I started a pet food company around 1992 to steer customers towards VPI pet insurance with targeted discounts and marketing. Companion Care Corporation or CCC produced avant-garde pet food that was specialized and unique. One of the foods called “Hypogen”, although not the first of it’s kind, as it was proprietary, stimulated my interest in dermatological research for pet allergies. I met Dr. Ray Heinicke at one of my supplier meetings. Dr. Heinicke was a huge influence and scientific contributor at the ‘birth’ of small animal nutrition in the 1950’s and 60’s. Every pet food produced today in America contains Dr. Heinicke’s efforts. He became influential in my research providing me access to a biochemist and nutritionist to join my research and development team. When Companion Care Corporation production was discontinued, I began research in nutraceuticals and I discovered exactly what was in Hypogen food that made it special.
Pain management wasn’t even a term that was remotely connected to veterinary medicine at this point in time. Humans were still using Bute or phenylbutazone (used in the illegal doping of race horses). I furthered my research in this area because my “area of interest” was dermatology and there weren’t any Specialists or Board Certified Veterinary Dermatologists. I took note of incredible and virtually impossible things that were alleviated (specifically ‘hot spots’) using this element from the Hypogen food. It was amazing! This just does not happen. I probably would not have even noticed without my intense interest in dermatology.
This new knowledge led to research into fatty acids, essential fatty acids, omega fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and with my new research and development crew I went on to create KnuBar™ “soft chews”. So, the “pain manage” language was now finding its way into veterinary medicine.
KnuBar™ was the first product that we put great effort into. Producing a product that was needed by my clients that would be as affordable as possible. KnuBar™ is for skin coats, eliminating dander, and for show dogs…puppies would hold their puppy coats for significantly longer. I noticed with use and with repeated client feedback that dogs on KnuBar™ had a significant amount of pain reduction.
