PetPace, the provider of an innovative IoT smart wireless collar for remote real-time monitoring and analysis of pet vital signs and activity, today released the findings of a new medical case study. The case study, available for download here, documents in detail how the PetPace collar enables, for the first time in veterinary medicine, non-invasive and continuous monitoring of pulse rate and other physiological and behavioral attributes in cardiac patients.

The new PetPace smart collar case study reviews the diagnosis and monitoring of Lucas, a 10-year-old neutered male Beagle. After adopting him from a shelter, Lucas’ new owner sought medical intervention for his episodes of weakness, exercise intolerance, disorientation, collapse, and fainting. Lucas was diagnosed with Chronic Valvular Heart Disease, placed on medication, and ordered to avoid excessive activity. In addition, caregivers recommended a 24-hour home ECG monitoring.

Traditionally, such monitoring is accomplished using a Holter monitor or Event recorder. These devices record ECG, the electrical signal of the heart, in order to diagnose and assess arrhythmia (abnormal heart pace). However, these devices have several limitations. Because they use wires attached to the pet’s body, they require shaving, attaching leads to the chest, and bandaging to protect the device from the pet chewing or pawing it. In addition, the devices only record data for a few days and do not provide real-time data. Instead, after the recording period has ended, the devices are sent to a specialized laboratory for data extraction and interpretation. Moreover, the event monitors require manual activation by the pet owner when an event occurs.

For all of these reasons, Lucas’ owner chose a PetPace smart collar. The collar, worn conveniently on the neck like a regular collar, measures multiple physiological and behavioral attributes, including vital signs such as pulse rate. The collar collects the data noninvasively, continuously and is designed to be worn long-term. The data is accessible anytime, anywhere, and alerts for suspicious events are sent in real time.

The collar has additional advantages that are useful for the monitoring of patients with heart disease. It reports respiratory rates, heart rate variability (HRV), and activity level. PetPace also creates sophisticated analytical reports that contribute to the assessment of disease severity and prognosis.

Monitoring Findings

The PetPace smart collar worn by Lucas revealed that several times each day he had brief episodes of high pulse rate, reaching 160-180 beats per minute. These events usually followed moderate activity, but the pulse rate was higher than expected for the level and pattern of activity.

Statistical analysis of Lucas’ data, available through the PetPace Health Report, provided additional insights into Lucas’ condition:

• The daily average pulse rate, calculated from hundreds of measurements every day, was slightly higher than normal (87.8 beats per minute).
• The minimum pulse rate (58.6 beats per minute) was normal, meaning the heart was able to relax during rest.
• Overall daily average respiratory rate (18.4 breaths per minute) was normal, as was the minimal respiratory rate (11.4 breaths per minute). Respiratory rates are commonly used to monitor patients with heart disease.
• HRV (Heart Rate Variability), a marker of cardiac disease, was slightly lower than normal (high HRV is good).
• All values were relatively stable and consistent through time and did not show worsening trends.

Following his caregiver’s advice, Lucas also wore a Holter monitor for 24 hours to measure his heart rhythm and rate and correlate it with the periods of high heart rates recorded by the PetPace Collar. The heart rate and HRV values measured by the Holter precisely matched those reported by the collar.

The PetPace collar can be easily worn long term, and its data and reports are available in real time to both pet owners and caretakers. This makes the collar a valuable addition to the home management of cardiac patients. Monitoring activity alone falls short of being a clinically useful tool in the context of cardiac patients.

The PetPace smart collar provides a range of clinically relevant attributes for the monitoring of dogs and cats with heart diseases, said Dr. Asaf Dagan, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Canine and Feline practice), and PetPace’s Chief Veterinarian. It adds a new level of objective, quantifiable data and together with analytical tools it will advance our understanding of these pathologies and enhance our ability to treat them, he added.

I loved seeing the data provided by the collar, which complements the owner’s reports, blood tests, imaging and ECG data that we collected on Lucas, said Dr. Patricia Berchtold, from Chelmsford Animal Hospital in Chelmsford

MA, Lucas’ veterinarian. It helps me as a clinician to produce a comprehensive picture of his condition, monitors it over time and guides my clinical decisions, she continued.

This collar gives very cool information that I can share with my vet, said Michelle Saltzman, Lucas’ owner. Lucas has no problems wearing it and I know he needs it. I only wish we had it for some of our other senior pups we adopted in the past.