What If You Could Check Your Pet’s Heart Rate at Home? ExamD

Pets do not communicate with humans when they are sick. Sometimes, they change their breathing rhythm, heart rate, temperature, or their energy level is off, which is an early clue that something is different. However, home monitoring of these signs isn't always easy for pet parents.

But what if there were a handheld device that could help pet parents gather some of this health data without needles or painful procedures?

ExamD is a handheld, IoT-driven device designed to monitor a pet's vital signs at home.

The company explains it as ‘non-invasive, non-anaesthetic and pain-free’. It's aimed at gathering health data without the use of needles or any other forms of painful measurement.

The device is intended for pets such as dogs and cats.

According to VETiNSTANT, ExamD can collect several types of health information.

These include:

The company also says the device uses noise cancellation to help record heart, lung and abdomen sounds.

The information can be stored in the VETiNSTANT app. Pet parents can also share the data with their veterinarian.

VETiNSTANT says it worked with the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER) in Puducherry to test ExamD.

The company reports it tested over 1,000 pets. It also says more than 50 veterinarians in Chennai contributed to testing and improving the device and its workflow.

The company's current product page gives more details.

The temperature function was clinically tested on 250 dogs. The mean temperature variation according to VETiNSTANT is ±0.3°C.

The company also says heart and lung sounds were tested by veterinarians and compared with a leading digital stethoscope.

SpO₂ and pulse measurements were tested in a certified laboratory and under real-world conditions, according to the company.

Additionally, RIVER has a research record for a project that involved the validation of a medical examination device for dogs at home and therefore included the testing of dogs in the real world during project development.

Some explanation is required for the claim.

VETiNSTANT says ExamD can help pet parents identify 130+ conditions at home using information from vital signs and other measurements.

This is not to say that the device self-diagnoses 130 diseases.

VETiNSTANT's own FAQ says ExamD is a monitoring device. It also says that diagnosis is provided by a veterinarian.

The company advises veterinary consultation for a proper assessment if there is any abnormality detected by the device.

It would be better to say that ExamD can help to detect signs associated with various health conditions instead of the claim of being able to diagnose 130 diseases.

The device is already past the early prototype phase.

In September 2024, VETiNSTANT launched the availability of ExamD for pet parents and vets in the cities of Chennai and Bengaluru. The company stated that it intends to launch the product for the general public in India by the first of 2025.

The company has been advertising ExamD on its present website at ₹15,000, and one can request the device there.

No. ExamD is designed to collect useful health information. It is not a substitute for a veterinary examination.

For instance, a pet parent may notice an abnormal pulse or oxygen level. That can then be communicated to a vet.

The vet can use the information along with the pet's symptoms, medical history and physical examination.

This makes it more of a pet health monitoring device than a veterinarian's service.

ExamD was granted Indian Patent No. 488494 on 03/01/2024 by VETiNSTANT.

The company says the patent covers its ExamD pet health technology.

Pet health care is slowly getting into the technology connection. Devices like ExamD could make it easier for pet parents to keep track of their pets' health between regular vet visits.

As these technologies evolve, home health monitoring may become more prevalent in the routine care of pets.