The signs were there. We just didn't know what to look for.
Hi, I'm Ayden. I started InsightScoop after losing Ludo—my Border Collie-Lab mix I got as a puppy in 2016—to cancer that was growing silently for months. By the time the symptoms showed, it was already too late. I couldn't shake the question: what if we'd seen the signs earlier?
Our mission
Help pet parents notice health changes earlier, reduce preventable emergencies, and keep yards cleaner—without adding stress.
Ludo
Ludo, Ayden's Border Collie-Lab mix, joined the family as an 8-week-old puppy in 2016. Goofy, clumsy, and brilliant—the dog who never missed a meal, until that one morning.
Pixel & Kiara
Pixel (Border Collie rescue, adopted 2021) and Kiara (Australian Shepherd, joined January 2026). Together they test every feature and remind us why multi-dog tracking matters.
Jan 2026
Launch month
50+
Early adopters
Twin Cities
Starting local
24/7
Support available
The signs were there. We just didn't know what to look for.
Ludo had been to the vet not long before. He wasn't showing obvious symptoms—or so we thought. That's what made the diagnosis so devastating.
Looking back, there were signs we didn't fully connect. He was drinking more than normal. Eating grass. Chewing on his feet. But the biggest sign was his stool: it had turned pale, almost yellowish-grey. At the time, I brushed it off. I had no idea what that color change could mean.
I later learned that pale or clay-colored stool can indicate liver or bile duct problems—and the masses we found were on his liver. If I'd known what to look for, we might have caught it earlier.
That question—would we have had more time?—became the foundation of InsightScoop. Not just for us, but for every pet parent who never wants to hear "it's too late."
What we learned from the research
- Blood streaks, mucus, or pale stool can surface before outward symptoms.
- Pale, yellowish, or clay-colored stool can signal liver or bile duct issues.
- White fragments can signal worms long before they cause a crisis.
- Yard hazards and hidden parasites often show up first in the poop.
- Gut changes are often the earliest clue that something is off.
Don't wait for a crisis to start tracking.
The free app helps you log symptoms, stool changes, and patterns before they become emergencies.
Start tracking for free
The koi pond lesson
Around the same time, we built a koi pond in our Minneapolis backyard. Pixel started drinking from it daily—and still does. Suddenly we were thinking about parasites, standing water, and how easy it is to miss a risk hiding in plain sight.
We wanted a low-effort way to notice changes in real time—before a subtle pattern turns into an emergency vet bill.
How InsightScoop came to be
From personal loss to a platform helping pet parents in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Ludo joins at 8 weeks old
Ayden gets Ludo as a puppy—a Border Collie-Lab mix who would become the heart of the family and, later, the reason InsightScoop exists.
Pixel joins the family
Ayden adopts Pixel, a Border Collie rescue. Years of backyard scooping for two dogs begins.
Losing Ludo
Ludo passes away at 9 years old. Looking back, there were stool changes weeks before symptoms appeared. The question haunts: What if we'd caught it earlier?
Grief becomes purpose
Unable to let go of that question, Ayden builds the first prototype nights and weekends. Research into the 3 C's begins: Color, Consistency, Content.
InsightScoop launches + Kiara joins
InsightScoop goes live in the Twin Cities—two months from loss to launch. The same month, Kiara (an Australian Shepherd) joins the family.
Why InsightScoop exists
We built InsightScoop to make gut health, stool patterns, and symptom changes visible—without forcing pet parents to become clinicians. A single tap can log a scan, a check-in, or a note. That trail becomes a clear story you can share with your vet when it matters.
We also learned how much pet waste ends up in landfills, how much plastic is used for bags, how methane builds in landfills, and how runoff affects the Mississippi and our Minnesota lakes. Cleaner yards and smarter disposal are part of the same promise.
InsightScoop doesn't diagnose. We help you spot patterns so you can decide when to watch, monitor, or call your vet.
Protect their healthspan
We focus on early signals and gentle nudges so pet parents can act sooner, not later.
Respectful, human-centered care
Clear guidance, not alarmism. Wellness data that is private, portable, and easy to share.
Cleaner yards, lighter footprint
We reduce waste where we can and promote responsible disposal that protects water and soil.
The story we want for every pet parent
We want to turn "I had no idea" into "I saw it early." That means a clean yard, a calmer mind, and a wellness trail you can trust.
In memory of Ludo • 2016-2025
Ludo joined Ayden's family as an 8-week-old Border Collie-Lab mix in 2016. He passed away in November 2025 at 9 years old. His story is why InsightScoop exists—every scan, note, and reminder is built so fewer families are caught off guard.
The team today
Pixel (rescue adopted 2021) and Kiara (joined January 2026) carry the mission forward. They're our daily reminder to stay curious, watch for the quiet changes, and never stop learning.
Meet the team
Built by pet parents, for pet parents
Ayden Dunham
Founder & Chief Poop Officer
SaaS professional by day, self-taught builder by night. Started InsightScoop after years of pet parenthood showed him how much health data hides in plain sight.
Pixel
Chief Testing Officer • Border Collie, Age 8
Border collie rescue. Picky eater, tireless toy-chaser, and the reason we test every feature. His poop has been logged more than anyone's.
Kiara (Kiki)
Chief Enthusiasm Officer • Australian Shepherd, Adopted Jan 2026
Australian Shepherd adopted the same month InsightScoop launched. Kiki arrived just in time to help us test multi-dog tracking in the real world.
We're small but growing. InsightScoop started as a weekend project and is now serving pet parents across the Twin Cities metro. Every feature we build comes from a real need—usually something we wished we'd had ourselves.
Join the mission
Every scan is a step toward catching what we missed with Ludo.
Start tracking your pet's health today. It's free, takes seconds, and could give you the early warning that changes everything.
No credit card required • Free wellness tracking • Minneapolis-based support