Smart collar for dogs monitors activity, providing clues to health and wellness

Wearable techs are all the rage, not just because they help monitor a person's health; they also provide detailed information that can help alter daily life for the better.

And it's not just humans that can get in on the action. Fitness devices are now going to the dogs.

"Dogs can't talk, so we don't know if they feel bad right away," said Roz Goldman, owner and practice manager at Island Pet Hospital, 7025 W. Ann Road. "A lot of animals tend to hide their illness, which can leave their owners in the dark for quite some time. Voyce was designed to give us a better understanding of the dog's health and wellness."

Voyce is an electronic collar developed by biomedical engineers and members of the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine to monitor a dog's health and activity level, including information about its resting heart rate, resting respiratory rate, activity and intensity, quality of rest and calories burned.

Island Pet Hospital is the first local pet hospital to offer the device, according to Goldman.

"Knowing early on that something is wrong with your dog is the greatest advantage of owning this device," Goldman said.

People can recover the tracked information on the Voyce Dashboard, a website accessible on a computer or mobile devices. A snapshot of the dog's health trends, progress in achieving goals, fast facts and relevant articles based on the dog's breed and health profile are included.

Personal trainer Carol Browning recently purchased Voyce for her 1-year-old Labrador retriever, Hershey.

"My former lab passed away unexpectedly two years ago," Browning said. "I found her at home inside the room where she would always lay. I didn't even know that something was wrong with her. At 9 years old, she was so active, almost like a puppy. It would've been nice to know if she had a heart condition. This device gives me a peace of mind with Hershey."

Browning signed up for Voyce Pro, which sends Hershey's information directly to Island Pet Hospital where veterinarian Dr. Alyssa Watson will check to see that everything is normal.

Watson is enthusiastic about the device because she said it can help her see how medications are working and find better solutions to problems.

"This is a great tool for monitoring anxiety, especially with animals with behavioral issues," Watson said. "If a dog has destructive behavior or separation anxiety, then the device lets us figure out when it happens. Maybe instead of being medicated, the dog just needs someone to take him for a walk once during the day. It helps us find better solutions for problems."

Voyce can be purchased online at voyce.com for $199 with an additional fee of $9.50 per month or $95 per year for the monitoring subscription.

Those interested in the pro plan must talk to their veterinarian.

Island Pet Hospital offers the discount code IslandPet at checkout to lower the price to $179 for the device.

The device must be charged for roughly an hour every three to four days, and it's waterproof.

The pet hospital also offers a wellness rewards card for $70, which includes 5 percent cash back with every purchase, two examinations and one nail trimming every year and other exclusive benefits. In addition, 1 percent of the total bill will be donated to the Veterinary Care Foundation or other local animal nonprofits.

"This is like a Fitbit and more for dogs," Goldman said. "It gives dogs a voice."

Visit voyce.com or call Island Pet Hospital at 702-645-7387.

— To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.