Two companies have developed the latest gadgets in wearable pet technology that could prove to be a hit among animal lovers who want to keep their pets healthy and happy.
PetPace, which is based Burlington, Massachusetts and I4C Innovations Inc., based in Chantilly, Virginia, developed collars that can check if a pet has fever, monitor respiration and pulse, as well as indicate if the animal is in pain.
PetPace's medical collar for cats and dogs can measure the vital signs and other vital information that could indicate signs of pain in the animal. Any irregularity will trigger a notice that will be sent through email, phone or text.
"The PetPace patented, non-invasive, monitoring collar improves your pet's health and well-being by wirelessly tracking its vitals and a range of physical and behavioral parameters," PetPace describes its PetPace collar.
Kenneth Herring uses PetPace to monitor his dog as part of a test case aimed at knowing how effective the collar is when it comes to detecting epilepsy. When his 5-year old dog Jack has a seizure, the animal's lack of motion and twitching limbs trigger an alert. The company plans to make use of the things they learned from Jack to tailor the collar for other dogs suffering from the same condition.
I4C Innovations Inc. also has Voyce Health Monitor that monitors the same health and medical information. The company also has the Voyce Pro intended for veterinarians to prescribe for animals that are recovering from long term illness or surgery.
I4C Innovations director of product management Emily Hartman said that over 100 animal hospitals have so far signed on to use the device.
"The Voyce Health Monitor was developed in collaboration with biomedical engineers, veterinary experts and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine," I4C Innovations says of its pet collar. "The patented Voyce Monitor tracks resting heart and respiratory rates - key indicators to help detect health conditions early, improving and possibly extending the life of your dog."
The smart collars offered by these companies can be programed to track a pet's specific illness and can be used by dogs and cats weighing over 8 pounds. A notable shortcoming of the devices is their unpredictable battery life.
Pet owners can purchase PetPace's collar at $150 each with monthly service plan of $15. Voyce can be bought at $200 with $9.95 monthly wellness plan.
