According to VCA Animal Hospitals, dental disease is one of the most common medical conditions seen by veterinarians. Over half of pets over the age of three will develop some form of dental disease. However, few show obvious signs, making the condition easy for owners to miss.
This tragic situation unfortunately happened to Shuyi Fan, whose beloved pet passed away due to dental complications. This experience highlighted how pet oral health is often overlooked, especially in younger pets, and inspired the mission to empower pet owners with better tools for preventive care.
But with her deep-rooted experience in product development and manufacturing, she and current Duke master’s student (and friend and Co-Founder) Rui Sun created a product that they believe could “eliminate dental diseases of pets around the world.” Their product and startup, Dr. Milou, is on a mission to transform the way pet parents care for their furry friends’ oral health.
“[That situation is] what drove me to see a critical gap in the pet oral care market,” Fan said. “We needed to create a solution that could help other pet owners to avoid the same pain.”
Fan is a recent master’s graduate from Columbia University and recently moved to the Durham area. Sun is a current master’s student at Duke studying engineering management. Dr. Milou and Sun are participating in the 2024-2025 cohort of the Melissa and Doug Entrepreneurship Accelerator, a year-long intensive program designed for Duke students who are committed to launching and growing their startups.
Sun says that the accelerator has been a real game changer, as the mentorship, funding and connections have been instrumental in helping them grow Dr. Milou. The access to the $5K grant enabled their startup to already produce 200 sets of their product: the ultrasonic at-home pet oral care sets.
The Need For Dr. Milou
According to Sun, most pet owners may not realize that untreated dental issues can lead to serious complications like infections, which can cause severe organ failure, tumors and shorter life spans.
While professional cleanings from the vet can help, they are often time-consuming and extremely expensive. Some sources report that teeth cleanings, on top of x-rays and anesthesia, can cost up to $3k. Anesthesia also carries more risks for older pets.
At the same time, Sun said many existing cleaning products in the market are effective only at the surface level and often fail to remove the hardened tartar, leaving the real cause of disease untreated.
That’s why raising awareness is a big part of Dr. Milou’s mission. In addition to selling pet oral care sets—which include an electric toothbrush and an ultrasonic dental scaler—they also plan to develop an AI-powered health-screening app that analyzes your pets’ dental health right from your phone. The insights generated will lead to personalized care plans and offer interactive and gamified guides for pet owners.
Sun said that current customers can get ahead of the diagnostic game now, as customers would be able to send the Dr. Milou team pictures of their pets’ teeth and their team can generate reports through the AI diagnostics they’re currently developing, with the support of veterinarians they work with. The official launch of the app is planned for the second quarter of 2025.
QUICK BITS
Startup: Dr. Milou
Co-Founders: Rui Sun and Shuyi Fan
Founded: 2023
Team size: 6
Location: Durham, NC
Website: https://drmilou.co/
Funding: Fundraising
“We see pet care as a form of connection and an act of love,” Sun said. “When you’re brushing your pet’s teeth and taking care of their health, you are not just maintaining their well being, but you’re also building trust and strengthening your bond. So it’s a moment of closeness, a way to show love and caring in a language they understand.”
This form of connection is how the name Dr. Milou came to be.
According to Sun, not only is Milou the name of her favorite cartoon character, but “Milou” also means “snow white” or “snowy.” To the Dr. Milou team, this name represents what they plan to achieve by bringing about the right tools to help pet parents protect their furry companion from pain and ensuring longer, healthier lives—one bright smile at a time.
The first 200 sets (currently only designed for medium to larger dogs) are available to be purchased directly from Dr. Milou’s websites, but they also plan to set up partnerships with vet clinics, groomers and pet insurances to distribute their product and, eventually, their app.
They are currently looking to build a network of those interested in funding and supporting their mission. The funds will help to scale production, enhance their AI-powered app and reach more pet owners with their solution. They ask that any pet parents in the area interested in improving their pets’ lives reach out to the Dr. Milou team.
“Our pets significantly supported us during the pandemic, so that’s what made us dive more into the petcare field and tackle the silent killers of dental disease,” Sun said. “By taking action now, we want to safeguard more pets’ futures as an act of love for all pets around the world.”
