We’re continuing our deeper dive into pet-care trends for 2025 by focusing on TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED PET CARE—the digital tools, services, and innovations that are transforming how we monitor and care for our animals. From smarter wearables to non-invasive diagnostics and AI-assisted insights, the future of pet wellness is becoming more data-driven, humane, and personalized than ever before.
This spring, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2 day Animal Health, Nutrition & Technology Innovation Summit (AHNTI USA) in Boston. Surrounded by veterinarians, biotech entrepreneurs, nutritionists, and global tech innovators, I saw firsthand just how rapidly the pet care industry is changing. The event’s theme—Prediction, Prevention, and Treatment—echoed through every conversation. Across lectures and networking sessions, one message stood out: technology is no longer an accessory in animal wellness—it’s the backbone of modern care.
What the Summit Revealed: Where Pet Tech Is Headed
The 2025 AHNTI Summit focused on key questions facing the veterinary and pet product industries:
• How can technology make care more accessible, efficient, and preventive?
• How do we bridge the gap between diagnostics and real-time data from owners?
• What innovations will shape the way we detect and treat disease by 2026?
Industry analysts and keynote speakers emphasized that pet health technology is scaling faster than any previous decade, driven by consumer expectations for personalization, convenience, and transparency. Clinics are moving toward digital-first ecosystems, integrating smart devices, telehealth platforms, and automated diagnostics.
Smart Collars & Wearables Go Mainstream
The wearable revolution that transformed human health has fully arrived in the pet world. Today’s smart collars do far more than track location—they’re capable of monitoring heart rate, sleep quality, calorie burn, scratching, shaking, and even subtle behavioral changes.
Recent devices showcased at the summit and covered in industry reports feature AI-driven behavioral mapping and integrations with smart home ecosystems, such as syncing with the Apple Watch or Alexa-enabled health dashboards.
According to Future Market Insights, the global pet wearable market is set to grow at double-digit rates through 2026. This expansion is driven by pet parents seeking early warning systems for conditions such as obesity, anxiety, and mobility issues.
Why it matters: Subtle shifts—less play, restlessness, or excessive licking—often appear before visible symptoms. Wearables provide early data that can help owners and veterinarians intervene long before a problem becomes serious.
Telemedicine & Remote Monitoring Medicine
Telemedicine is no longer an emergency pandemic fix—it’s now a foundational pillar of veterinary care. Industry analysts from Global Market Insights project sustained double-digit growth in pet telehealth through 2030, particularly among multi-pet households and mobile veterinary practices. The next wave includes real-time data integration—owners can share wearable metrics or AI-flagged behaviors with their vet instantly.
Why it matters: Faster triage, fewer unnecessary visits, and a calmer, more informed owner experience. When tech reduces stress for pets and people alike, everyone wins.
AI Is Moving from Buzzword to Bedside
Artificial intelligence is transforming veterinary diagnostics, just as it has in human medicine. Some of the most exciting advancements are AI systems trained to analyze radiographs, ultrasounds, and pathology slides, flagging early signs of disease that even skilled eyes might miss. Meanwhile, consumer wearables now employ AI to interpret behavioral and biometric data, helping identify potential health issues earlier.
Why it matters: AI helps make sense of the vast amount of data now available—from motion sensors and diet trackers to genetic and medical records—turning raw numbers into actionable insights. It bridges the gap between observation and prevention.
The “Holy Grail”: Non-Invasive Heartworm Tests
Heartworm remains a major nationwide concern, with the AVMA and American Heartworm Society emphasizing the need for annual testing. But anyone who’s had to restrain a dog for a blood draw knows how stressful it can be—for both pet and owner.
Researchers from Auburn University and Texas A&M presented studies exploring saliva- and breath-based testing methods for detecting heartworm antigens and associated bacterial markers (like Wolbachia). The potential is groundbreaking: a quick, painless test using saliva or breath condensate could replace blood draws entirely.
If successful, this would mean easier screening in mobile clinics, shelters, and for anxious or reactive pets—ultimately improving prevention rates nationwide. While still in development, many experts at the summit described this innovation as the holy grail of diagnostic accessibility.
Why it matters: A saliva-based heartworm test could transform preventive care, making annual checks stress-free and accessible to every pet—especially those most at risk.
At-Home Health: From Feeders to Diagnostics
Beyond collars and apps, the 2025 wave of smart pet products is bringing diagnostics and care directly into the home. New devices include smart feeders that measure nutrient intake and sync with vet-approved diet plans, pet cameras with AI-based behavior recognition, automated litter boxes that analyze urine for pH or glucose changes, and portable testing kits for saliva and fecal analysis.
Manufacturers at the summit highlighted how these tools can feed data directly into clinic management systems—turning your living room into a mini health lab.
Why it matters: Owners gain daily insights into their pets’ well-being, helping catch problems like dehydration, urinary infections, or diet imbalance early.
Tech we are watching for in 2026
• Telehealth and AI diagnostics embedded directly into clinic workflows
• Wearable data integration with patient electronic records
• Point-of-care biosensors, especially saliva and urine analytics for faster, less invasive testing
• Ongoing heartworm education as incidence spreads northward due to climate shifts and pet relocation
• Digital supply ecosystems (like VetCove and DVM Central) simplifying procurement and enabling smaller practices to compete effectively
As consolidation reshapes the veterinary landscape, clinics that adopt flexible, connected technology will deliver more efficient, personalized care—and remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.
Business Innovation: Tech as a Differentiator
One of the clearest takeaways from the Boston summit was that technology alone doesn’t create value—execution does. The businesses gaining traction are those using tech strategically to deliver real outcomes: earlier detection, better treatment adherence, fewer emergencies, and more transparency between owner, vet, and product maker.
For small pet brands, clinics, and entrepreneurs, differentiation lies in how you connect these tools into a cohesive experience. Some key opportunities:
• Wearable-to-Wellness Programs: Pair smart collars with wellness plans or annual check-ins, turning gadgets into health commitments.
• Tele-Triage Services: Offer chat-based or video consultations that guide owners between minor care and clinic visits.
• Education & Prevention Content: Build customer trust through blogs, infographics, and interactive tools that explain new diagnostics, regional heartworm maps, and seasonal risks.
• Pilot Non-Invasive Screening: As saliva and breath tests reach market readiness, early adopters can position their practice as leaders in compassionate, cutting-edge care.
The Bigger Picture: Technology with Heart
While devices and algorithms grab headlines, the deeper message of every new tech innovation is clear—technology is most powerful when it strengthens the human–animal bond. The goal isn’t just automation or efficiency; it’s empathy informed by data.
When owners can track a pet’s subtle changes, share that data easily, and get proactive guidance, everyone benefits: the pet gets better care, the vet works with better data, and the owner feels empowered rather than anxious.
This holistic approach—combining smart devices, telehealth, AI analytics, and emerging non-invasive diagnostics—is redefining what it means to be a responsible pet parent.
Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
What can we expect in the next 18 months? Based on summit projections and current R&D pipelines:
• Saliva-based heartworm prototypes could enter clinical validation by late 2026.
• Wearable ecosystems will link directly to veterinary platforms, not just mobile apps.
• Home-based diagnostics (urine, fecal, saliva) will become increasingly accurate and vet-integrated.
• AI triage assistants will streamline appointment scheduling and risk prioritization.
• Collaborative data standards will make it possible for clinics, labs, and tech firms to share information securely and ethically.
The acceleration we’re seeing is unprecedented. Innovation cycles that once took five years are now happening in two. The boundary between medical technology and pet product is fading fast—and that’s great news for animal health.
The Bottom Line
In 2025, pet care has entered a new era: smarter, faster, and more compassionate. From AI diagnostics to saliva-based testing breakthroughs, every trend points toward a future where prevention is personalized, monitoring is effortless, and treatment is minimally invasive.
Technology is no longer the future—it’s the present foundation of pet wellness. As these tools evolve through 2026, the winners will be the brands, clinics, and owners who connect the dots—turning signals into solutions, and data into love.
Because at the end of the day, tech should do what Sit. Stay. Forever. has always believed in: keep pets healthier, safer, and closer to the people who love them.