Irina Perdew
Vetletics – SEED Spring 2023
Published September 13, 2023
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Irina Perdew, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Vetletics based in Cary, NC. We at Vetletics have developed the world’s first dynamic compression system for horses, scientifically proven to speed up lymphatic drainage, the EQ Press.
Q: What are you most excited about right now? What keeps you up at night?
A: The potential of the EQ Press helping horses with laminitis, a condition with up to 75% fatality rate, where horses “detach” the foot from the hoof slowly and painfully. We have seen an increased hoof growth rate in horses that use the EQ Press regularly, which could mean freshly oxygenated blood is readily delivered to the foot!!! We are currently in the planning stages of a study looking into this further with global leading experts in equine laminitis.
Q: When did you know you wanted to take an entrepreneurial path?
A: Growing up in Kyrgyzstan, when I was about 6 years old, I would find things in my dad’s garage that were from one of my grandpa’s factories and sell them. There were boxes filled with whistles, broaches, pins, etc. that were all accounted for and were not to be sold, at least not by me.
When my first business plan fell through, I took a different path and started picking up stray puppies on my way home from school. I would hide them in an old brick chicken coop, feed them, keep them warm, “work” with our house veterinarian on their health (and I was convinced my parents did not know) and sell them giving them an “assigned breed” that was agreed upon with the veterinarian. This is how I started my own “foster home for profit” at the age of 8.
Q: Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
A: My children have been the biggest motivation and influence on my life. While there are many people who I have to thank for being where I am, it is my girls who gave me (and continue to give me) the resilience and strength to achieve my goals and believe in myself.
Q: What other passions do you have besides your business?
A: I am a Veterinarian and am very passionate about veterinary medicine, animal health, welfare and science in general. I love advocating for those who cannot advocate for themself.
While visiting Cary, Irina recommends:
- Visit one of the Gardens either in Durham or Raleigh and eat at M Sushi in Fenton, Cary.
Support Vetletics and Irina by:
- At this stage, we need all the help raising awareness of the EQ Press now being available for horses. People that own horses, from pleasure horses to Olympic athletes, should know about the EQ Press, and use it for their horse to speed up their recovery, improve performance or treat certain conditions (under the supervision of their Veterinarian).
