A dog’s vital signs – temperature, pulse, and respiration (TPR) – alter depending on his age and size, and on the weather. In hot weather, for instance, his vital signs will be slightly higher than usual.
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Find out what your dog’s usual TPR is by taking his temperature, pulse and respiration rates, when he is at rest, over a period of a week (in summer and in winter) to discover his average during warm and cold seasons.
Bear in mind that the pulse and respiration rates will also be higher following exercise and when he is excited or fearful. As a guide, dog vital signs are:
- Temperature – 38.1 to 38.6 degrees Celsius
- Pulse – 62 to 130 beats per minute depending on size; the smaller the dog, the more rapid the pulse
- Respiration – 10 to 30 breaths per minute; smaller dogs breathe faster
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Check your dog’s pulse rate by placing two fingers on the femoral artery found underneath the skin at the top of the dog’s inner thigh. It is quality as well as the number per minute of pulse beats that is important; a weak pulse rate can indicate a blood-circulation problem.
