Accuracy and agreement of a wearable device for heart rate and oxygen saturation monitoring in awake dogs.

Owlet Smart Sock acceptable for dog heart rate, unreliable for oxygen saturation monitoring.

This study evaluated the Owlet Smart Sock, a wearable device designed for human use, as a potential monitoring tool for awake dogs during preoperative evaluation. Researchers compared simultaneous heart rate and peripheral oxygen saturation measurements from the Owlet Smart Sock against a veterinary patient monitor (reference standard) in 237 paired measurements from clinically healthy dogs with low activity levels. Heart rate measurements demonstrated strong correlation (r = 0.934) with minimal bias (-0.46 bpm) and narrow limits of agreement, meeting predefined equivalence criteria (±10 bpm). However, peripheral oxygen saturation measurements showed poor correlation (r = 0.038) with substantial individual-level variability. The authors concluded that while the Owlet Smart Sock provides acceptable accuracy for heart rate monitoring in calm, awake dogs, its utility for oxygen saturation assessment is limited and unreliable for clinical application. These findings suggest potential value for simplified heart rate monitoring in low-stress settings, though the device cannot currently replace standard veterinary monitoring equipment for comprehensive vital sign assessment.

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