Researchers Leverage PetPace Smart Collar in Groundbreaking Canine Epilepsy Study
Burlington, MA (PRWEB) March 23, 2016 -- PetPace, the developer of an innovative wearable tech, IoT collar for remote real-time monitoring and analysis of pet vital signs and activity, announces the initiation of a large, groundbreaking study of dogs with epilepsy, a common neurological disorder affecting millions of dogs worldwide. The goal of the study is to develop the capability to detect and possibly predict seizures in dogs.
Despite the high prevalence of epilepsy in the pet population, clinically managing the condition remains a challenge, partly because the true frequency and severity of seizure events, in any particular dog, is rarely known. Since pet owners cannot watch their dogs constantly, and the dogs themselves cannot report such events, it is very difficult to assess the severity and extent of the condition, or response to treatment, in any individual dog. Likewise, the efficacy of drugs, or other treatments in real-life conditions, is hard to assess without detailed knowledge of seizure activity.
The PetPace pet health monitor, capable of measuring a range of physiological and behavior attributes, is currently being used in a large, international, multi-center clinical study to address this problem of seizure activity visibility gaps.
During, before and after a seizure, it is common to see changes in pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, activity patterns, body postures, heart rate variability (HRV) and more. The PetPace smart collar accurately measures these parameters in real time, stores the raw data and makes it available for detailed analysis by researchers.
In the current study, veterinary neurology specialists from universities and private specialty centers in the U.S. and other countries are collaborating to create the first-ever database of biometric information of dogs with epilepsy. Subsequently, advanced mathematical models will be applied to the database for the detection of specific patterns that will indicate and possibly predict a seizure event.
Bob Murtaugh, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, FCCM, the lead investigator and project manager for the PetPace Canine Epilepsy Study, explained, “Understanding the true prevalence of seizure activity is invaluable in our attempts to effectively manage epilepsy in dogs. The introduction of the PetPace technology will allow us, for the first time in veterinary medicine, to attempt just that – know exactly when, in real time, and for how long each patient has a seizure.”
“The PetPace collar is the only wearable device that allows detailed, long-term collection and analysis of rich biometric data in animals,” noted Asaf Dagan, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Canine and Feline practice), and PetPace’s Chief Veterinarian. “Applying our analytical capabilities to this database will help us develop a revolutionary tool to monitor epilepsy, by pet owners and professionals alike, and optimize treatment.”
Additional collaborations with multiple leading universities and private specialty hospitals in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Israel are already underway, utilizing the revolutionary non-invasive, remote vital signs and behavior monitoring provided by the PetPace collar. Additional areas of active research using PetPace collars include cardiology, behavior, pain evaluation, intensive care, rehabilitation, sports medicine, surgery (orthopedics and soft tissue), respiratory medicine, physiology and more.
Dr. Dagan added, “PetPace is committed to providing its unique technology in support of clinical studies. Such large-scale collection and analysis of medical data has the potential to significantly advance our knowledge of animal health, behavior and therapeutics.”
About PetPace
PetPace was founded in 2012 to bring peace of mind to pet owners and prevent unnecessary pain and suffering for dogs and cats through improved pet health and quality of life. PetPace specializes in the remote monitoring of pet vital signs by utilizing advanced analytical methods and alerting models. The company’s low power, wireless collar is fitted with an array of sensors that report abnormal vital signs within established physiological and behavioral parameters. Once an abnormal sign or behavior is detected, a sophisticated cloud-based analytical engine evaluates the signs and if needed, sends an immediate alert regarding any suspected condition. This allows the owner or the vet to take preemptive action to protect the pet’s health. For more information about PetPace real-time pet health monitoring, visit http://PetPace.com.
Gal Steinberg, PetPace, http://PetPace.com, +1 6174802926, [email protected]
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