Convinced that pet owners are starting to demand the same health-care options for their dogs and cats that they do for themselves, two Cincinnati companies have opened a new pet imaging center in suburban Washington, D.C.

        Iams pet food, owned by Procter & Gamble Co., joined with ProScan Imaging of Columbia Township to open the center last week in Vienna, Va., near Dulles Airport.

A dog goes into the machine for an MRI exam at an Iams venture in Vienna, Va. (Iams Co. photos) | ZOOM |

        For ProScan, which is partly owned by former Cincinnati Bengal Cris Collinsworth, it's a leap into the world of providing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams for dogs and cats, not just humans.

        For P&G, maker of Crest toothpaste and Pantene shampoo, it's another step into the services business and a try at taking advantage of Iams' reputation with pet owners.

        The experiment hinges on whether consumers will pay up to $1,200, or pay for health insurance to cover some of the cost, for a test that could avoid unnecessary surgery for their dog or cat.

        “We think people will make that choice,” said Dr. Stephen Pomeranz, chief executive officer at ProScan.

        Jeff Ansell, president at Iams' Dayton headquarters, would not reveal terms of the deal. But he called the imaging center “a breakthrough in pet care.”

        The new company spent $2 million on a state-of-the-art imaging machine because P&G is convinced that pets have become a part of the family, with their owners willing to pay for premium health care, he said.

Operators can detect injuries or diseases in animals, or the lack of suspected ones, thus eliminating unneeded surgeries. | ZOOM |

        “We really believe the time has come for companion animals to benefit from the most sophisticated technology available,” Mr. Ansell said. “This can be a viable service business.”
       

Benefits to animals

        Both Mr. Ansell and Dr. Pomeranz called the Vienna center a test, but said the company would consider expansion if it did well.

        “It seemed to be a perfect marriage,” Dr. Pomeranz said. “We understand the technology and how to apply it on the human side ... but we are not veterinarians. Iams understands what it takes to have an animal live a long life through nutrition.”

        Dr. Pomeranz, who has five pets and six children, said technological advances in imaging have helped humans, but have not eliminated many unnecessary surgeries for animals.

        MRI exams allow detailed images of tissue, giving better images of injuries and diseases.

        “This has really augmented human care,” Dr. Pomeranz said. “But animal imaging has been a little bit slower to come around.”

        Because a pet can't tell a doctor what is wrong, and because many dog and cat injuries are easily misdiagnosed with incomplete information, the market for the MRI center is growing, he said.

        P&G and ProScan worked with several Washington-area veterinarians in opening the center. One of those vets, George Siemering, said the technology would help doctors better diagnose injuries to pets.

        “Better diagnosis leads to better treatment, and at times can be lifesaving,” he said in a P&G release.
       

A branding opportunity

       P&G has not ventured often into retail or service businesses. One recent experiment, the Culinary Sol cooking school in Norwood, ended last month when P&G sold it to a manager.

        But P&G also is trying to spread the name of its most valuable brands whenever possible.

        The best example is Crest toothpaste, which has put the Crest name on its Whitestrips and Spinbrush products in the last two years, buildings hundreds of millions of dollars in extra sales.

        Mr. Ansell said the imaging center has potential to make the Iams name more valuable. And focus groups have told P&G that pet owners are willing to use the MRI service.

        The company's surveys showed that nearly two-thirds of pet owners were unaware MRIs could be used for pets, while 85 percent said they would want their veterinarian to recommend an MRI for a more detailed diagnosis if it could help avoid exploratory surgery.

        And more pet owners are buying insurance. According to some insurers, the practice is more common in Europe.

        Mr. Ansell called the U.S. market for pet health insurance “underdeveloped.”

        “We've really done an exceptional amount of homework on this venture,” he said.
       
       

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