Your dog can't

YOUR dog can't tell you when it's
sick, but maybe this gadget can. A
smart collar studded with wireless
sensors can now monitor the vital
signs of man's best friend and alert
the owner as soon as it starts feeling
under the weather.
The device, developed by PetPace in
Burlington, Massachusetts, keeps
track of temperature, pulse and
respiration, as well as activity patterns
and the number of calories burned.
While the dog plays, eats and sleeps,
software compares this information
with other breed-specific data. If an
animal's statistics deviate in a way
that indicates a possible problem, an
alert is sent to the owner's
smartphone and to the vet.
Many pets instinctively hide their
symptoms when they are sick, so the
collar could help detect health issues
early on, says Asaf Dagan, chief
veterinary scientist at PetPace. The
smart collar ensures that "your pet's
disease, pain or discomfort will not go
unnoticed", he says.
Because the device works in real
time, vets have more information on
which to base their diagnoses. They
can also keep track of how the animal
responds to treatment, Dagan says.
The collar costs $150 plus $15 per
month for the monitoring service.
This article appeared in print under
the headline "Smart collar brings
poorly pooches to heal"