FitBark has been adopted by over 100 research institutions and vet schools in all continents to validate new drugs, products, surgeries and treatments related to mobility, anxious behaviors and skin conditions. Common applications include osteoarthritis, nutrition, weight management, pain management, ACL and other orthopedic surgeries, rehabilitation, sleep disorders, skin disorders, circadian rhythmicity etc.
BACKGROUND
Most of validation studies for new canine treatment plans do not include accelerometer-based measurements. Rather, they are historically based on subjective (rather than objective) activity metrics, or otherwise on lab-based activity measurement (rather than in free-living conditions). For example, a new stem cell orthopedic treatment might include a survey where a dog owner is asked “from a scale of 1 to 5, how did the activity of your pet change 1, 4 or 8 weeks after starting the treatment”? The main reason why we do things this way is that accelerometer-based studies have been expensive and difficult to manage. Here’s how our cloud-based platform compares with state-of-the-art technology.
| TYPICAL CHALLENGES | BENEFITS OF FITBARK |
|---|---|
| Activity monitors designed for humans | Designed natively for dogs of any size |
| Cost of each activity monitor (100’s of $) | << $69.95 Activity monitor |
| Cost of desktop-based software (1,000’s of $) | Free mobile app, web dashboard?& Data storage |
| Costs associated with?device inventory mgmt | Device may be?drop shipped and gifted to dog owner |
| Cost to setup the device | User sets up the device independently |
| Cost to create a study-specific control group | Might not be necessary if similar dogs exist |
| No data visibility during data collection process | Data is remotely pushed online in real time |
| Data consolidation across study locations | Data is immediately consolidated online |
| Potential loss of data offline | Amazon Web Services (AWS) 24/7 backup |
| Data export for advanced analysis | Cloud API, .csv export |
| Data integration with 3rd party software | Cloud API feeds directly 3rd-party apps |
Meet some of the leaders who shaped our vision
I think the activity devices like FitBark are going to be incredibly important for pet owners on a number of levels to ensure that their pets get adequate exercise and that they themselves are, too.
FitBark is part of an exciting new force in science, the generation of big datasets that can take us closer to the truth about the relationship between health and lifestyle.? FitBark can be used to monitor trends in the daily behaviour of pet dogs, and potentially, to detect disease and... Read More
FitBark is part of an exciting new force in science, the generation of big datasets that can take us closer to the truth about the relationship between health and lifestyle.? FitBark can be used to monitor trends in the daily behaviour of pet dogs, and potentially, to detect disease and changes in well-being at a very early stage.
Leveraging the dog-owner relationship with a focus on monitoring the pet's physical activity is highly innovative. Platforms like FitBark have the potential to get both pets and people moving together and improve health outcomes for all.
FitBark is not only an?exceptionally powerful tool for researchers and veterinarians. It's also?designed and priced so?all dog owners have access to clear answers about the health of their pets.
We have been using FitBark to to manage dogs with generalized anxiety along with a nutraceutical diet (Forza10 Behavioral?or?Armonia) and a correct therapy. We are delighted with the quality of FitBark's?data and?how easy it is to access the information we need to run our studies.
FitBark has been a great company to collaborate with on our FDA-registered INAD research trial on dogs with chronic allergic dermatitis. They assisted us with data analysis and worked with the dog owners to ensure that our data collection went smoothly. What a great team! Thank you, FitBark!
Case Studies & Select News
FitBark and Elanco team up to promote pet health and well-being
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Elanco, a global leader focused on developing and marketing innovative solutions that enhance…
University of Haifa taps FitBark to show that dog health monitors motivate humans to be more active
Log My Dog: Perceived Impact of Dog Activity Tracking Abstract: The pet industry is catching up in the wearables market, and pet activity and…
FitBark and Fitbit team up to get dogs and their humans healthy together
We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Fitbit. Together, we aim to inspire humans to be more active with their pets, generating better…
Introducing Historical Views and Weekly Email Report
Hello FitBarkers! On the recommendation of countless dog parents and veterinarians, we are excited to announce two new features available to all…
Introducing FitBark 2 Dog Activity & Sleep Monitor
Big news, pet parents. Your favorite dog health monitor just got an upgrade! Since the introduction of FitBark two years ago, we have been working…
University of Cambridge pioneers telemetry in orthopedic research with FitBark’s activity monitor
Researchers at the University of Cambridge completed a One Healthy study that has the potential to improve outcomes in treatment of a wide range of…
Mayo Clinic uses FitBark’s activity monitors to show that dogs are good sleep companions
Great news for those who can’t bear to be apart from their pooches: allowing Fido to sleep in your room can actually give you a better night’s……
University of Sassari taps FitBark to validate a nutraceutical diet that improves dog behavior
A recent study completed by five Italian researchers confirms that a diet with a high nutraceutical value, developed and marketed by Forza10, may…
FitBark partners with PetSure, Australia’s largest pet insurance underwriter
We are thrilled to announce our exclusive partnership with?PetSure to launch FitBark in the Australian market. With 360,000 policy holders, an 85%…
Mayo Clinic studies powered by FitBark data reveal the effect of dogs on human sleep
The background is a series of popular sleep studies A?while back Dr. Lois Krahn, a sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep…
Q&A with Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Missouri University
The FitBark team recently got a chance to chat with Dr. Rebecca Johnson. Dr. Johnson is a founder and director of the Research Center for…