Tuesday, October 16, 2012

How to take a dogs heart rate

How to take a dogs heart rate (pulse):
There are 3 different ways to do this:
Step 1- Lay your dog down on his/her right side. (If It's easier let him/her stand.
Step 2- Gently bring left front leg at the elbow and bring it back to where it touches the chest.
Step 3- Place hand under elbow as in the drawing below.
Here is the second way to take your dogs heart rate:
Step 1-Lay your dog down on either side. 
Step 2- Gently lift his/her upper hind leg away from his/her lower hind leg. 
Step 3- Place 2 fingers as high up as possible on the inside of either leg, just where their leg meets the body. 
Step 4- Feel for a blood vessel. This will be located in the middle of the leg. You should feel the pulse. 
Here is a drawing:
Here is the last way to take your dogs heart rate
Step 1- Have your dog sit or lay down.
Step 2- On either front paw locate the area just above the middle pad on the underside.
Step 3-Lightly place your middle and index finger on this area.
Here is a drawing:
What is the normal heart rate for a dog anyway? 
For a puppy (less than 1 year old):
120-160 beats per minuet.
Small, miniature, or toy breed (less than 30 pounds):
100-140 beats per minuet. 
Medium to large breeds (Greater than 30 pounds): 
60-100 beats per minuet.
Thank you,
Coco

3 comments:

chilejack said...

Very good information, Coco!!

Coco said...

Thank you grandpa!

grace said...

I had no idea how to check a dog's pulse. Thanks!