AI helps fast-track more than 4,700 pet emergencies

We're super excited to reveal that our AI-powered veterinary triage service has identified more than 4,700 potentially life-threatening pet emergencies since July 2025, helping thousands of owners seek urgent veterinary treatment.

The technology, available free to all Waggel customers through our partnership with Joii, provides 24/7 access to an AI-powered vet assistant that analyses reported symptoms and can quickly flag signs of serious illness requiring urgent veterinary attention.

Last month alone, the system issued more than 400 emergency recommendations.

The AI is designed to recognise when a pet needs immediate veterinary care. If an owner reports symptoms associated with an emergency, such as difficulty breathing, collapse, severe lethargy or seizures, the system instantly advises them to attend a veterinary practice without waiting for a routine consultation.

Joii's AI model has been trained on more than 4 million Symptom Checker assessments, 500,000 veterinary consultations, and over 100,000 labelled images and videos. It also connects owners with veterinary professionals for video consultations where further assessment is needed.

By providing instant access to triage and an average wait of just 10 minutes for a virtual vet appointment, Joii's service removes a critical delay, helping pets reach emergency care as quickly as possible when every minute counts.

Waggel vet, Aimee Warner, comments: “It’s not always immediately clear when your pet needs emergency help, and with some conditions a few hours can make all the difference. Technology like this helps people make a decision at home and can also help triage cases, so vets know how critical the situation is as the pets come in.”

One of our customers, Justina, faced a real emergency last week when her cat Neville ingested ant poison in their home.

Justina said: “When I woke up one morning, I found my cat, Neville, foaming at the mouth and immediately knew something wasn’t right. I went straight to Waggel’s triage service, and after asking a few questions about the ant poison he may have eaten, they quickly confirmed it wasn’t pet-safe and told me to call my vet immediately.

It was such a scary situation, but having that advice so quickly meant I could get Neville the help he needed straight away. My vet was able to fit us in urgently after I explained everything the triage had recommended, and we started treatment immediately. Thankfully, Neville made a full recovery. Having access to the triage service took the worry of decision-making off me and made a really stressful experience much easier to handle.”

The technology is powered by Joii's AI model, which has been trained on more than 4 million Symptom Checker assessments, 430,000 veterinary consultations and over 100,000 labelled images and videos. The system can help identify symptoms associated with more than 130 common illnesses and conditions, while also connecting owners with veterinary professionals for video consultations where further assessment is needed.

Henri Dowling, our CEO, said: “At Waggel, everything we do is about helping pets live happier, healthier lives, so seeing evidence that this technology may have helped save lives is fantastic. It’s easy to underestimate how quickly a pet’s condition can deteriorate, and in those moments getting the right guidance straight away can be crucial. If we can help owners spot the signs of something serious and get their pet the care they need more quickly, that’s a real win. 

We’re proud to have been one of the first insurers to offer this technology as part of our cover, and we’re committed to continuing to develop services that make life better for both pets and their owners.”