EAST LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan State University (MSU) Veterinary Medical Center just received a warm donation, literally: an incubator for newborn puppies from the company, Puppywarmer. 1984 MSU alum and engineer Ken Sunden, who founded the company in 2015, designed and donated the state-of-the-art incubator aimed at helping vulnerable newborn puppies survive their critical early days.
According to a press release from the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, Sunden combined his engineering prowess and passion for animal welfare to create an incubator specifically tailored for neonatal puppies. This innovative device provides precisely controlled warmth and oxygen – essential factors for puppies born prematurely or struggling to thrive.
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The incubator was custom-built to tackle the most common challenges faced by newborn puppies: maintaining body temperature and reducing respiratory distress. It’s estimated that there are about 60,000 dogs who have survived worldwide with the help of Sunden’s units.
A family’s donation.
Sunden and his wife, Debbie, donated one of their units to the MSU Veterinary Medical Center’s Companion Animal Theriogenology Service, which is dedicated to clinical practice, education, and research pertaining to animal reproduction. The donation was made in honor of Debbie’s father, Dr. Ed Foster, a 1963 graduate of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
The gift recognizes Dr. Foster’s long and dedicated career as a Michigan veterinarian who supported both community animals and the college. The Companion Animal Theriogenology Service, a recent addition to the Hospital launched in 2024 under the leadership of Dr. Viviane Gomes (DVM, PhD, DACT), provides comprehensive reproductive care for small animals, including pre-breeding health screenings, breeding management, artificial insemination, pregnancy monitoring, and treatment of reproductive diseases.
How did Sunden’s journey begin?
Sunden learned that two puppies from the same litter as his adopted dog, a Sheltie named Chaos, had died shortly after birth due to being small for their gestational age. Leveraging his background in industrial heaters, Sunden repurposed equipment – including heaters, controllers, a sensor from a DNA amplifier, and a fast-acting thermocouple – to create an incubator tailored for neonatal puppies.
This prototype was tested by the Sheltie breeder who had previously experienced a 90% mortality rate among such puppies. Remarkably, the incubator improved survival, saving 17 out of 18 at-risk puppies. Encouraged by this success and the breeder’s urging, telling him he owed it to the world to produce the incubators for the public, Sunden founded Puppywarmer, a Michigan-based company dedicated to designing and developing incubators that support neonatal canine health.
Sunden said about his new adventure, “In my late 50s, I found the most purposeful job I may be able to do.”
A lifesaver for little lives.
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The veterinary team at MSU is very thankful for the donation. Dr. Gomes emphasized the importance of the incubator, stating, “Providing the highest level of care for small animal neonates is one of our top priorities, and having a reliable incubator is essential to our success.”
Spartan spirit shines bright.
The incubator’s uses extend beyond its original purpose of supporting neonatal puppies. These versatile units have also helped revive hypothermic cats and small dogs, assisted in reptile surgeries, and supported the growth of immunocompromised research pigs.
With this heartfelt donation, Ken and Debbie Sunden have not only honored a family legacy but also empowered MSU’s veterinary team to give the tiniest patients a fighting chance. It’s a full-circle moment of Spartan pride – where innovation, compassion, and alma mater loyalty converge to make a lasting impact on animal lives, one warm puppy at a time.
