 
colSums(is.na(cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends))

# Drop rows with missing values (if any)
cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends <- cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  drop_na()


# Reorder columns for clarity
cleaned_trends <- cleaned_combined_pet_emergency_trends %>%
  select(date, month_year, year, geo, keyword, emergency_type, hits)

# Inspect the cleaned data
glimpse(cleaned_trends)
head(cleaned_trends)
summary(cleaned_trends)

7. Save cleaned data

# save cleaned data -GLOBAL
write.csv(cleaned_trends, "cleaned_trends.csv", row.names = FALSE)

ANALYZE PHASE

1. Top Pet Emergencies by Keyword - the most frequently searched pet emergencies globally

## # A tibble: 75 × 2
##    keyword                   global_hits
##    <chr>                           <dbl>
##  1 animal hospital                  9152
##  2 dog seizure                      8831
##  3 cat seizure                      8779
##  4 rabbit not eating                8435
##  5 cat bleeding                     8353
##  6 dog heart failure                8321
##  7 bearded dragon not eating        8303
##  8 dog vomiting and diarrhea        8277
##  9 guinea pig not eating            8097
## 10 rabbit diarrhea                  7938
## # ℹ 65 more rows

## # A tibble: 70 × 2
##    keyword                        nigeria_hits
##    <chr>                                 <dbl>
##  1 animal hospital                        1802
##  2 cat poisoning                           179
##  3 24 hour vet clinic                      145
##  4 hamster trauma                          124
##  5 bird egg binding                        100
##  6 bird feather plucking bleeding          100
##  7 cat fell from height                    100
##  8 dog collapsed suddenly                  100
##  9 dog heatstroke                          100
## 10 dog vomiting and diarrhea               100
## # ℹ 60 more rows

OBSERVATIONS

A. Global Trends

1. General Emergency Search Dominates:

• The keyword “animal hospital” is the most searched globally (9,152 hits), suggesting a broad concern over locating immediate veterinary care during emergencies.

2. Seizures Are a Major Concern:

• “Dog seizure” (8,831) and “cat seizure” (8,779) rank extremely high, indicating neurological emergencies are a frequent and alarming issue for pet owners worldwide.

3. Eating Disorders in Pets:

• Keywords like “rabbit not eating”, “guinea pig not eating”, and “bearded dragon not eating” all appear in the global top 10, highlighting that anorexia in exotic/small pets is a top emergency concern.

4. Species-Specific Issues:

• There is diversity in species, including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, reptiles, etc. Showing global awareness of pet health across species.

• Notably, “bearded dragon not eating” (8,303) and “guinea pig bloat” (5,491) show strong concern for exotic pet emergencies.

5. Less Common Keywords Are Rarely Searched:

• Many specific or nuanced emergencies (e.g., “dog insect sting reaction”, “cat stuck in labor”) have very low or zero search volumes globally.

B. Nigerian Trends 1. Dominance of “Animal Hospital”:

• Like the global trend, “animal hospital” tops the Nigerian list (1,802 hits), emphasizing concern with accessing care, possibly due to fewer clinics or trust in professional facilities.

2. Greater Interest in Rare/Severe Emergencies:

• High-ranking keywords include “cat poisoning”, “dog collapsed suddenly”, “dog heatstroke”, “rabbit bite wound”, and “small pet seizure”. Emergencies with sudden onset and potentially fatal outcomes.

• This may suggest Nigerian pet owners search when the situation is already severe, not proactively.

3. Unusual Emphasis on Exotic/Small Pets:

• Keywords like “hamster trauma”, “bird egg binding”, “rabbit broken leg”, and “turtle shell crack” are unusually popular relative to global patterns. Possibly due to rising interest in exotic pets in urban Nigerian households.

4. Many Global Concerns Are Absent:

• 40+ keywords (e.g., “dog seizure”, “guinea pig not eating”, “cat urinary blockage”) have zero hits in Nigeria.

• This suggests limited awareness, low ownership of certain species, or different local terminologies being used.

2. Top Pet Emergencies by Emergency Type

## # A tibble: 12 × 2
##    emergency_type                      global_hits
##    <chr>                                     <dbl>
##  1 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies       60832. 
##  2 trauma & injury                         42128  
##  3 neurological emergencies                24044  
##  4 toxicity & allergic reactions           20747  
##  5 uncategorized                           16053  
##  6 respiratory distress                    14028. 
##  7 cardiovascular & collapse                9829  
##  8 urinary emergencies                      5286  
##  9 skin & shedding issues                   4586  
## 10 heat & cold emergencies                  1604  
## 11 dental & oral emergencies                 193  
## 12 reproductive & birthing emergencies        42.5

## # A tibble: 12 × 2
##    emergency_type                      nigeria_hits
##    <chr>                                      <dbl>
##  1 uncategorized                               2021
##  2 trauma & injury                              841
##  3 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies            443
##  4 cardiovascular & collapse                    348
##  5 toxicity & allergic reactions                181
##  6 neurological emergencies                     160
##  7 respiratory distress                         152
##  8 heat & cold emergencies                      100
##  9 reproductive & birthing emergencies          100
## 10 dental & oral emergencies                      0
## 11 skin & shedding issues                         0
## 12 urinary emergencies                            0

OBSERVATIONS

A. Global Trends

1. Gastrointestinal (GI) Emergencies Dominate

• With 60,832.5 hits, GI issues (vomiting, diarrhea, not eating) are the most frequently searched pet emergencies globally more than 1.4x higher than trauma-related emergencies.

• Indicates pet owners are highly attuned to signs like loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting, possibly due to their visibility and frequency.

2. Trauma & Injury Is the Second Most Common

• With 42,128 hits, it includes events like broken legs, car accidents, bleeding, etc.

• Reflects accidents and physical injuries as a major concern across species.

3. Neurological Emergencies Are Prominent

• Ranked 3rd globally (24,044 hits), this shows a high awareness of signs like seizures or sudden collapse, especially in dogs and cats.

4. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions Are Top of Mind

• At 20,747 hits, pet poisoning and allergic reactions are a global concern possibly due to increasing reports of household toxicities (e.g., chocolate, xylitol, plants).

5. Reproductive, Urinary, and Dental Emergencies Rank Low

• Very few searches for issues like birthing complications (42.5 hits), dental trauma (193 hits), or urinary blockage (5,286 hits), despite their veterinary significance.

• May indicate under-recognition by pet owners or poor visibility of these symptoms.

B. Nigerian Trends

1. Uncategorized Emergencies Lead (2,021 hits)

• Many searches fall into a generic or unspecified category, possibly indicating broad or vague searches like “my dog is sick” or “pet emergency.”

• Suggests a gap in specific symptom identification or veterinary literacy.

2. Trauma & Injury Is the Most Identified Specific Emergency

• At 841 hits, it’s the top clearly categorized type in Nigeria, likely due to visibility and urgency (e.g., bleeding, fractures, accidents).

3. GI Emergencies Rank Lower Than Globally

• Surprisingly low at 443 hits compared to the global 60,832.5. This may indicate that Nigerians underestimate vomiting/diarrhea or consider them normal/self-limiting.

4. Zero Hits for Urinary, Dental, and Skin Issues

• These categories had no recorded Nigerian searches, despite being medically significant.

• This reflects low awareness or less frequent online health-seeking behavior for subtle or internal symptoms.

5. Reproductive & Heat Emergencies Appear

• At 100 hits each, reproductive (e.g., labor complications) and environmental issues (heatstroke, hypothermia) are recognized, possibly linked to seasonal awareness and livestock/pet breeding overlap in rural areas.

3.Trend by Emergency Types

## # A tibble: 1,488 × 4
##    emergency_type             year month total_hits
##    <chr>                     <dbl> <ord>      <dbl>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jan           37
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Feb           35
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Mar           48
##  4 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Apr           51
##  5 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 May           38
##  6 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jun           39
##  7 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jul           43
##  8 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Aug           38
##  9 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Sep           42
## 10 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Oct           41
## # ℹ 1,478 more rows

## # A tibble: 1,488 × 4
##    emergency_type             year month total_hits
##    <chr>                     <dbl> <ord>      <dbl>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jan            0
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Feb            0
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Mar            0
##  4 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Apr            0
##  5 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 May            0
##  6 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jun            0
##  7 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Jul            0
##  8 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Aug            0
##  9 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Sep            0
## 10 cardiovascular & collapse  2015 Oct            0
## # ℹ 1,478 more rows

OBSERVATIONS

A. Global Trends

1. Monthly trend

## # A tibble: 72 × 4
## # Groups:   emergency_type [12]
##    month emergency_type            total_hits position
##    <ord> <chr>                          <dbl> <chr>   
##  1 Nov   cardiovascular & collapse        713 Bottom 3
##  2 Oct   cardiovascular & collapse        748 Bottom 3
##  3 Sep   cardiovascular & collapse        760 Bottom 3
##  4 Apr   cardiovascular & collapse        908 Top 3   
##  5 Mar   cardiovascular & collapse        918 Top 3   
##  6 Feb   cardiovascular & collapse        923 Top 3   
##  7 Jun   dental & oral emergencies          0 Bottom 3
##  8 Jul   dental & oral emergencies          0 Bottom 3
##  9 Nov   dental & oral emergencies          0 Bottom 3
## 10 May   dental & oral emergencies         25 Top 3   
## # ℹ 62 more rows

General Observations from Monthly Trend Analysis (Global)

• Gastrointestinal (GI) Emergencies consistently dominate global search interest across all months, making them the most common concern among pet owners. This may reflect the broad range of symptoms—like vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite—that prompt immediate attention.

• Trauma & Injury ranks as the second most searched emergency category overall, with noticeable spikes during summer months (e.g., May and June), likely due to increased outdoor activity and accidents during warmer weather.

• Neurological Emergencies, Toxicity & Allergic Reactions, and Respiratory Distress follow in frequency. These categories show relatively stable, year-round interest, suggesting they remain persistent and recognized threats, regardless of season.

• Urinary Emergencies and Skin & Shedding Issues receive comparatively minimal search attention. Although urgent when they occur, these may be less common or less recognizable to the public.

• Reproductive & Birthing Emergencies draw very low global concern, with search volume staying flat possibly due to fewer household pets being left to give birth without veterinary oversight.

• Heat & Cold Emergencies are the least searched overall, but they show distinct seasonal trends, with minor peaks in January and December months typically associated with winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This pattern reflects concern about hypothermia and other cold-related conditions during colder periods.

Monthly Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Top Months: April, March, February
• Bottom Months: November, October, September
• Insight: Interest in cardiovascular emergencies like collapse and sudden weakness surged especially early in the year. This could reflect colder weather stress in temperate regions or pet aging trends. In contrast, late-year months show a steep drop, possibly due to seasonal health priorities shifting elsewhere.

2. Dental & Oral Emergencies

• Top Months: May, September, March
• Bottom Months: June, July, November (all zero)
• Insight: There’s a rise in interest around March and May, likely tied to pet dental awareness campaigns, particularly in Western countries. The zero interest in summer months suggests that dental concerns are underreported or not top-of-mind for pet owners globally.

3. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Top Months: July, January, April
• Bottom Months: November, October, December
• Insight: Mid-year spikes, particularly in July, may reflect heat-related diet issues or spoiled food. Early-year peaks (January, April) could indicate increased concern post-holidays or as pet owners adjust their diets after winter months.

4. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Top Months: February, December, January
• Bottom Months: September, May, August *️ Insight:Spikes in January and December suggest concern around extreme cold or temperature transitions, while low interest in late spring and summer months could point to either increased tolerance or awareness of climate-related pet care needs.

5. Neurological Emergencies

• Top Months: July, April, January
• Bottom Months: November, September, October
• Insight: Interest in neurological issues, such as seizures, peaks in winter (January) and mid-year (July), suggesting seasonality related to health changes or environmental stressors. A consistent upward trend in interest points to growing awareness of these emergencies.

6. Reproductive & Birthing *Top Months: April, November, February

• Bottom Months: January, June, July (all zero)
• Insight: Interest in reproductive emergencies peaks in spring (February, April) and autumn (November), possibly due to seasonal breeding cycles. The lack of interest in mid-year months suggests this category is more relevant to specific pet demographics, like breeders or those with intact animals.

7. Respiratory Distress

• Top Months: March, June, April
• Bottom Months: December, October, November *️ Insight:Respiratory distress spikes in early spring (March, April) and mid-year (June), likely due to environmental factors such as pollen, temperature shifts, and seasonal allergies. These months may also see more pet exposure to irritants in the environment, triggering respiratory concerns.

8. Skin & Shedding Issues

• Top Months: April, February, January *Bottom Months: September, July, August
• Insight: Interest in skin-related problems peaks in the early months of the year (January, February), possibly due to heightened awareness of dermatological issues or reptile pet care. During the warmer summer months, there’s a drop in search interest, likely due to reduced focus on skin concerns as pets shed naturally or are less affected by cold-related skin issues.

1. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Top Months: February, August, July
• Bottom Months: November, October, September *️ Insight:Peaks in February (around Valentine’s Day) and mid-summer (July, August) coincide with common holiday risks, like chocolate exposure and insecticides. These months show higher awareness of pet safety during risky times of the year.

10. Trauma & Injury

• Top Months: July, April, June
• Bottom Months: December, November, October
• Insight: Peaks in late spring and summer (April, June, July) coincide with increased outdoor activity, making pets more prone to accidents and injuries. The dip in colder months (October to December) likely reflects reduced pet activity outdoors and fewer seasonal hazards.

11. Uncategorized

• Top Months: August, June, July
• Bottom Months: November, October, February
• Insight: These spikes suggest emerging or poorly categorized concerns, which may align with GI issues, trauma, or emotional reactions not yet captured by standard categories. The months with low interest could indicate a need to refine keyword tracking or adjust to emerging pet health concerns.

12. Urinary Emergencies

• Top Months: March, April, January
• Bottom Months: May, October, November
• Insight: Peaks early in the year (January, March) may reflect seasonal health checkups or increased awareness of urinary health after the holidays. The dip in May and November suggests a seasonal drop in concern or symptom visibility, possibly due to warmer weather or competing health priorities.

2. Yearly trend

## # A tibble: 72 × 4
##    emergency_type             year yearly_hits rank  
##    <chr>                     <dbl>       <dbl> <chr> 
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse  2024        1444 Top   
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse  2022        1268 Top   
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse  2023        1217 Top   
##  4 cardiovascular & collapse  2016         566 Bottom
##  5 cardiovascular & collapse  2015         489 Bottom
##  6 cardiovascular & collapse  2025         463 Bottom
##  7 dental & oral emergencies  2021          99 Top   
##  8 dental & oral emergencies  2023          88 Top   
##  9 dental & oral emergencies  2025           6 Top   
## 10 dental & oral emergencies  2015           0 Bottom
## # ℹ 62 more rows

General Observations from Yearly Trend Analysis

• 2020–2022: Peak Years for Pet Emergency Searches - Several emergency categories hit record highs during this period, Likely influenced by pandemic factors such as:

1. Surge in pet ownership during lockdowns

2. Increased time spent observing pets at home

3. Limited vet access led to more self-research

4. Heightened health anxiety extending to pets

• 2025: A Sudden Drop — But Misleading as most emergency types show a sharp decline in 2025. This is likely an artifact of incomplete data, as only Q1 data is available so far — not an actual drop in public concern.

• Reproductive & Birthing Emergencies maintained steady minute visibility (0-7 hits), likely due to seasonal breeding cycles early in the year.

• Skin & Shedding: From Zero to Hundreds - Originally a neglected category (virtually no searches in 2015–2017), now shows hundreds of hits annually. This reflects rising awareness of skin issues, especially for reptiles and exotic pets as well as better online education.

• Cardiovascular: A Steady Climb in search interest which has tripled from 2015 to 2024. This Shows consistent year-over-year growth, likely tied to aging pet populations and increasing awareness of signs like collapse or lethargy.

• Dental Emergencies: Rare but Viral. Searches spiked only twice in 2021 and 2023. Possibly triggered by viral influencer content or short-term campaigns spotlighting oral health.

• Overall Yearly Trends - Public concern has shown a gradual upward trend over the last decade. The pandemic years (2020–2022) acted as an awareness accelerator. 2025 data is still incomplete, so current lows should be interpreted cautiously. Some emergencies—like cardiovascular and skin issues—have emerged as new frontiers of awareness

Yearly Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Top Years: 2024, 2022, 2023
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2015, 2025
• Insight: There’s a consistent upward trend peaking in 2024, suggesting rising public concern—potentially from aging pets, heart-related conditions, or improved detection.
• The drop in 2025 is likely temporary, as only Q1 data is available.

2. Dental & Oral Emergencies

• Top Years: 2021, 2023, 2025
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: Interest in dental emergencies has only surged in recent years, especially 2021 onward, possibly due to campaigns about dental hygiene, viral pet content or better diagnostics.
• Earlier years show minimal concern, suggesting this was once under-prioritized by pet owners.

3. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Top Years: 2021, 2020, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2015, 2025
• Insight: Peaks in 2020–2022 align with periods of high pet adoption and increased dietary experimentation during the pandemic era.
• The low in 2025 might reflect better preventive care or seasonal shifts. Overall, interest shows steady growth since the mid-2010s.

4. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Top Years: 2024, 2022, 2023
• Bottom Years: 2017, 2016, 2015 *️ Insight: Sharp increases in the last three years point to heightened sensitivity to climate-related pet risks, especially extreme temperatures.
• Near-zero concern in earlier years reflects low baseline awareness, possibly before the climate crisis gained momentum in public discourse.

5. Neurological Emergencies

• Top Years: 2024, 2021, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2015, 2025
• Insight: Interest peaked recently, with seizure-related searches growing rapidly—possibly due to increased awareness about neurological symptoms in small pets.
• The dip in 2025 may hint at symptom recognition fatigue or the rise of better resources diverting search behavior.

6. Reproductive & Birthing *Top Years: 2024, 2023, 2025

• Bottom Years: 2022, 2016, 2019
• Insight: Spikes in the last three years could correlate with breeding seasons or increased reproductive activity during lockdown pet booms.
• Previous lows suggest this topic only gains traction during certain seasons or within specific pet owner segments.

7. Respiratory Distress

• Top Years: 2024, 2023, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2025, 2016, 2015 *️ Insight: Strong upward momentum starting in 2022 likely ties to air quality issues, wildfires, and zoonotic sensitivity post-COVID.
• The sudden drop in 2025 is unexpected (temporary since only Q1 data was collected), possibly seasonal, or a shift toward other related concerns like collapse or toxicity.

8. Skin & Shedding Issues

• Top Years: 2021, 2020, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2017, 2015, 2016
• Insight: This topic peaked during the pet reptile boom of the pandemic, especially as new owners became more alert to skin-related signs.
• Nearly invisible concern in the mid-2010s shows how niche topics can explode in awareness quickly.

1. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Top Years: 2024, 2023, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2025
• Insight: Holidays and home-product usage trends likely drive interest—especially in the recent surge years.
• The return to a low in 2025 might suggest search saturation or better preventive messaging.

10. Trauma & Injury

• Top Years: 2020, 2021, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2015, 2025
• Insight: Injury-related concerns surged during years of increased outdoor pet activity and pandemic adoption spikes.
• The dip in 2025 could reflect better preventive care or reporting fatigue.

11. Uncategorized

• Top Years: 2021, 2020, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2015, 2025
• Insight: Many unclassified terms (“pet emergency”, etc) showed strong performance mid-decade, indicating either new emerging concerns or limits in keyword categorization.
• Strong need for refining keyword mapping to avoid blind spots.

12. Urinary Emergencies

• Top Years: 2024, 2023, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2017, 2016, 2015
• Insight: A sharp increase in recent years may be possibly driven by social media awareness around male cat blockages or improved veterinary education.
• Historical lows show these serious issues may have been under-discussed or misattributed.

3. Months of each Year

## # A tibble: 36 × 3
## # Groups:   emergency_type [12]
##    emergency_type                    month top_count
##    <chr>                             <ord>     <int>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse         Feb           5
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse         Mar           4
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse         Apr           4
##  4 dental & oral emergencies         Feb           1
##  5 dental & oral emergencies         Mar           1
##  6 dental & oral emergencies         Apr           1
##  7 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Apr           7
##  8 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Jun           6
##  9 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Jul           6
## 10 heat & cold emergencies           Jan           7
## # ℹ 26 more rows

## # A tibble: 36 × 3
## # Groups:   emergency_type [12]
##    emergency_type                    month bottom_count
##    <chr>                             <ord>        <int>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse         Jan              7
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse         Feb              6
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse         Nov              5
##  4 dental & oral emergencies         Jan             10
##  5 dental & oral emergencies         Feb             10
##  6 dental & oral emergencies         Mar              9
##  7 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Feb              6
##  8 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Nov              6
##  9 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Mar              5
## 10 heat & cold emergencies           Apr              5
## # ℹ 26 more rows

General Observations from the 10-Year Trend Analysis (Global)

• Search interest in pet emergencies has steadily increased over the years, with notable spikes in 2020, 2021, and 2022, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and increased pet ownership during lockdowns and rising digital engagement.

• Skin and shedding issues had no search volume between 2015 and 2016, followed by sporadic interest in 2017–2018. From 2019 onward, searches became more consistent and frequent, occurring almost monthly indicating growing awareness of dermatological conditions in pets.

• Heat and cold emergencies maintain generally low search volumes, but display clear seasonal spikes in December, January, and February, likely due to winter-related concerns in temperate climates.

Dental & Oral + Reproductive & Birthing Emergencies: These categories had extremely low global interest. Searches rarely crossed 5 hits per month for Reproductive & Birthing Emergencies and most years showed no activity. This likely reflects poor public awareness or lower perceived urgency for these issues globally.

• Overall, there’s a growing public curiosity across nearly all emergency types, with search volumes trending upward as the years progress—indicating increasing concern or awareness about pet health emergencies.

Seasonal Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Peak Months: February, March, April
• Low Months: January, February, November
• Insight: Late winter to early spring sees the highest activity — possibly due to post-winter health deterioration or temperature shifts. Lower activity in colder months might reflect reduced pet activity or hidden symptoms during cold periods.

2. Dental & Oral Emergencies

• Peak Months: February, March, April
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Appears in both top and bottom categories, suggesting that while early-year spikes occur in some years (likely due to post-holiday attention or delayed care), this emergency type generally receives little global attention—possibly indicating sporadic and localized concern. Likely underreported or viewed as non-urgent.

3. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Peak Months: April, June, July
• Low Months: February, March, November
• Insight: GI spikes may be linked to warmer months, holiday feasts, dietary changes, or increased exposure to parasites, food changes, or spoiled leftovers. Dips during cooler months suggest more controlled feeding and less environmental stress.

4. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Peak Months: December, January, February
• Low Months: March, April, September
• Insight: Winter months drive concerns over cold-related conditions like hypothermia, while lower hits in mild months support this as a cold-stress-driven category, despite the term “heat” in the label.

5. Neurological Emergencies

• Peak Months: June, July, December
• Low Months: February, March, November
• Insight: Peaks during summer may be triggered by fireworks, pesticide exposure, or overheating, especially in pets with preexisting conditions. Lower levels during quieter, colder months suggest a strong/calm environmental influence.

6. Reproductive & Birthing

• Peak Months: February, March, April
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Appearing in both high and low months highlights regional variation or species-specific trends. Peaks likely reflect breeding seasons in small mammals and birds, but overall low search interest points to niche relevance.

7. Respiratory Distress

• Peak Months: May, June, July
• Low Months: November, December, January
• Insight: Summer peaks may reflect allergies, heat stress, or increased outdoor activity. Cold-month lows likely due to reduced exertion and limited allergen exposure.

8. Skin & Shedding Issues

• Peak Months: January, February, December
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Like dental emergencies, this category appears in both high and low months—suggesting variability. Peaks could relate to seasonal molting, dry indoor air, or changes in humidity.

1. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Peak Months: May, July, August
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Summer sees spikes likely due to outdoor toxins (insecticides, spoiled food, toxic plants). Winter lows reflect limited exposure and reduced environmental interactions.

10. Trauma & Injury

• Peak Months: May, June, July
• Low Months: November, December, January
• Insight: Injuries peak during warmer months when pets are more active outdoors. accidents may occur during walks, travels or play-time. Cold weather leads to less exposure and fewer risks.

11. Uncategorized

• Peak Months: June, July, August
• Low Months: January, February, November
• Insight: This category likely includes broad searches like “pet emergency,” “animal hospital,” or “24 hour vet clinic”—terms used when pet owners recognize something is wrong but can’t pinpoint the cause. It may also reflect vague symptoms such as “acting weird” or early signs of illness that aren’t immediately identifiable as emergencies. Peaks in search interest often align with travel-heavy summer months when pets may be exposed to unfamiliar environments or stressors. The lower activity during winter suggests fewer unpredictable events or more routine care. These trends highlight a need for public education on recognizing specific emergency signs and when to seek veterinary help.

12. Urinary Emergencies

• Peak Months: December, March, August
• Low Months: February, April, May
• Insight: Peaks may relate to Cold-induced dehydration, seasonal infections or infection flare-ups; lows could reflect symptom neglect or seasonal masking.

B. Nigerian Trends

1. Monthly trend

## # A tibble: 56 × 4
## # Groups:   emergency_type [12]
##    month emergency_type                    total_hits position
##    <ord> <chr>                                  <dbl> <chr>   
##  1 Feb   cardiovascular & collapse                  0 Bottom 3
##  2 Mar   cardiovascular & collapse                  0 Bottom 3
##  3 May   cardiovascular & collapse                  0 Bottom 3
##  4 Apr   cardiovascular & collapse                 96 Top 3   
##  5 Jun   cardiovascular & collapse                100 Top 3   
##  6 Jan   cardiovascular & collapse                152 Top 3   
##  7 Jan   dental & oral emergencies                  0 Bottom 3
##  8 Feb   dental & oral emergencies                  0 Bottom 3
##  9 Mar   dental & oral emergencies                  0 Bottom 3
## 10 Jan   gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies          0 Bottom 3
## # ℹ 46 more rows

General Observations from Monthly Trend Analysis (Nigeria)

When pet emergency searches in Nigeria from 2015–2025 are grouped by month and emergency type, the following patterns emerge:

• Uncategorized Emergencies show intermittent spikes in search interest across Nigeria, often pointing to newly emerging or poorly understood pet health issues. This trend suggests that many Nigerian pet owners are either unfamiliar with proper veterinary terminology or facing concerns that don’t yet fit neatly into known categories. It reveals a dual challenge: a knowledge gap in pet health literacy and a need for clearer keyword classification. Similarly, critical emergency types like urinary issues, skin conditions, and neurological emergencies receive low or inconsistent attention—despite their medical importance. These gaps reflect a broader public misunderstanding or underestimation of these conditions. Educational outreach through platforms like The Vet Vortex can play a vital role in bridging this awareness gap, empowering pet owners with the information they need to recognize and respond to these emergencies early.

• Trauma & Injury sees significant search activity in Nigeria, with spikes aligning with increased outdoor activity, possibly during holidays or periods of high travel. This pattern may indicate a rise in accidents during these times, suggesting a correlation with specific local events or lifestyle behaviors.

• Low-Activity Years: In some emergency categories, search hits occurred only once or twice throughout the entire decade. This shows inconsistent or very rare spikes in public interest, likely linked to specific events or short-lived awareness efforts.

• Zero-Hit Categories: Throughout the entire 10-year period, Dental & Oral Issues, Skin Conditions, and Urinary Emergencies received no recorded search interest in Nigeria. This alarming absence may reflect widespread public unawareness, misclassification under vague symptoms, or a general low prioritization of these issues within Nigerian pet care culture. These silent gaps hint at deeper problems: conditions like dental decay, itchy skin, or urinary blockages often go unnoticed or untreated until they escalate into visible distress. It underscores a critical need for public education especially around the subtle signs that indicate a pet is suffering silently.

• All lowest-activity months for each emergency type recorded zero search hits, except for the Uncategorized category, which still showed notable interest in December (87 hits), September (101 hits), and August (125 hits).

Monthly Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Top Months: June, April, January
• Bottom Months: January, March, May
• Insight: Search interest tends to rise mid-year and during cooler months, likely tied to increased awareness of heart-related symptoms like fainting or weakness in pets. January’s presence on both lists may reflect inconsistent recognition of symptoms. The upward trend highlights growing concern, particularly as more Nigerians keep aging pets.

3. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Top Months: February, March, October
• Bottom Months: January, April, May
• Insight: High search volumes in February and March likely relate to post-holiday food changes or heat-related spoilage. October may reflect seasonal dietary shifts. This pattern suggests owners are increasingly alert to issues like vomiting, diarrhea, and poor appetite during transitional or hot periods.

4. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Top Months: December
• Bottom Months: January, February, March *️ Insight: December spikes align with the peak of the dry season and harmattan, when sudden temperature drops or heat waves may trigger concern for pets, especially those outdoors. Early-year dips might indicate delayed recognition of temperature-related health risks.

5. Neurological Emergencies

• Top Months: August, April
• Bottom Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Interest peaks in April and August, possibly linked to environmental triggers like heat stress or parasitic activity that can affect neurological health (e.g., tick-borne diseases). The low search volumes from January to March suggest these symptoms are either underreported or misunderstood in early months. The seasonal nature indicates bursts of concern rather than a steady pattern pointing to episodic awareness. Educational campaigns during low-interest months could help build consistent year-round awareness of signs like seizures, disorientation, or abnormal movements.

6. Reproductive & Birthing

• Top Months: July
• Bottom Months: January, February, March
• Insight: July aligns with common breeding and birthing periods, particularly for unspayed pets. The low search activity in early months suggests most owners only seek help mid-process or in emergencies, rather than preparing ahead, indicating a reactive pet care approach.

7. Respiratory Distress

• Top Months: December, February
• Bottom Months: January, March, April *️ Insight: Hamattan - related dust, dry air, and cooler temperatures likely trigger concern during December and February. Urban pollution in cities like Lagos and Abuja may exacerbate breathing issues in pets, explaining seasonal spikes in searches.

1. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Top Months: August, April
• Bottom Months: January, February, March *️ Insight: Search spikes align with festive and rainy seasons, when pets are more likely to encounter toxic foods, plants, or chemicals. This pattern reflects increased awareness of poisoning risks—especially during holidays and cleanup periods.

10. Trauma & Injury

• Top Months: December, February, April
• Bottom Months: May, June, September
• Insight: Periods of high travel, social visits, and school breaks likely contribute to injury risks. Car accidents, falls, and rough play may peak during festive and busy months. Lower interest in mid-year months may reflect fewer outdoor activities or reduced supervision.

11. Uncategorized

• Top Months: October, January, June
• Bottom Months: December, September, August
• Insight: These spikes suggest pet owners are using vague or symptom-based search terms like “dog weak and not eating” or “cat sick suddenly.” The bottom months contrast sharply, with zero hits recorded in some cases—except for December (87), September (101), and August (125), which still had significant hits despite being listed as “bottom” months for other categories. This inconsistency points to emerging health issues that don’t fit neatly into standard classifications and underscores the need for better keyword mapping and education.

2. Yearly trend

## # A tibble: 58 × 4
##    emergency_type                     year yearly_hits rank  
##    <chr>                             <dbl>       <dbl> <chr> 
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse          2021         100 Top   
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse          2018          96 Top   
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse          2020          93 Top   
##  4 cardiovascular & collapse          2015           0 Bottom
##  5 cardiovascular & collapse          2016           0 Bottom
##  6 cardiovascular & collapse          2017           0 Bottom
##  7 dental & oral emergencies          2015           0 Bottom
##  8 dental & oral emergencies          2016           0 Bottom
##  9 dental & oral emergencies          2017           0 Bottom
## 10 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies  2020         200 Top   
## # ℹ 48 more rows

General Observations from Yearly Trend Analysis (Nigeria)

• Top Emergency Categories by Total Hits

• Uncategorized emergencies recorded the highest overall search volume, dominating most years. These include general or unclear search terms that fall outside the pre-defined emergency categories—such as vague symptoms, behavioral issues, or newer/emerging concerns not yet classified.

• Trauma & Injury followed closely behind, consistently appearing in high-hit years and reflecting public concern for physical accidents involving pets. Keywords related to accidents, bleeding, falls, and fractures—real-world, visible events that often prompt immediate search behavior.

• Zero-Hit Categories: Dental & Oral issues, Skin Conditions, and Urinary Emergencies recorded zero search interest throughout the 10-year span. This could reflect a lack of public awareness, misclassification under general symptoms, or low prioritization of these concerns in Nigeria’s pet care culture.

• Persistent Bottom Years: 2016, 2017, and 2018 had the lowest activity across most categories—almost completely inactive in terms of search volume. This period may reflect limited internet use for veterinary queries, poor awareness, or very few public campaigns. Only “Uncategorized” queries showed minor hits in 2017 (50) and 2018 (51), with 2016 recording none.

• Yearly Search Volume Peaks

• 2020 recorded the highest overall search traffic, likely fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, when pet ownership surged and veterinary access was limited.

• 2024 followed closely, suggesting a rebound in digital awareness and information-seeking behavior.

• 2023 was the third highest, continuing the upward trend in search-driven concern.

• Consistent Patterns

• Uncategorized searches ranked highest in nearly every year, with the exception of 2016, which saw zero activity in this group.

• Trauma & Injury was the next most consistent category, with search activity in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025, reflecting ongoing real-world injury risks like accidents and falls.

Yearly Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Top Years: 2021, 2018, 2020
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: Cardiovascular issues saw heightened interest in 2021, possibly due to growing awareness about heart failure symptoms. There was minimal interest during the first years, reflecting lower awareness of cardiovascular issues in pets.

2. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Top Years: 2020, 2019, 2024
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: GI emergencies, including vomiting and diarrhea, saw an uptick in search interest during 2020 and 2024, likely due to heightened public concern, such as the COVID lockdowns and holiday seasons. By 2024, search interest indicated sustained awareness.

3. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Top Years: 2015
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2017, 2018
• Insight: The single-year spike in 2015 may relate to an extreme Harmattan season. Overall, the low hit rate suggests most Nigerians underestimate weather-related pet emergencies or don’t know what signs to watch for.

4. Neurological Emergencies

• Top Years: 2015, 2023, 2025
• Bottom Years: 2016, 2017, 2018
• Insight: A steady increase in searches for neurological conditions like seizures, particularly in 2023, indicates growing awareness of these issues. A significant drop was observed in 2016–2022, which might suggest lower recognition of neurological disorders in pets during that time.

5. Reproductive & Birthing *Top Years: 2020

• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: The lockdown period in 2020 likely triggered increased pet breeding (both intentional and accidental), leading to higher emergency-related searches. Earlier years showed minimal concern or reliance on informal advice sources.

6. Respiratory Distress

• Top Years: 2020, 2023
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: Respiratory concerns spiked significantly in 2020, likely due to both increased pet health awareness and a general focus on respiratory health due to the pandemic. Respiratory distress remained a significant concern during 2023 as well.

7. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Top Years: 2020, 2024, 2025
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Insight: There was a surge in interest in toxicity and allergic reactions, particularly in 2020, possibly due to heightened awareness of pet safety during the pandemic. This trend remained prominent in later years, especially concerning poisoning risks.

8. Trauma & Injury

• Top Years: 2017, 2020, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2015, 2016, 2018
• Insight: While injuries like broken bones and wounds had a slight dip in the early years, the search interest grew steadily over the years, peaking in 2020 and 2022, likely tied to increasing outdoor activity and accidents.

1. Uncategorized

• Top Years: 2023, 2024, 2022
• Bottom Years: 2018, 2017, 2016
• Insight: The category “uncategorized” saw growing search volumes in 2022–2024, possibly due to emerging or poorly classified conditions. The early years showed fewer hits, suggesting either low awareness or lack of classification of emerging concerns.

3. Months of each Year

## # A tibble: 20 × 3
## # Groups:   emergency_type [9]
##    emergency_type                      month top_count
##    <chr>                               <ord>     <int>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse           Jan           2
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse           Apr           1
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse           Jun           1
##  4 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies   Oct           2
##  5 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies   Feb           1
##  6 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies   Mar           1
##  7 heat & cold emergencies             Dec           1
##  8 neurological emergencies            Aug           2
##  9 neurological emergencies            Apr           1
## 10 reproductive & birthing emergencies Jul           1
## 11 respiratory distress                Feb           1
## 12 respiratory distress                Dec           1
## 13 toxicity & allergic reactions       Apr           2
## 14 toxicity & allergic reactions       Aug           1
## 15 trauma & injury                     Dec           3
## 16 trauma & injury                     Feb           2
## 17 trauma & injury                     Jan           1
## 18 uncategorized                       Oct           4
## 19 uncategorized                       Jan           3
## 20 uncategorized                       Jun           3

## # A tibble: 36 × 3
## # Groups:   emergency_type [12]
##    emergency_type                    month bottom_count
##    <chr>                             <ord>        <int>
##  1 cardiovascular & collapse         Feb             11
##  2 cardiovascular & collapse         Mar             11
##  3 cardiovascular & collapse         Jan              9
##  4 dental & oral emergencies         Jan             11
##  5 dental & oral emergencies         Feb             11
##  6 dental & oral emergencies         Mar             11
##  7 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Jan             11
##  8 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Feb             10
##  9 gastrointestinal (gi) emergencies Mar             10
## 10 heat & cold emergencies           Jan             11
## # ℹ 26 more rows

General Observations from the 10-Year Trend Analysis (Nigeria)

• Consistently Low-Interest Months: Across most pet emergency types, January, February, and March consistently appear as the lowest-activity months in terms of search interest. This uniform dip likely reflects a post-December fatigue, reduced economic activity, and fewer public awareness campaigns after the festive season. Many Nigerians are still recovering financially and mentally from the December holidays, so pet emergencies may either go unnoticed or unsearched.

• Sparse Peak Activity: Categories with only 1 or 2 peak months in 10 years (e.g., Cardiovascular, Neurological) suggest rare, spike-based interest, likely triggered by isolated news events, personal experiences, or social media trends.

• Zero-Hit Categories: Surprisingly, several emergency categories — Dental & Oral, Skin, Urinary, Reproductive, Toxicity, and Neurological — recorded zero search hits over the decade. This signals significant public unawareness or low perceived urgency for these types of pet health issues. It also points to potential gaps in education and veterinary outreach.

Seasonal Patterns Observed (2015–2025)

1. Cardiovascular & Collapse

• Peak Months: January, April, June
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Despite January showing both peak and low trends, this reflects erratic interest, possibly due to abrupt weather shifts or rare viral posts. Still, zero search hits suggest people aren’t connecting visible symptoms like fainting or lethargy to heart-related issues in pets.

2. Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Peak Months: October, February, March
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: The October spike may tie to dietary changes during Independence Day parties or food spoilage from prolonged heat and humidity. February and March also mark pre-rainy season transitions, when food storage and sanitation issues can affect both humans and animals.

3. Heat & Cold Emergencies

• Peak Months: December
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: The Harmattan season (usually November to February) brings dry winds and sudden temperature drops. While pets do suffer, public awareness appears low. Zero search interest shows that Nigerians may not see temperature stress in pets as an emergency.

4. Neurological Emergencies

• Peak Months: August, April
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: August is peak rainy season in much of Nigeria, it’s a time when ticks, fleas, and other vectors flourish. Neurological symptoms may occur but are likely misattributed or not recognized as vet emergencies.

5. Reproductive & Birthing

• Peak Months: July
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: July aligns with breeding seasons in many parts of Nigeria (especially rural areas with goats, dogs, and poultry). Despite this, public search interest was nonexistent, likely due to a normalization of reproductive problems or reliance on local - informal advice.

6. Respiratory Distress

• Peak Months: February, December
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Dust, dryness, and smoke exposure during Harmattan can trigger respiratory issues, especially in dogs. Still, awareness remains low. Pet coughing or labored breathing is often ignored or mistaken for temporary illness.

7. Toxicity & Allergic Reactions

• Peak Months: April, August
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Peaks in April and August correspond with early and mid-rainy seasons. A time when pets may come into contact with mold, pesticides, or contaminated water. However, these symptoms are rarely associated with toxicity by the average pet owner.

8. Trauma & Injury

• Peak Months: December, February, January
• Low Months: January, February, March
• Insight: Traffic accidents, firework injuries, and increased outdoor activity during December celebrations (Christmas, New Year, weddings) might explain search spikes. But again, search numbers remain zero—suggesting word-of-mouth treatment or lack of urgency around such injuries.

1. Uncategorized *Peak Months: October, January, June

• Low Months: January, March, February *Insight:Searches here are likely for terms like “veterinary emergency,” “pet hospital,” or “emergency vet clinic.” October and June are transition months between seasons, when issues like parasites, infections, or heat stress start to surface. January’s double role, appearing in both top and bottom, may reflect year-to-year variability, often based on factors like festive travel, local disease outbreaks, or the availability of veterinary services.

Final Thoughts Many pet-related emergencies in Nigeria remain undersearched, not because they don’t happen, but because they’re under-recognized. This signals a critical need for localized awareness campaigns through social media, radio, and community outreach, especially during transitional weather periods and major holidays. There’s also an opportunity for veterinary influencers, NGOs, and clinics to educate Nigerians on what qualifies as an emergency and how to respond.

Final Conclusive Insights

A. Global Pet Emergency Search Trends (2015–2025)

From a decade-long analysis of pet emergency search trends, several key insights emerge, revealing how public awareness, seasonal factors, and global events have shaped concern around various emergency types. Here’s a concise summary of the most critical conclusions:

1. Gastrointestinal Emergencies Reign Supreme : Most Consistently Searched Category Globally across all months and years. This Reflects how common and visible symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea prompt urgent concern. Peaks in July, January, and April—tied to food spoilage, post-holiday diet changes, or heat-related gut stress.

2. Pandemic Years (2020–2022) Marked a Surge in Pet Emergency Awareness: All-time highs in search interest across nearly every emergency type. This is likely driven by increased pet ownership, more time at home, and limited vet access prompting self-education. A lasting impact: even post-pandemic years maintain elevated baseline interest.

3. Seasonality Shapes Search Behavior: Trauma & Injury peaks in summer months (June–July) due to outdoor pet activity. Heat & Cold Emergencies show distinct winter spikes (Dec–Feb), tied to climate awareness.Respiratory Distress rises in spring (Mar–Apr), correlating with allergens and environmental irritants. Reproductive & Birthing interest aligns with seasonal breeding patterns (Feb–Apr, Nov).

4. Emerging and Rising Categories: Cardiovascular & Collapse searches have tripled since 2015, reflecting aging pet populations or better symptom recognition. Skin & Shedding Issues saw a meteoric rise post-2019, possibly due to exotic pet adoption (e.g., reptiles) and improved online education.Neurological & Toxicity Issues show stable year-round interest with sharp peaks during holidays or summer months, suggesting increased risk and awareness.

5. Under-Recognized Yet Serious Emergencies: Urinary and Dental Emergencies remain undersearched relative to severity, despite showing periodic spikes during awareness campaigns or due to social media virality. Reproductive Emergencies remain niche, mostly driven by specific demographics like breeders, and show minimal general public interest.

6. 2025 Dip is Not a Decline, Just Incomplete Data: Sharp drops across emergency types in 2025 are artificial, due to only Q1 data being available. Not an indicator of declining concern, but a data limitation.

7. Evolution in Public Concern: The last decade has seen a progressive shift from reactive to proactive care, reflected in rising searches for conditions once overlooked (e.g., cardiovascular, skin issues). Digital literacy and access to pet health info have democratized emergency awareness, though some areas still lag (e.g., urinary emergencies in early years).

B. Nigerian Pet Emergency Search Trends (2015–2025)

1. Widespread Knowledge Gaps & Mis-classification

• The dominance of the “Uncategorized” emergency type both monthly and yearly reveals that many Nigerian pet owners are either unfamiliar with veterinary terminology or using vague, symptom-based searches (e.g., “dog weak” or “cat vomiting”).
• Zero search hits in critical categories like Dental & Oral, Skin Conditions, and Urinary Emergencies signal a deep disconnect between pet health realities and public understanding.
• These trends point to an urgent need for public education, clearer classification, and symptom awareness.

2. Reactive vs. Preventive Care Culture

• Peaks in Reproductive & Birthing and Trauma & Injury during holidays and school breaks suggest that owners tend to search for help only when emergencies occur, not in anticipation.
• This reactive pattern underscores the cultural tendency to delay seeking veterinary advice until visible distress emerges, risking preventable escalation.

3. Pandemic-Era Surge in Awareness

• 2020 and 2024 were high-search years across multiple categories—strongly tied to the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on pet ownership, digital behavior, and restricted access to vets.
• This uptick reflects the potential of crisis periods to boost pet health awareness—an opportunity for targeted outreach during similar future events.

4. Seasonality and Environmental Influence

• Categories like Heat & Cold, Respiratory Distress, and Toxicity show seasonal spikes linked to Harmattan, rainy seasons, and festive periods.
• December consistently emerges as a high-alert month across multiple emergencies due to temperature extremes, travel, and food changes.

5. Consistent Low-Interest Periods *January to March sees the lowest search activity every year, likely due to post-holiday fatigue, low disposable income, and fewer awareness campaigns.

• Educational interventions in these months could help counteract this lull and encourage earlier detection of subtle symptoms.

6. Educational & Outreach Opportunities *The data uncovers major blind spots in public awareness such as:

1. Neurological and Cardiovascular signs are under-searched despite potential severity.

2. Zero interest in dental and urinary issues highlights a critical need for campaigns that normalize and explain these invisible but painful conditions.

• Platforms like The Vet Vortex can serve as bridge-builders, translating complex conditions into accessible, relatable, and timely information.

Comparison: Global vs. Nigerian Pet Emergency Search Trends (2015–2025)

1. Search Behavior Patterns:

*Global:

1. Pet emergency searches exhibit steady, diverse interest across a wide range of conditions, with consistent search volumes year-round.

2. Categories like trauma, gastrointestinal problems, and toxicity lead the global trends, showing high public awareness of urgent pet health issues.

• Nigeria:

1. Pet emergency searches reveal fragmented awareness and sporadic interest, with general, vague search queries dominating (e.g., “dog sick” or “cat not eating”).

2. There is a high interest in trauma-related emergencies, but low awareness for issues like dental disease, skin conditions, and urinary issues, which are barely searched or not at all.

2. Emergency Categories with High Search Volume:

• Global:

1. Trauma & Injury consistently rank high worldwide, often spiking during certain months such as summer or festive seasons when accidents or travel-related incidents are more common.

2. Gastrointestinal and Toxicity issues also see steady search volumes, reflecting high pet owner vigilance regarding common emergencies.

• Nigeria:

1. Trauma & Injury similarly takes the lead, with search spikes around festive seasons like December, indicating increased risk of accidents.

2. Other emergency types, such as gastrointestinal problems, toxic reactions, and respiratory issues, show some interest but are sporadically searched. Dental health, skin conditions, and urinary emergencies are virtually non-existent in search data, signaling a critical gap in awareness.

3. Seasonality and Search Peaks:

• Global:

1. Seasonal search peaks vary based on region, but spring and summer months often experience a rise in pet emergency searches due to factors like travel, hot weather, and increased pet activity.

2. The winter season typically sees a dip in pet emergency searches, except in regions where cold-related health issues or holiday stressors lead to increases in certain emergency categories.

• Nigeria:

1. The dry season (Harmattan), coupled with holidays and school vacations, triggers increased search activity around December, April, and August, correlating with a rise in festive travel, weather-related stress, and pet care neglect during breaks.

2. January–March experiences a significant drop in search interest, potentially due to post-holiday financial constraints, reduced pet visits to clinics, and lower online engagement.

4. Awareness and Knowledge Gaps:

• Global:

1. There is high awareness of common pet emergencies such as trauma, gastrointestinal issues, and poisoning. People also frequently search for advice on pet first aid, making pet health education a widespread practice.

2. Global trends indicate that certain preventive measures, such as vaccination schedules and parasite control, are well-understood and frequently searched for.

• Nigeria:

1. Awareness is significantly lower for less obvious emergencies like dental disease, skin conditions, and urinary blockages.

2. Search behavior suggests that pet owners often fail to recognize these conditions as emergencies, likely due to lack of education or cultural perceptions around pet health.

3. General pet care knowledge is underdeveloped, with search queries primarily related to basic symptoms (e.g., lethargy, loss of appetite) rather than specific conditions.

5. Impact of External Events:

• Global:

1. External factors like pandemics (e.g., COVID-19) or natural disasters can cause significant spikes in search volume, often related to pet adoptions, restrictions on vet visits, or emergency preparedness during crises.

2. Global events also bring attention to issues like emergency vet access and pet insurance, which have led to increased public interest in emergency preparedness.

• Nigeria:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic similarly led to a notable spike in pet-related searches in 2020, likely driven by increased pet adoptions and limited access to veterinary care.

2. However, beyond the pandemic, external events have minimal impact on search patterns, showing the need for more targeted education campaigns to raise awareness around urgent pet health issues.

6. Overall Search Volume Trends:

• Global:

1. Global search trends exhibit consistently high volumes year-round, with a clear focus on trauma, gastrointestinal issues, and poisoning across diverse pet species and emergency types.

2. Trends reflect a globalized understanding of pet health and emergencies, with pet owners actively seeking advice to handle potential crises.

• Nigeria:

1. Nigerian search trends are characterized by low to moderate search volumes, with consistent gaps in emergency types that are underrepresented.

2. The general public often lacks detailed awareness, resorting to vague search terms rather than specific emergency scenarios.

4. Search Interest by Species - Which species (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) show higher emergency-related search interest?

1. Species Search Interest (2015–2025)

I calculated total hits per species during that entire period, summarized and compared between global and Nigerian data.

## # A tibble: 14 × 3
##    species       total_hits region 
##    <chr>              <dbl> <chr>  
##  1 Dog               55602. Global 
##  2 Cat               45418  Global 
##  3 Other             26249  Global 
##  4 Small Mammals     25209  Global 
##  5 Rabbit            24753  Global 
##  6 Bird              21652  Global 
##  7 Reptile             491  Global 
##  8 Other              2188  Nigeria
##  9 Rabbit              588  Nigeria
## 10 Dog                 471  Nigeria
## 11 Cat                 441  Nigeria
## 12 Bird                348  Nigeria
## 13 Reptile             186  Nigeria
## 14 Small Mammals       124  Nigeria

Observations:

A Global Search Interest:

• Dogs lead with the highest total search interest globally, totaling 55,601.5 hits. This indicates that dogs are the most frequently searched species when it comes to pet emergency concerns, reflecting their prominence as household pets and the strong awareness surrounding their health needs.

• Cats follow closely behind with 45,418 hits, suggesting that cats are the second most commonly searched species in relation to pet emergencies, indicating a solid concern for feline health and well-being.

• Other (encompassing general terms like “pet emergency”, “animal hospital”, “emergency vet”, and “24 hour vet clinic”) account for a significant 26,249 hits. This large figure implies a broad concern for pet emergencies that transcends specific species, potentially reflecting searches from users in a state of panic, mixed-pet households, or those unfamiliar with species-specific terminology.

• Small Mammals (including guinea pigs, hamsters, etc.) show a respectable 25,209 hits, signaling that small pet owners are also actively seeking emergency-related information, though likely to a lesser extent compared to dogs and cats.

• Rabbits receive 24,753 hits, reflecting a moderate level of search interest globally. This suggests that while rabbits may not dominate pet emergency searches like dogs and cats, they still generate significant concern among their owners. This could be due to the species’ specific health needs, such as vulnerability to GI stasis, injury, or other emergency conditions that prompt owners to seek help.

• Birds garner 21,652 hits, indicating a moderate level of search interest globally. While not as high as dogs, cats, or rabbits, this still reflects a dedicated group of bird owners who are concerned about potential emergencies. The search interest could stem from issues like respiratory distress, egg-binding, or trauma, which are common health emergencies in birds that prompt owners to seek immediate care.

• Reptiles exhibit very low global search interest, with only 491 hits. This suggests that reptile-related pet emergencies are either rarer or less frequently searched for, perhaps due to lower reptile ownership or less widespread knowledge of reptile care.

B.Nigerian Search Interest:

• Other species (2,188 hits) This top-ranking category includes general or non-species-specific terms like “pet emergency,” “animal hospital,” or “emergency vet”, indicating that many Nigerian’s search for pet emergency help without specifying the animal, possibly due to panic, lack of familiarity with medical terms, or generalized concern.

• Rabbits (588 hits) surprisingly take second place in Nigeria’s emergency-related search ranking above dogs and cats which may indicate a rising popularity of rabbits as pets, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas; their dual-purpose role in many Nigerian communities, where they are reared both as companions and for meat production and a heightened concern among owners, who may be more proactive or anxious about rabbit health due to the species fragility and susceptibility to emergencies like GI stasis, overheating, or injury.

• Dogs (471 hits) rank third in Nigeria’s emergency-related search interest, showing a strong indication of concern among pet owners and reflecting the dog’s prominent role as a companion, guard animal, and valued household member in many Nigerian homes.

• Cats (441 hits) closely follow dogs in Nigeria’s emergency-related search interest, but the relatively lower volume may reflect underreporting, limited access to feline-specific veterinary care, or a tendency among cat owners to delay or avoid seeking emergency treatment unless symptoms are severe.

• Birds (348 hits) are less commonly searched for in Nigeria, which could suggest lower ownership rates or less frequent concern about avian emergencies; however, the search volume still reflects a niche group of bird owners actively seeking emergency care information for their pets.

• Reptiles (186 hits) have very low emergency-related search interest in Nigeria, suggesting that these species are either less commonly kept as pets or that there is limited awareness or concern about their health emergencies; however, the numbers, though low, are not insignificant and indicate the presence of a small but notable community of reptile owners.

• Small Mammals (124 hits) have the lowest emergency-related search volume in Nigeria, likely reflecting low ownership rates, limited awareness of their specific health needs, or a general lack of veterinary content and services tailored to these less common pets.

Comparison: Global vs. Nigerian Specie Search Interest (2015–2025)

• Global vs. Nigerian Popularity: Globally, dogs and cats dominate pet emergency searches, reflecting their widespread popularity. In Nigeria, though still prominent, their search interest is much lower, likely due to smaller ownership or less concern about pet emergencies.

• Emergencies for Less Common Pets: Globally, small mammals, rabbits, and birds have notable search interest, indicating growing ownership or awareness. In Nigeria, the interest is significantly lower, suggesting lower ownership or less widespread awareness of health emergencies for these pets.

• Regional Differences: Nigeria’s low search interest across most species could be due to limited online resources or veterinary care. The particularly low interest in reptiles and small mammals suggests these pets are uncommon or emergency concerns are not prioritized.

On specie bases:

• Dogs: Globally, dogs rank 1st in pet emergency searches. In Nigeria, they rank 3rd suggesting that either dog ownership is lower or there is less concern for dog-related emergencies.

• Cats: Cats follow closely globally ranking 2nd in pet emergency searches. In Nigeria, they rank 4th showing a slightly lower search interest indicating that there may be less focus on feline emergencies in the country.

• Other Species: The “Other” category which includes general pet emergency terms globally ranks 3rd. In Nigeria, it ranks 1st, showing a larger global interest in a broader range of pets. In Nigeria, the focus is more on dogs and cats.

• Small Mammals: Small mammals globally rank 4th indicating high interest in emergency-related information for these species. However, in Nigeria, there is minimal search interest at the 7th rank, likely due to low ownership.

• Rabbits: Globally, rabbits rank 5th showing moderate interest. In Nigeria, they rank 2nd indicating that while rabbits are not as common as pets, there is still some concern about their emergencies.

• Birds: Birds globally rank 6th. However, in Nigeria, they rank 15th suggesting a significantly lower interest possibly reflecting lower ownership or less concern about avian emergencies.

• Reptiles: Reptiles show the lowest global search interest, ranking 7th. In Nigeria, reptile searches are slightly lower ranking 6th, indicating that reptiles are less common pets in both regions with limited emergency concerns.

2. Species Search Interest from 2015–2025

I analyzed species search interest from 2015–2025 to identify long-term patterns/trends over a period of 10 years.

# Define a function to classify search data by species and year
classify_species_by_year <- function(df, region_name) {
  df %>%
    mutate(
      year = lubridate::year(date),
      species = case_when(
        str_detect(keyword, regex("dog", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Dog",
        str_detect(keyword, regex("cat", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Cat",
        str_detect(keyword, regex("rabbit", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Rabbit",
        str_detect(keyword, regex("bird", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Bird",
        str_detect(keyword, regex("reptile", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Reptile",
        str_detect(keyword, regex("guinea pig|hamster|gerbil|rodent", ignore_case = TRUE)) ~ "Small Mammals",
        TRUE ~ "Other"
      )
    ) %>%
    group_by(species, year) %>%
    summarise(total_hits = sum(hits, na.rm = TRUE)) %>%
    mutate(region = region_name) %>%
    arrange(species, year)
}

# Apply the function to global and Nigerian data
global_species_yearly <- classify_species_by_year(cleaned_trends %>% filter(geo == "world"), "Global")

## `summarise()` has grouped output by 'species'. You can override using the
## `.groups` argument.

nigeria_species_yearly <- classify_species_by_year(cleaned_trends %>% filter(geo == "NG"), "Nigeria")

## `summarise()` has grouped output by 'species'. You can override using the
## `.groups` argument.

# Combine the results
species_yearly_compare <- bind_rows(global_species_yearly, nigeria_species_yearly)

# View results
print(species_yearly_compare)

## # A tibble: 154 × 4
## # Groups:   species [7]
##    species  year total_hits region
##    <chr>   <dbl>      <dbl> <chr> 
##  1 Bird     2015       1569 Global
##  2 Bird     2016       1539 Global
##  3 Bird     2017       1658 Global
##  4 Bird     2018       1823 Global
##  5 Bird     2019       1843 Global
##  6 Bird     2020       2246 Global
##  7 Bird     2021       2223 Global
##  8 Bird     2022       2427 Global
##  9 Bird     2023       2418 Global
## 10 Bird     2024       2696 Global
## # ℹ 144 more rows

Global Species Search Interest from 2015–2025

• From 2015 to 2025, global awareness of pet emergencies has steadily increased—mirroring the growing cultural shift toward seeing pets as family. The data reveals nuanced trends across species, shaped by pandemics, climate change, and social media influence. Notably, 2024 marked the highest global search interest, likely due to a confluence of factors: climate-related pet health risks (like heatstroke and vector-borne diseases), growing access to digital health information, and viral awareness campaigns. The slight decline in 2025 is likely due to incomplete annual data rather than an actual drop in concern.

• Awareness growth to pet emergencies is gradual, with “other” (General - pet emergency, animal hospital, emergency vet, 24 hour vet clinic) having a small impact role.

• Pet Culture is Mature, focused on companion animals

Dog

• Peak year: 2021

• Progression:

1. 2015–2017: Steady increase. Indicates growing awareness or reporting of dog emergencies globally.

2. 2018–2019: Continued growth. Likely due to increased pet ownership or or rising media coverage of pet health concerns.

3. 2020–2021: Surge in Interest. The surge in interest during these years is likely due to the global pandemic, with more people adopting pets and an increase in digital health awareness (telemedicine, online pet care).

4. 2022: Slight Decline. This decline could indicate a return to normalcy post-pandemic or a stabilization after the surge in interest caused by increased pet ownership and awareness during COVID-19.

5. 2023–2024: Steady Increase. This growth might reflect sustained interest in dog health, possibly due to seasonal health concerns and continued media coverage on pet health.

6. 2025: Significant Drop. This could be due to incomplete or missing data for the year.

• Trend: Dogs dominate global emergency searches, reflecting high pet ownership and close human-dog bonds. 2021’s spike likely reflects the pandemic’s impact, with increased media coverage on dog health concerns and a surge in pet adoption.

Cat

• Peak year: 2024

• Progression:

1. 2015–2022: Steady year-on-year increase, suggesting growing concern for feline health.

2. 2024: Peak—possibly triggered by toxic plant awareness, indoor air quality (asthma), or viral social campaigns.

3. 2025: Slight decline likely due to incomplete yearly data.

• Trend: Second to dogs in global search interest. Felines are increasingly perceived as emotionally bonded indoor companions, leading to higher concern for emergencies. The spike reflects increased education on cat health and hazards in modern living spaces.

Small Mammals

• Peak year: 2020

• Progression:

1. 2015–2019: Low and stable search volume.

2. 2020: Sudden spike during COVID-19 lockdowns.

3. 2021–2024: Gradual decline from peak but still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

4. 2025: Apparent drop, likely due to incomplete data.

• Trend: Pandemic-era pet adoptions fueled interest in non-traditional pets like hamsters and guinea pigs. The 2020 spike suggests many owners were unfamiliar with emergency care and turned to online help during lockdowns.

Other

• Peak year: 2021

• Progression:

a.2015–2018: Low, flat search volume.

2. 2019: Noticeable rise begins.

3. 2020–2021: Spike aligns with COVID-19 uncertainties and limited vet access.

4. 2022–2024: Continued slow but steady growth, reflecting broader interest in pet care across species.

5. 2025: Decline likely tied to incomplete data.

• Trend: Growth in general pet emergency searches suggests increasing global awareness of animal health and emergency preparedness. COVID-19 likely shifted attention to vet access and zoonotic awareness, fueling spikes in searches.

Rabbit

• Peak year: 2021

• Progression:

1. 2015–2019: Slow increase.

2. 2020–2021: Peak with sharp rise—potentially due to post-Easter pet surges and health campaigns.

3. 2022–2024: Minor decline, but interest remains above baseline.

4. 2025: Apparent drop—likely incomplete data.

• Trend: Rabbits are increasingly popular due to perceptions of being low-maintenance. Search spikes may coincide with increased ownership around holidays and awareness of rabbit-specific issues like flystrike and dental problems.

Bird

• Peak year: 2024

• Progression:

1. 2015–2022: Flat to modest growth.

2. 2023: Noticeable rise.

3. 2024: Sharp peak—possibly from avian flu concerns or increase in exotic bird adoptions.

4. 2025: Data suggests a dip, likely due to incomplete annual reporting.

• Trend: Bird owners now rely heavily on online information due to limited avian vets. Growth may also stem from climate-induced stress symptoms in birds and social media exposure to parrots and pet birds.

Reptile

• Peak year: 2023

• Progression:

1. 2015–2022: Minimal global attention.

2. 2023: Sudden spike—possibly due to health scare or viral reptile content.

3. 2024: Slight decline from peak.

4. 2025: Apparent dip could be from partial data.

• Trend: Reptile emergencies remain niche but are growing. 2023’s rise may relate to salmonella stories, exotic pet education, or increased visibility on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Owners of reptiles increasingly seek care knowledge due to limited access to specialized vets.

Nigeria Species Search Interest from 2015–2025

• Pet emergency awareness in Nigeria is a relatively recent development, with search interest remaining negligible before 2020 but rising sharply thereafter—peaking in 2023 and slightly dipping in 2024. This rapid growth suggests increasing digital literacy, expanding pet ownership, and greater public health consciousness. Notably, the most significant search activity centers on general or “other” species-related terms like pet emergency, animal hospital, and emergency vet, reflecting a still-developing but increasingly engaged pet culture.

Other

• Peak year: 2023

• Progression: There was virtually no search interest from 2015 to 2019. Interest spiked around 2020, with significant growth through 2023. This category likely includes terms such as “pet emergency,” “animal hospital,” and “emergency vet,” reflecting concerns beyond traditional pet ownership—potentially including wildlife, poultry, or livestock.

• Trend: The “Other” category seems to capture a broader scope of animal-related health concerns, such as livestock diseases or wildlife (e.g., goats, poultry, monkeys). The increase in 2023 may be tied to zoonotic diseases (e.g., rabies, bird flu) or a general increase in rural areas’ awareness of animal health. These searches could also reflect concerns around public health, as well as the growing access to smartphones in rural Nigerian areas.

Dog

• Peak year: 2015, 2020 & 2021

• Progression: Search interest in dog-related emergencies saw an unexpected early spike in 2015, possibly influenced by media coverage, localized outbreaks, or sudden public concern. After a decline from 2016 to 2019, interest surged again in 2020 and remained high into 2021. The 2020 and 2021 peaks likely correlate with COVID-19 lockdowns, during which many Nigerians stayed home, observed pet behaviors more closely, and turned to Google for urgent health advice especially for emergencies like “dog hit by car,” “dog choking,” and “dog allergic reaction”.

• Trend: Dog ownership is still primarily seen through a security lens in Nigeria, so health-related searches typically only occur when the dog is visibly ill or injured. The sharp increase in 2020 likely reflects heightened awareness during the pandemic lockdown, as people were home more and noticed their pets’ health problems.

Rabbit

• Peak year: 2020

• Progression: Interest in “rabbit not eating,” “rabbit diarrhea,” and “rabbit difficulty breathing” surged in 2020, likely due to an increase in rabbit ownership during the lockdown. After 2020, interest declined significantly, suggesting that ownership was short-lived, or issues related to rabbits’ health were difficult to manage for many new owners.

• Trend: The rise in rabbit ownership during the lockdown reflects a desire for low-cost, low-maintenance pets. However, the decline afterward indicates that many owners struggled with the specialized care required for rabbits, such as diet and temperature regulation.

Cat

• Peak year: 2024

• Progression: Interest in cats was negligible until 2021, with terms like “cat urinary blockage,” “cat poisoning,” and “cat seizure” gaining attention more recently. By 2024, searches peaked, indicating a shift towards increased urban cat ownership and awareness of feline health issues.

• Trend: As urban pet ownership rises, more Nigerians are adopting cats, possibly due to cultural shifts and exposure to Western pet care practices via social media. The peak in 2024 suggests that cats are increasingly seen as companion animals, with more attention to their health beyond just basic care.

Bird

• Peak year: 2024

• Progression: There was little to no interest in bird emergencies until 2021. From there, search interest in topics like “bird not eating,” “bird trauma,” and “bird broken wing” began to rise slowly, with a notable spike in 2024. This could be linked to concerns about avian diseases (e.g., bird flu) and rising interest in pet birds such as parrots.

• Trend: The growing search interest likely reflects both an increase in pet bird ownership and rising concerns about avian influenza or poultry health in Nigeria, where birds (both as pets and livestock) are significant in people’s daily lives.

Reptile

• Peak year: 2022

• Progression: There was no significant search interest in reptile-related emergencies until 2022, when searches for terms like “lizard not moving,” “snake regurgitation,” and “turtle shell crack” spiked. This increase may be linked to viral content around reptiles, public fear of snakes, or stories related to human-wildlife conflicts in rural areas. Interest declined in 2023, suggesting the trend was short-lived.

• Trend: Reptile-related searches appear to stem more from fear or wildlife conflict (e.g., snakebites) than from actual pet reptile ownership. The sudden peak in 2022 could have been driven by a viral trend, but it’s not necessarily reflective of an enduring increase in reptile care concerns in Nigeria.

Small Mammals

• Peak year: 2021

• Progression: There was minimal search interest in small mammals like “guinea pig not eating” or “hamster bleeding” throughout the previous years. In 2021, searches spiked, likely driven by increased pet ownership during the pandemic lockdown. However, the data remains sparse, suggesting these animals are still niche in Nigeria.

• Trend: Small mammals have not seen widespread ownership in Nigeria, and the spike in 2021 likely reflects short-term trends linked to the lockdown. While some may have adopted guinea pigs, hamsters, or other small pets, these remain less common than dogs or cats in the Nigerian pet landscape.

Global vs. Nigerian Species Search Interest from 2015–2025

From 2015 to 2025, global search interest in pet emergencies shows a gradual and consistent upward trajectory, peaking in 2024, driven by cultural shifts, climate-related health concerns, and increased digital literacy. In contrast, Nigeria’s trend is marked by a sharp and late-emerging rise, with negligible interest before 2020 and a sudden surge peaking in 2023—indicating a more reactive growth pattern tied to the pandemic, expanding smartphone access, and rising public health awareness. While global trends reflect a mature, emotionally bonded pet culture, Nigeria’s data suggests an evolving landscape where pet ownership and concern for animal health are rapidly growing but still influenced by practical and socioeconomic factors.

INSIGHTS INTO THE ABOVE ANALYSIS.

1. Top Pet Emergencies by Keyword

1. Search Behavior Reflects Veterinary Infrastructure & Awareness:

*Both globally and in Nigeria, the prominence of “animal hospital” shows how crucial access to care is during emergencies.

*In Nigeria, fewer hits for specific clinical terms (like seizures, bloat) suggest lower public awareness of symptoms or possibly under-reporting due to limited diagnostics.

2. Global Pet Owners Are More Proactive:

• Global top searches reflect early signs (not eating, vomiting, bleeding), suggesting a more preventive mindset.

• In contrast, Nigerian searches skew toward crisis-level emergencies, indicating a reactive search pattern.

3. Educational Opportunities for The Vet Vortex:

• For Nigeria, there’s an urgent need for public education on:

1. Recognizing early symptoms (e.g., urinary blockage, bloat, respiratory distress).

2. Proper care of exotic pets.

• The Vet Vortex can bridge this gap with content like “5 Silent Symptoms You Should Never Ignore in Pets” or “Rabbit Care 101 for Nigerian Pet Owners”.

4. Potential for Local Keyword Optimization:

• Many global keywords aren’t being searched in Nigeria, this gives room to localize terminology or educate audiences to search smarter.

• E.g., instead of “dog seizure,” people might search “dog shaking and falling down”.

2. Top Pet Emergencies by Emergency Type

1. Pet Health Literacy Disparity Between Nigeria and Global Trends

• Globally, pet owners are more aware of internal/systemic emergencies (GI, neurological, toxicity).

• In Nigeria, there’s a heavy reliance on visible emergencies (trauma, collapse), while critical internal signs (e.g., urinary blockage, seizures) are severely underrepresented.

2. Need for Educational Content on Overlooked Emergency Types in Nigeria

• The Vet Vortex can step in to educate on:

1. Early signs of urinary blockage, heatstroke, and neurological distress

2. Why vomiting/diarrhea isn’t “normal” even if the pet looks alert

3. The risks of tooth infections and skin issues being ignored

3. Uncategorized Searches Point to SEO Opportunities

• Many Nigerian queries are vague, meaning pet owners search “rabbit sick” instead of “rabbit diarrhea” or “dog panting heavily” instead of “heatstroke in dogs.”

• The Vet Vortex could:

1. Optimize posts for layperson language

2. Add alternative keywords like “my cat won’t eat,” “dog breathing fast,” “puppy acting weird,” etc.

4. Trauma-Focused Emergency Response Posts Could Be Popular

• High interest in trauma/injury across regions suggests potential for quick guides, infographics, or first-aid tips like:

1. “What to do if your pet is hit by a car”

2. “How to bandage a bleeding paw before reaching the vet”

3. Pet Emergency Search Trends (2015–2025)

• Global Pet Emergency Trends (2015–2025):

The decade-long analysis of global pet emergency search trends highlights significant shifts in public awareness, driven by seasonal patterns, global events, and increasing access to pet health information. Gastrointestinal emergencies remain the most searched category, reflecting their commonality and visibility. The pandemic years saw a surge in pet emergency awareness, with lasting effects continuing into the post-pandemic era. Seasonal trends are evident, with peaks in trauma, heat/cold, respiratory, and reproductive emergencies, while emerging concerns like cardiovascular and skin issues reflect changing pet demographics and better symptom recognition. Despite this, some serious issues, such as urinary and dental emergencies, remain under-recognized. The evolving trend from reactive to proactive care indicates a growing awareness and understanding of pet health, though gaps remain. The 2025 dip in search interest is a data anomaly rather than a decline in concern. This shift toward proactive care presents opportunities for educational outreach to help pet owners make more informed decisions and prevent emergencies before they occur.

• Nigeria Pet Emergency Trends (2015–2025):

The analysis of Nigerian pet emergency search trends reveals significant knowledge gaps, a reactive care culture, and key seasonal patterns that present opportunities for targeted education and outreach. The widespread use of vague, symptom-based searches and the lack of interest in critical categories like dental, urinary, and cardiovascular health indicate a strong need for clearer veterinary communication and awareness campaigns. Additionally, the pandemic surge in pet health awareness highlights the potential for crisis-driven education, while the seasonal nature of certain emergencies underscores the importance of proactive outreach during high-risk periods. Educational initiatives, particularly in low-activity months like January to March, could shift the culture toward preventive care and earlier intervention, ultimately helping pet owners manage their pets’ health more effectively. The Vet Vortex is in a prime position to address these gaps by providing accessible, timely, and relatable information that empowers pet owners and improves public awareness across Nigeria.

• Comparison: Global vs. Nigerian Pet Emergency Search Trends (2015–2025)

Key Differences

• Awareness: Global trends reflect a mature pet care market with broad awareness, while Nigeria’s trends indicate that educational outreach is still in its infancy. There’s a need for more localized campaigns focusing on specific emergencies and preventive care.

• Search Behavior: While global searches reflect educated, targeted queries about specific conditions, Nigerian searches often involve vague symptom queries and a lack of specificity, pointing to a gap in both veterinary care access and pet health literacy.

• Seasonality: Both regions show peaks tied to festive seasons and seasonal risks like travel, but Nigeria also has noticeable dips due to socio-economic factors, highlighting the challenge of maintaining consistent awareness and care throughout the year.

4. Search Interest by Species - dogs, cats, small mammals, rabbits, birds and other.

• Global

Globally, the search interest for pet emergencies has shown a steady increase over the past decade, reflecting a growing awareness of animal health, especially among common companion animals like dogs and cats. Dogs lead the global search interest, followed closely by cats, indicating their prominent roles as household pets and the heightened concern for their well-being. Other species, such as small mammals, rabbits, and birds, also show significant search interest, highlighting a broadening of pet care awareness beyond traditional pets. Notably, 2024 saw the highest spike in search interest, likely due to a combination of climate-related health concerns, the rise in pet ownership during the pandemic, and the increased availability of digital health resources. This upward trend in global search interest underscores the maturation of pet care culture, with owners seeking information on emergency situations to ensure the health and safety of their pets.

• Nigeria

In Nigeria, pet emergency search interest has seen a sharp rise since 2020, with the most significant spike occurring in 2023. While global trends show a clear dominance of dogs and cats in pet emergency searches, Nigeria’s data presents a unique picture. The “Other” category, which includes general terms like “pet emergency,” “animal hospital,” and “emergency vet,” leads the search interest, reflecting a broader concern for animal health beyond specific species. Rabbits, surprisingly, rank second in emergency-related searches, suggesting growing interest in this pet. Dogs and cats follow closely, showing that while they remain popular pets in Nigeria, the level of search interest for their emergencies is relatively lower. This could be due to limited access to veterinary care or a lack of awareness about pet health issues. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals, on the other hand, show minimal search interest, indicating that these species are less commonly kept or have fewer emergency concerns among Nigerian pet owners.

• Comparison: Global vs. Nigerian Specie Search Interest (2015–2025)

The comparison of global and Nigerian species search interest from 2015 to 2025 reveals notable regional differences in pet emergency concerns. Globally, dogs and cats dominate pet emergency searches, reflecting their widespread popularity as household pets and the high level of public awareness surrounding their health. In Nigeria, however, while dogs and cats remain prominent, their search interest is considerably lower, likely due to smaller ownership rates and less concern for pet emergencies. Interestingly, rabbits, typically not as popular in global searches, take a surprising lead in Nigeria, possibly due to the growing trend of rabbit ownership for both companionship and meat production. The search interest in “Other” species, including general terms like “pet emergency” or “animal hospital,” is significantly higher in Nigeria, suggesting that many pet owners are less specific in their searches, possibly due to a lack of familiarity with individual species’ needs or panic-driven queries. Overall, while global data shows a broad concern for a variety of pets, Nigeria’s search interest is still heavily centered around a limited range of species, highlighting regional disparities in pet care awareness and digital literacy.

Business Objectives Met and Key Questions Answered

This analysis successfully addresses the primary business goals of The Vet Vortex by identifying both global and Nigerian pet emergency search trends from 2015 to 2025. The findings offer strong direction for improving SEO strategy, enhancing the relevance of blog content, and designing effective public education campaigns tailored to regional needs. By highlighting differences in search behavior, species-specific interest, and seasonal patterns, the analysis creates actionable opportunities to build awareness and engagement around pet health topics.

Key Questions This Analysis Answers

1. What pet emergencies are most frequently searched?

• Globally: The most commonly searched pet emergencies are gastrointestinal issues (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea), trauma (e.g., accidents or injuries), and signs of systemic issues such as neurological distress and toxicity. These are conditions that pet owners worry about most, as they are visible or cause immediate concern.

• Nigeria: Pet owners search more frequently for trauma-related emergencies and vague symptoms (e.g., “pet emergency” or “sick rabbit”). Specific clinical emergencies like seizures or urinary blockages receive less attention, possibly due to lower awareness.

2. Which species (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) show higher emergency-related search interest?

• Globally, dogs and cats lead search interest for pet emergencies, indicating their prominence as household pets and the corresponding concern for their health. The focus on these two species shows a deep-rooted awareness among pet owners about the well-being of their primary companions.

• In contrast, Nigeria presents a unique situation where the search interest is not only dominated by dogs and cats but also significantly influenced by the “Other” category. This category includes general terms like “pet emergency” and “animal hospital,” suggesting a broader, less specific search pattern. Notably, rabbits rank second in Nigeria’s pet emergency-related searches, which points to an emerging trend in rabbit ownership and health concerns. However, birds, small mammals, and reptiles show very little interest in emergency searches, which may reflect lower ownership rates or reduced awareness about their health.

3. Are there seasonal or time-based spikes in pet emergency searches?

• Both global and Nigerian pet emergency searches exhibit seasonal trends. Globally, spikes are typically tied to heat-related emergencies in summer months, as well as trauma and respiratory issues during peak travel or vacation times. These seasonal patterns highlight periods when pet owners are more likely to encounter health issues tied to temperature extremes or changes in routine.

• In Nigeria, searches peak around festive seasons, with notable increases in pet health concerns during the pandemic years (2020–2022). However, there are also dips in search interest during low-activity months like January to March, possibly due to socio-economic factors that limit veterinary care access and general awareness. These trends underline the importance of proactive outreach during high-risk periods and suggest opportunities to target educational campaigns in underactive months.

4. Which emergencies are gaining or losing public interest over time?

The decade-long analysis of pet emergency searches reveals significant shifts in public interest:

• Globally: Gastrointestinal issues, particularly vomiting and diarrhea, have remained consistently high in search interest, reflecting their commonality and visibility. Newer concerns, such as cardiovascular and skin issues, are gaining attention as public awareness improves. On the other hand, some serious conditions, like urinary and dental emergencies, are still under-recognized, despite their growing importance.

• Nigeria Trends: There’s a notable gap in awareness regarding internal/systemic conditions such as seizures and urinary blockages. Searches in Nigeria often focus on more visible crises like trauma or collapse, suggesting that pet owners are primarily reactive in their health-seeking behavior. This presents a key opportunity to raise awareness about critical but less visible emergencies.

• The 2025 dip in global interest is seen as a data anomaly rather than a real decline in concern, and global shifts toward proactive care continue to gain traction, suggesting growing awareness and better pet health literacy.

Recommendations

1. Raising Awareness on Pet Health:

As I’ve noticed from the data, many pet owners are still unfamiliar with some of the more subtle signs of emergencies in their pets. I believe it’s crucial to help them understand both the common and more obscure symptoms, so they can spot potential issues before they become serious problems.

2. Broadening Public Understanding of Pet Emergencies:

It’s clear that there’s a need to expand people’s knowledge about the different types of emergencies pets can face. By shining a light on both external and internal health concerns, we can make sure pet owners aren’t just prepared for visible injuries, but also know what to do if something more internal, like a urinary blockage, occurs.

3. Promoting Proactive Health Approaches:

One thing I’ve observed is that many people seem to react only when a crisis hits, rather than taking preventative measures beforehand. Shifting the focus towards routine health check-ups, vaccinations, and understanding their pets’ needs before something goes wrong could drastically reduce emergencies down the line.

4. Using Clear, Accessible Language:

The language used to describe pet health issues plays a big role in how people react. It seems that simplifying medical terms and using language that pet owners can easily grasp might help bridge the knowledge gap. By breaking things down in a way that’s both clear and relatable, we can empower people to act quickly and confidently in case of emergencies.

5. Acknowledging Regional Health Trends:

There’s a noticeable difference in pet health concerns based on geography. Different regions, including Nigeria, show varying levels of awareness and access to resources. Tailoring information to reflect these regional nuances could make the difference in how well we address local challenges.

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