Burlington, MA (PRWEB) March 23, 2016 — PetPace, the company behind a wearable Internet of Things (IoT) collar for continuous remote monitoring of pet vital signs and activity, has launched a large international study focused on canine epilepsy. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects millions of dogs worldwide, and this study aims to improve detection and potentially prediction of seizure events by collecting and analyzing detailed biometric data in real time.
Epilepsy management in dogs is complicated by the difficulty of accurately recording how often seizures occur and how severe they are for any individual animal. Pet owners can rarely observe their dogs continuously, and animals cannot describe their experiences, which leaves significant gaps in understanding each patient’s condition and response to treatment. Without comprehensive, objective records of seizure activity, assessing therapeutic effectiveness and tailoring care remains challenging.
The PetPace pet health monitor, a non-invasive smart collar that measures a variety of physiological and behavioral parameters, is being used in this multi-center clinical study to close those visibility gaps. The collar records continuous data on pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, activity levels, posture, and heart rate variability (HRV), among other metrics. These signals often change before, during, and after seizure episodes, and continuous collection of raw data enables researchers to analyze patterns that were previously invisible in day-to-day veterinary practice.
Veterinary neurology specialists from universities and private specialty centers across the United States and other countries are collaborating to assemble the first comprehensive database of biometric information from dogs diagnosed with epilepsy. Once the database is established, researchers will apply advanced mathematical and analytical models to identify signatures in the data that correspond to seizure events and to explore the possibility of predicting seizures before they occur.
Bob Murtaugh, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, FCCM, lead investigator and project manager for the PetPace Canine Epilepsy Study, described the importance of the work: “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.”
Asaf Dagan, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Canine and Feline practice) and PetPace’s Chief Veterinarian, emphasized the uniqueness of the device: “The PetPace collar is the only wearable device that allows detailed, long-term collection and analysis of rich biometric data in animals. 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.”
Collaborations for the study already involve leading universities and private specialty hospitals in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Israel. The remotely collected, non-invasive vital signs and behavioral monitoring capabilities of the PetPace collar make it well suited for long-term clinical research in real-world conditions. Beyond epilepsy, the collar is being used in active research across multiple disciplines including cardiology, behavioral medicine, pain assessment, intensive care, rehabilitation and sports medicine, surgery (orthopedics and soft tissue), respiratory medicine, and general physiology.
By enabling extended, objective monitoring of physiological changes, this project aims to transform how clinicians and owners detect and manage seizures. Large-scale, high-resolution medical data collected across diverse patient populations may improve understanding of seizure triggers, duration, and frequency, and could guide better individualized treatment plans. The study’s analytical approach seeks not only to document seizures more accurately but also to develop tools that alert caregivers when a dog is at elevated risk of an event.
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.”
The PetPace Canine Epilepsy Study represents a step toward integrating wearable technology into everyday veterinary care and research, offering the potential to improve outcomes for dogs with epilepsy through better monitoring, earlier intervention, and more informed treatment decisions based on continuous biometric insights.