Happy Scratch founder treats pet allergies with biotech breakthrough

As part of MKEStartup.News’ exploration of Wisconsin’s regional startup ecosystems, we’re spotlighting standout innovators from the Madison Region this week.

Middleton-based Happy Scratch, founded in 2021 by Dr. Jordan Sand and Dr. Maria Dashek at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has turned years of university research into a pet supplement aimed at easing allergy symptoms in dogs and cats. The company’s sprinkle-on formula addresses a deficiency in immunoglobulin A (IgA), an anti-inflammatory antibody linked to skin irritation and other inflammatory conditions.

Investors include Winnow Fund, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and WARF Ventures. Backed by four U.S. patents, Happy Scratch is sold online through its website and Amazon, and the company recently shifted its focus toward becoming a business-to-business ingredient supplier.

MKEStartup.News (MSUN) spoke with Dr. Sand (JS) about the science behind the product, the challenges of commercialization, and his advice for innovators navigating the long road from lab to market.

MSUN: How did the idea for Happy Scratch begin?

JS: We fix an underlying genetic disorder in animals because they don’t make enough of a part of their immune system called immunoglobulin A. The name of the disorder is called selective IgA deficiency. What’s important is that they don’t make enough of this IgA, and some of the effects are that animals such as dogs and cats—and even humans—have itchy skin. IgA is an antibody that lives where the outside world meets the inside, like your lungs, gut, or bladder. If you don’t have enough, things can leak into parts of the body they shouldn’t, and that causes inflammation and skin disorders.

MSUN: Is this deficiency more common in certain breeds?

JS: Scientific studies have shown that dogs like German Shepherds, Black Labs, Golden Retrievers, and Boxers don’t make enough IgA. In humans, about one in 225 people don’t make enough, which is likely why some people have chronic skin issues as well.

MSUN: How long did it take to bring this research from discovery to product?

JS: Our original patent was in like 2014, so eight or nine years.

MSUN: That’s quite a journey. Was the product patented before the business was formed?

JS: Oh, yes. The whole point of me doing this, my second startup, is to take the discoveries I made at UW–Madison and actually make a commercial product out of them. We made discoveries, published papers, issued patents, and nothing ever happened with them. So, I decided we should go out and make a product.

MSUN: The supplement is available on your website and Amazon. Are you expanding into other retail outlets?

JS: What we’ve really found on Amazon and even on our website is our cost of acquiring customers is too high. We are pivoting away from direct-to-consumer into becoming an ingredient company. We’re working with three different companies that are looking to become distributors for us across North America.

MSUN: What form will it take as an ingredient?

JS: It’ll likely be something called a palatant—it makes things taste good. All pet food has palatants so your dog or cat will eat it. We’re marketing ourselves as a functional palatant because we fix an underlying problem and we taste great. Those two things are pretty hot right now.

MSUN: What lessons would you share with other startups moving from innovation to market?

JS: Everything takes forever. Your overnight success is probably 10 years old, unless it’s software. Be patient. When you’re trying to get anything off the ground, it just takes time.

MSUN: Are there new innovations on the horizon?

JS: Absolutely. Not this technology, though. The next one will probably be for gut health—things like inflammatory bowel disease in pets. In some animals, there’s no treatment available, or the treatments that are available aren’t particularly effective. That would be the next place we’ll look.

To learn more about Happy Scratch, connect with this Madison Region company here.