Canum is currently in development with an upcoming pilot program and clinical trials. Join our waitlist by April 7, 2026 for a lifetime discount.
Precision health science for dogs

More comfort.
Better years together.

We're developing high-potency, precision probiotics and an easy-to-use app platform designed to support skin, coat, and digestive health in dogs of all ages.

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Pilot Program Launching Soon
The Root Cause

It's not just allergies.
It's gut-driven imbalance.

When your dog's microbiome is out of balance, it can influence signals throughout their body showing up as the day-to-day things you notice: paw licking, skin discomfort, and more frequent scratching.

Canum is building a bio-digital platform that combines a high potency probiotic formulation in development to support the gut and immune system alongside a companion mobile app to help dog parents track their dog's health over time.

Paw irritation

Constant focus on paws can be a sign of underlying gut and immune imbalance, not just environmental irritants.

Skin discomfort

When harmful bacteria dominate the gut, it may influence pathways that affect the skin barrier and overall comfort.

Areas of redness

Those sensitive patches can be linked to changes in the immune system that we're working to better understand through ongoing research.

Our Approach

Health from within.
Designed to support.

Canum's precision formula is being evaluated for its ability to support balanced microbiome function with strains chosen for their potential to support healthy inflammatory balance. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Designed to support immune balance and inflammatory responses

Created to strengthen the connection from the inside out with targeted nutrients

Under evaluation to support healthy aging with customized formulations

Canum powder

Canum Daily

Prototype Product Design

How It Works

Simple routine.
A science-guided approach.

We're evaluating a daily high-potency probiotic and a companion mobile app for their potential to support gut balance and skin in dogs.

1

Formulation

A high-potency probiotic formulation designed to support gut and skin barrier function, currently under evaluation.

2

App + tracking

Mobile app designed to help owners track signals (itching, stool quality, coat changes) and utilize cutting-edge AI models to generate data insights to share with their vet.

3

Validation

We're running controlled studies to measure outcomes. Results will be shared and published as studies complete.

Product features and claims are subject to change based on trial results and regulatory review.

THE SCIENCE

Built on human clinical research.
Now being evaluated in dogs.

The probiotic strains behind Canum have been studied in human clinical trials for gut and immune-related outcomes. Our founder has firsthand experience in developing and patenting novel synbiotic formulations for inflammatory conditions. Canum is translating this scientific foundation in humans to be utilized in dogs, and controlled studies are upcoming.

Development status
Strain selection & formulation
Complete
Safety & tolerability validation
In Progress
Canine clinical evaluation
Upcoming
Launch
Upcoming

Canum's products are in development. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The Team

Rigor and passion to create science.
Meet our people.

Gerardo V. Toledo, Founder & CEO
Founder & CEO

Gerardo V. Toledo

PhD, Marine Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego
MBA, Sloan School of Management at MIT
LinkedIn

Canum was co-founded by Gerardo V. Toledo, building on his entrepreneurial journey developing science-driven synbiotic medical foods to address inflammatory conditions in humans.

Drawing on years of clinical product development and a lifelong commitment to preventive health, Canum is now translating that foundation to dogs with a bio-digital platform currently in development. Upcoming studies will evaluate how precision probiotics and health tracking can support healthy aging in dogs. Canum combines the rigorous science from Gerardo's research background with a business concept shaped at MIT, the premier launching pad for breakthrough technology innovation and disciplined entrepreneurship.

Scientific & Strategic Advisors

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Nic Roth

Technology Advisor

Nic Roth is a fractional advisor focused on product architecture, engineering systems, and the software foundation supporting Canum's bio-digital platform. Nic brings over 20 years of experience building software systems and applications. He joined the Canum team as part of a class project at MIT.

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Peter Barton Hutt, LLB

Regulatory Strategic Advisor

Peter Barton Hutt, LLB is a preeminent authority in food and drug law, with decades of experience shaping regulatory policy and industry standards. He served as Chief Counsel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is now Retired Partner in Residence at Covington and Burling LLP. He also teaches food and drug law at Harvard Law School, influencing generations of regulatory leaders.

LinkedIn
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Brooke Simon, DVM

Lead Dermatology Clinician

Dr. Simon’s lifelong passion for animals inspired her start as a veterinary assistant at Maine Coast Veterinary Hospital where she worked for 10 years prior to attending the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. After receiving her doctorate in veterinary medicine, Dr. Simon went on to pursue an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Angell Animal Medical Center before completing her dermatology residency at Dermatology for Animals in Phoenix, Arizona.

Website
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Surell Levine, DVM

General Veterinary Practice

Dr. Levine leads Hopkinton Home Veterinary Service, a mobile clinic. She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2001 and University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. After graduation, completed a fellowship in Emergency and Critical Care and worked at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in the Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit. Certified veterinary medical acupuncturist and an active volunteer at the MSPCA animal shelter. Dr. Levine is also the inventor of the widely used Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap, a patented swaddle designed to make vet visits easier for cats.

LinkedIn
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Joseph Marchell, DVM, MBA

General Veterinary Practice

Dr. Marchell is a veterinarian and business leader that built and exited a multi-state healthcare group. He has extensive experience at the intersection of animal health, clinical practice, and industry innovation and held leadership roles across veterinary services and pet health companies, bringing deep expertise in companion animal medicine, and commercial strategy. Dr. Marchell combines clinical insight with operational and financial acumen, helping emerging companies translate science into scalable solutions.

LinkedIn
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Matt Kaeberlein, PhD

Dog Aging Expert

Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, is a globally recognized leader in the biology of aging and longevity science. He is an affiliate Professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington and co-founder of the Dog Aging Project, one of the largest and most ambitious efforts to understand aging in companion dogs. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of aging and interventions to extend healthspan, including the role of the microbiome, metabolism, and immune function. He is also co-founder and CEO at Optispan, a precision healthcare technology company.

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Early Access

Launching soon

Canum is in development and not yet commercially available. Join the waitlist to be first in line for early access and trial updates.

Join the Waitlist
Joining the waitlist is free and used only to share development and clinical trial updates.
No purchase required.

Frequently asked questions

A quick look at Canum's current development and progress to address the most common questions we get about our product and company.

Canum is in early product development. We're adapting proven science for humans to dogs. We'll be launching a pilot program and subsequent clinical trials upcoming.
Canum is targeting a phased launch process, starting in the summer of 2026.
We measure owner-reported outcomes (itching, coat quality, stool quality) and other study-defined endpoints.
Yes. We intend to share and publish results in reputable peer-reviewed journals.Summaries and the full methodology will be shared as our studies conclude.
No. Canum is being developed as a health support product. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Our Name

Canum, a name with Latin roots.
For dogs we love.

“Canum” comes from Latin: it is the genitive plural of canis (“dog”), meaning “of dogs.”

Canis (dog) becomes canum in this grammatical form when Latin uses it to express belonging or relation—something we wanted to capture in our work: health made for dogs, by people who care deeply.

The term also appears in historical Latin phrases (for example, supplicia canum), reminding us that dogs have been part of human stories for a very long time.