5 innovations you need to keep your pet healthy

Thanks to some incredible advancements in technology, there are many ways to keep pets healthy at the click of a mouse. From personalised subscription diet plans to 24-hour video calls with a vet, here’s five technical innovations every pet owner needs to know about.

1. Get a personalised meal plan for your dog

Not so long ago, stocking up on food for your pet required a trip to the supermarket or the vet. These days, not only is everything available to order online, you can get a personalised meal plan for your dog too. After completing a short questionnaire about your dog’s age, breed, weight, activity levels - and even their dietary likes and dislikes - the food will be delivered to your home, ready to be served to your hungry hound. Personalised subscription-based meal plans can also help with portion control and protect your dog from health problems linked to obesity - like heart disease and arthritis. Try Nature’s Menu or Bella & Duke for raw food, Butternut Box or Pure for freshly cooked meat and veggies.

2. Sign up for a flea treatment plan with regular reminders

We’ve all forgotten at some point to treat our pet for fleas, right? After spotting this glitch among pet owners, the founders of Itch set out to find a solution to make sure that all pets get their treatment on time. Without regular treatment, fleas can quickly become a problem in even the cleanest of homes. Adult fleas are easily picked up by dogs and cats, and will lay eggs in your pet’s bedding. Itch offers a personalised subscription plan for flea products - and worming treatment too - which means they’ll send you the right dose at the right time to remind you to treat your pet.

3. Book a video call with a qualified vet

Wouldn’t it be great if you could speak to a vet about your pet’s health from the comfort of your own home? Well, now you can. FirstVet is the UK’s leading online vet, providing a 24-hour first response service to answer your pet health concerns. They offer a low-cost video consultation with a vet 24/7, 365 days a year to discuss your pet’s symptoms and give advice about treatment. All without having to coax your cat into a travel basket or your dog into the car! However, if the FirstVet vet thinks your pet needs to be examined, they will be able to refer you to your local clinic. FirstVet works with several pet insurance companies, including Bought By Many and Waggel, to provide a free service to their customers. Check with your insurance company to find out if you’re eligible for a free consultation.

4. Monitor your dog’s fitness

Do you know how much exercise your dog needs? Based on factors like their age and breed, every dog is different. Knowing this, and being able to track your dog’s activity levels, can help to keep them in tip-top health and fitness. There are a range of smart devices which are worn attached to your dog’s collar. PitPat is linked to a handy app on your phone and allows you to set exercise goals, keep track of your dog’s activity levels and monitor their weight. To help you get a better understanding of your dog’s life and spot any unusual changes, such as changes to their sleep, Sure Animo will track your dog’s daily activity and behaviour. And if you want to get active too, FitBit and FitBark have teamed up to get dogs and their humans fit together.

5. Explore your pet’s DNA

If you’ve ever wondered why your pet looks or behaves the way they do, you can now research their DNA. You may not be able to discover if your cat has links to royalty but you may be surprised to find that your dog is more Cava- than -poo or has traces of a completely different breed altogether. As well as learning about your pet’s breed, DNA services like Wisdom Panel can provide useful insight about their genetic makeup; and help to detect genetic disorders, like hip and elbow dysplasia, which some breeds of dog are at risk of developing. By understanding your pet’s genetic makeup, you can be better prepared for any health issues before they become problems in the future.