Using Your Smartphone to Keep Your Pet Healthy

a cat looking down at a smartphone with apps on screen, cat has paw near the phone as if it were using it

Using Your Smartphone to Keep Your Pet Healthy

Your smartphone has become an essential item for you, but I think a smartphone is essential for your pets. Not that they will be making calls, but many of the phone functions can be used for pet health related purposes.

Emergency Information

Of course you have the veterinarian’s office number in your contacts list, but do you have your pet’s emergency information accessible if something happens to you? If you have an iPhone, ICE Standard Smart 911 is an app that lets you display important medical information on the lock screen of your phone. It is kind of an electronic medical alert “bracelet.” Although it is designed for humans, you could choose to display information about your pet’s health in case of emergency.

The Vets Now app for both Android and iPhone provides you with a GPS-powered directory of your nearest available veterinarian. It also stores important pet information like microchip number and vaccination records.

Has your dog just helped himself to some food off the counter? You would know in a minute if you should worry if you had the iKibble Free app. This is another free iPhone app that tells you if the food your dog has eaten could in some way harm him.

Camera Function

Your phone is not just for keeping cute photos of your favorite furry friend. Keep a really clear photo of your pet in your phone for making posters for your neighborhood, posting on Twitter and emailing to your veterinarian’s office and your local animal control officers in case your pet goes missing. If your pet has any distinctive markings, photo those too as they might be the clue that reunites you and your pet.

I can’t take credit for this idea; it came from one of my dedicated and incredibly organized clients. Take photographs of your pet’s important medical documents, rabies certificate, pet passport, microchip bar code, etc. When you need information from one of the documents, it will be right there in your bag or pocket for quick reference. Be sure to keep the original documents on file at home just in case you need the original for doggie day care or an airline health certificate.

While you are taking photos, line up those pill bottles and medicine boxes and photograph them too. Take clear photos that show the drug name, pill size and administration directions. When refill time comes, you will know where each of the different medications came from and whether to call the drugstore or veterinarian’s office to request a refill. The photo gallery of medications also facilities vet visits as you can easily confirm medications, doses and schedule by scrolling through your phone’s photo gallery.

Feeding Via Smartphone

If you have a sick dog or cat, you know one of the best indicators of how they are feeling is their appetite. Now you can use your smartphone to remotely run a smart feeder. The WiFi enabled FeedandGo has a voice recorder, webcam and six  food trays. You record your voice to announce dinnertime and then watch your pet eat on your smartphone or tablet.  You don’t have to wonder all day if Fluffy is feeling well enough to enjoy lunch and you don’t have to be home to serve up frequent small meals for pets who prefer to nosh intermittently. Some pets might even take medication from the FeedandGo if they are the chewable tasty kind. A quick internet search will help you find other smartphone enabled feeing devices.

Mental Stimulation

What’s a smartphone without Solitaire or Candy Crush Saga? Get some game apps for your pet to boost their mental activity and keep their brains active. Try CatSnaps in the iTunes Store which lets your cat take selfies every time she touches the mice or butterflies on the screen. Think Rover might be bored when he is home alone all day? If you have an Android or iPhone, use iCPooch to check in with Rover via video chat and then deliver a treat to your pooch.

The WiFi enabled PetCube allows you to talk to , listen in on, watch and play laser games with your pets from your smartphone.

Smartphones – a necessary device for people who love their pets and want to keep them healthy.

Tags: AMC, amcny, android, animal medical center, animals, ann hohenhaus, cats, dogs, iphone, pets, phone, smartphone,

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