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Pet owners will be able to monitor how their dogs and cats are feeling through a new 'smart collar' which will be launched next year.

Manufacturers claim the futuristic monitor will allow pets to 'tell' their owners how they are feeling and even be able to detect whether they are in pain by assessing their physiological and behavioural patterns.

Miniature sensors built into the collar automatically monitor the temperature, pulse and breathing rate of the animal - as well as their activity patterns and even the number of calories they have burned.

Miniature sensors built into the collar automatically monitor the temperature, pulse and breathing rate of the animal - as well as their activity patterns and even the number of calories they have burned

The gadget is very much like increasingly popular wristbands that can help athletes monitor their training and general health.

Software built into the collar analyses the body's data in the context of the pet's history and breed.

Owners can set up email and text message alerts to notify them of any changes in pulse or breathing rates and build a 'personalised health profile' of their pet.

They will even be able to compare the activities and 'performance' of animals if owners have more than one.

Dr Asaf Dagan, chief veterinary scientist at PetPace which has developed the gadget, said: 'This collar will enable pets, for the first time, to "tell" us how they feel.'

The collar that can tell you your pet is feeling poorly

This dog wearing the PetPace collar can now communicate with its master

Vets have welcomed the innovation - which has just been launched in the US following three years of research - saying it could help to diagnose and manage animals' illnesses and diseases.

PetPace, the company behind the hi-tech gadget, says miniature sensors built into the collar automatically track the temperature, pulse and breathing rate of pets, as well as their activity patterns and calories burned.

The 'smart collar', which retails for about £90 ($150) in the US, is expected to go on sale in the UK next year

The 'smart collar', which retails for about £90 ($150) in the US, is expected to go on sale in the UK next year.

Robin Hargreaves, president of the British Veterinary Association, told the Veterinary Times: 'This kind of monitoring system could be very helpful in the diagnosis and management of disease.

'However, as with any type of diagnostic test monitoring the health of an animal, the interpretation of the results should be made by a veterinary surgeon, taking into account the clinical history of the animal as well as a physical examination by the vet.'

The monitor is the latest in a series of unusual items developed for pets having been modelled on human equivalents.