A 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.

For more information visit www.petpace.com