Patient Condition and History
To determine whether Dottie’s weight loss resulted from higher caloric expenditure than intake, she was fitted with a PetPace smart collar to accurately measure activity levels and estimate calories burned.
Dottie is a five-year-old, spayed female Boston Terrier weighing approximately 16 lb. She was boarding at VetCare Harris Animal Hospital in Tampa, Florida, when kennel staff observed progressive weight loss despite an otherwise healthy appearance and a normal appetite.
Monitoring Data
On admission Dottie weighed 16.2 lb; within one week her weight had fallen to 14.1 lb. She had no known medical conditions, was fed twice daily, and was consistently very active.
The PetPace collar recorded frequent, intense activity bursts throughout the day and night, including during overnight hours when the hospital was closed. This continuous monitoring provided staff with objective insight into Dottie’s nocturnal activity patterns that would otherwise have been unknown.
*An example of a daily activity chart during boarding, showing high activity levels.
*Dottie’s activity trend chart during boarding, showing sustained high activity level (except one day when the collar was worn only briefly).
The collar also tracked activity intensity as well as duration. The cumulative activity breakdown shows the proportion of time Dottie spent at different intensity levels during the monitoring period.
*Dottie’s accumulated activity data divided into intensity levels. Values represent the relative amount of time spent in each activity band.
PetPace’s system produced an Overall Activity Score that combines intensity, frequency and duration into a single benchmarkable value. Dottie’s overall activity score during boarding was 17.2 — among the highest recorded by PetPace — while a typical active, healthy dog usually scores around 11.
Other physiological measures monitored by the collar remained within normal limits, including pulse rate indices, respiration indices, and heart rate variability (HRV).
These trend graphs illustrate that Dottie’s vital signs and autonomic indicators remained stable despite her high activity level.
The device also captured an experimental metric, the Vaso-Vagal Tonus Index (VVTI), plotted against pulse rate. VVTI can serve as a noninvasive indicator of autonomic balance and general well-being; Dottie’s VVTI values were consistent with a healthy distribution.
*VVTI (HRV index) vs. pulse showing a normal distribution, suggesting good health status.
PetPace also estimates caloric expenditure using the pet’s signalment (age, weight, neuter status) combined with measured activity data. This calorie estimate helps caregivers and owners set feeding plans and activity goals tailored to the individual pet.
*Caloric expenditure estimate for an active boarding dog.
Based on the collar data, hospital staff increased Dottie’s daily food ration. After adjusting her caloric intake to match her activity-driven needs, Dottie began to regain weight.
Discussion
Weight management is tightly linked to activity patterns. Objective activity monitoring — quantifying intensity, duration, frequency and daily consistency — delivers actionable information for owners and veterinary teams working to help pets lose, gain or maintain weight.
Highly active pets, including working dogs and particularly playful breeds, often require higher caloric intake. Combining quantified activity data with estimated caloric expenditure creates a clearer, data-driven basis for adjusting feeding plans and setting realistic activity goals.
Beyond weight control, activity analytics contribute to overall health assessment. PetPace’s integration of activity metrics with physiological data (pulse, respiration, HRV/VVTI) provides a more complete clinical picture than activity alone, enabling clinicians to distinguish between medical causes of weight change and those due to increased energy expenditure. In Dottie’s case, normal physiological parameters alongside extreme activity supported the conclusion that her weight loss was behavioral and nutritional rather than disease-related.
Conclusions
Detailed activity analysis is a valuable tool for managing canine and feline weight and for comprehensive health monitoring. Interpreting activity data in the context of other physiological indicators and the animal’s medical history is essential to draw accurate clinical conclusions.
Dr. Asaf Dagan, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Canine and Feline Practice) and PetPace Chief Veterinarian, observes that activity analytics make weight-control programs more accurate, objective and data-driven, and that changes in activity or weight can signal underlying health issues that require clinical interpretation.
Dr. Brian Shaw, DVM, owner of VetCare Harris Animal Hospital in Tampa, adds that using PetPace collars in the hospital gives staff objective data to evaluate patient needs and well-being. Seeing a hyperactive dog is one thing; having accurate activity and physiologic data gives clinicians a solid foundation for decisions such as adjusting caloric intake.