Petnostics Pet Health Indicator Update | Shark Tank Season 7

Stephen Chen came up with the idea for Petnostics in 2013 after dealing with recurring health issues in his dog. He realized there was no simple way to track his pet’s health at home between vet visits, which often led to late diagnoses and higher medical bills. That frustration led him to create Petnostics, a home urine test kit that helps pet owners detect problems early, without waiting for symptoms to get worse. Read our Petnostics update to learn more about its time on Shark Tank.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Petnostics after Shark Tank.

Stephen pitched Petnostics on Shark Tank Season 7, seeking $300,000 for 10% equity. After his pitch, he landed a deal with Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner for $300,000 for 20% equity.

In terms of a Petnostics update, the company expanded its product line and partnered with Fetch for Pets. However, by 2022, the company lost its online presence and eventually shut down, despite reaching $250,000 in annual revenue.

Shark	Result
Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner	Accepted offer of $300,000 for 20% equity
Ashton Kutcher	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer

Shark Tank Petnostics Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Stephen Chen
• Business: Pet health indicator 
• Ask: $300,000 for 10% equity
• Result: $300,000 for 20% equity
• Sharks: Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary

Stephen entered Shark Tank carrying his dog, Austin. He asked for an investment in his company, Petnostics.

He explained that since pets can’t speak, it’s difficult to detect health issues early. To solve this, he created a smartphone-based urine test that lets pet owners check their pet’s health from home.

The test works with a special cup. The lid has chemical test strips, similar to what clinics use. After collecting a sample, owners flip the cup to activate the strips.

The Petnostics app scans the lid and reads the results. It can detect issues like UTIs, dehydration, or diabetes. Results can also be shared with family or a vet.

Moreover, Stephen emphasized the cost-saving benefit. It helps pet owners avoid unnecessary vet visits.

Each cup sells for $10 and costs $2 to make. At scale, production could drop to $0.90.

Stephen has sold 10,000 units since launching in April 2014, mostly through his website and small retail stores.

He compared the product to a car’s check engine light—meant to flag issues early.

At this point, guest shark Ashton Kutcher asked about Stephen’s background. Stephen said he studied industrial engineering at the University of Michigan.

In addition, he also owned four patents covering the strip design and color-reading algorithm.

Despite that, Ashton said he liked the idea but didn’t want to collect urine. He felt it would limit the product’s appeal. Stephen explained that most pet owners prefer this method over drawing blood at home.

Stephen projected $200,000 for the year and $400,000 the next, with new test types. Kevin O’Leary wasn’t convinced, noting the lack of a clear distribution plan.

Mark Cuban said the strip-based tech had a short life cycle and dropped out. Ashton followed, saying the concept was strong but the sample collection was a barrier.

Robert Herjavec thought too much hinged on vets embracing the product and believed the business model was still in its early days, so he went out.

However, Lori Greiner saw sales potential. She offered $300,000 for 20% equity. Kevin made a competing offer of $300,000 for 15% equity.

When Stephen asked Lori to consider 15%, Kevin suggested partnering. They agreed to do the deal together for 20% combined equity.

Ultimately, Stephen accepted the two-shark deal, but how do you think his product fared after the episode? Keep reading our Petnostics update to find out.

Shark Tank Petnostics Update

Our Petnostics update found that Stephen’s deal with Lori and Kevin never materialized.

Despite this, he teamed up with distribution company Fetch for Pets, a major distributor of pet products.

Together, they expanded the product line by adding a hydrophobic cat litter and a urine collection ladle for dogs.

They also worked on developing Android support to complement the existing iOS app.

In January 2022, our Petnostics update found that the company reported annual revenue of around $250,000.

However, in April 2022 the Petnostics website went offline and appears to have shut down.

Sadly, it looks like this will be our final Petnostics update.

 There were more products featured in Season 7 Episode 24 that you can read about by following the links below. 

• Frends Update
• popSLATE Update
• Slyde Handboards Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 7 products.