Dr. McGrath’s, the company, was born after a flat-out, flaming, crash-to-the-ground failure. I found myself spending days in a horse stable, grooming horses to support my riding habit -- and using a dozen different horse shampoos, not satisfied with any of them.

Finding or creating the ultimate shampoo for animals, from horses to dogs, became an obsession. Digging through century-old veterinary products, I noticed all of them were made by men. Next came a flight to Washington State University and an exploration of its extensive archival collection on the history of veterinary medicine in the US.

Elinor McGrath was a standout. A trailblazer. It seemed only fitting to name the company after her with the consent of her grandsons, and before the first product even hit the market four years ago, we established two scholarships in her honor for veterinary students and began awarding them annually.