How Smartphones Are Being Used To Save Pets’ Lives

Pet care costs have gone up year after year, leaving many owners stuck between love for their animals and money limits. Decorte Future Industries says more than 150 million new pets entered homes worldwide during the first year of Covid, the largest increase ever recorded. Many of those animals now reach the age when long term illness appears.

The company says 40 – 60% of pets develop chronic conditions by 6 or 7 years old. Tests needed to diagnose these problems can cost as much as $1,600. Veterinary prices have risen by more than 60% since 2015, according to Decorte Future Industries, putting advanced checks out of reach for many households.

Vets and owners see the human cost of that pressure every day. Reports referenced by the company say unaffordable care has something to do with the rise in euthanasia cases. Clinics face packed appointment lists and limited specialist time, while owners delay visits because of cost fears.

How Does Sonus Health Turn Sound Into Medical Insight?

A Cambridge startup believes sound carries far more health detail than most people realise. Decorte Future Industries has launched Sonus Health, an app that uses artificial intelligence to read health data from sound captured by a standard smartphone microphone.

To use it, an owner places a phone against their pet’s chest. The app gives instant readings on heart rate and heart rate variability. After the scan, a detailed report goes to a veterinary cardiologist for review.

That review can flag pain or early signs of serious disease. Each scan connects the case to a Diplomate in Veterinary Cardiology, the highest qualification in the field. A consultation of that level often costs more than $1,100 in a clinic, according to the company, while Sonus Health offers it for a fraction of that price.

Quite a few veterinary clinics worldwide already use the app through early access. Decorte Future Industries says one of the largest vet groups in the UK took part. Over 160 clinics across Australia, the Middle East, India, China, South America, North America, Africa and Europe have joined the global waitlist.

Can This Ease Pressure On Vets And Ageing Pets?

Leadership changes support the launch, and Daniel Steele, founder and chief executive of a European booking platform that grew from zero to one million users and from zero to £50 million in bookings, has joined as chief technology officer.

Linda Jiang has taken the chief revenue officer post. She previously served as chief operating officer of Wluper and co founded a mobile data analytics company that Alibaba later acquired. Veterinary expertise also plays a large role, with Laurent Locquet joining as head veterinarian. He runs an online school for 400 veterinary cardiologists.

Dr Roeland P J E Decorte, founder and chief executive of Decorte Future Industries, described the scale of the challenge. “Pet healthcare is reaching a breaking point. Millions of new pets joined households during Covid, the largest surge in recorded history. In 2026, virtually all of these pandemic pets are reaching the age when complex conditions typically emerge,” he said.

He said rising prices and limited capacity to painful outcomes are related to one another. “Too often, the result is pets suffering in silence or being put down because treatment is unaffordable. Sonus Health gives the world a new tool to change that, and to brace for what’s coming,” Decorte said.

He also spoke about access. “For the first time, specialist level assessment and triage will be available to any pet owner, nurse or veterinarian with a smartphone. We are giving every pet a voice and helping them to live longer, healthier lives,” he said.