Data rain for dogs and cats

The wearable technology trend, of wireless watch-like devices that monitor a person's health and sleep patterns, has gone to the dogs. And the cats.

It got there through PetPace, a wireless tech collar for dogs and cats that monitors an animal's vital signs, activity and well being 24 hours a day. Tampa-based BluePearl Veterinary Partners, a $100 million specialty veterinary firm, conducted clinical trials for PetPace, available now in Florida and Massachusetts in a test run.

“This is a product that is going to revolutionize veterinary medicine, as well as enhancing a pet owner's ability to recognize that their pet is becoming ill before they start showing physical signs,” says BluePearl Science Director Dr. Teresa Lightfoot in a release. “The ability to have real-time, continuous access to pets' vitals is undoubtedly going to save pets' lives.”