Vital Signs — Know What’s Normal for Your Pet
Overview
Recognizing when something isn’t right with your pet is one of the most valuable skills you can develop as an owner. Checking your pet’s vital signs — heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature — is a simple but powerful way to assess their health.
Practice taking your pet’s vital signs regularly in a calm, non-emergency setting. This will help you become more confident with the process and establish a baseline for what’s normal for your pet, making it easier to recognize when something changes.
Keep in mind that vital signs can be influenced by stress or environmental factors such as room temperature. Any change from your pet’s usual baseline is worth a call to your veterinarian, especially if there’s no clear cause.
Respiratory Rate
Count the number of times your pet’s chest rises (inhales) & falls (exhales). Each rise/fall combination equals one breath. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by two.
Normal range:
Dogs — 18 to 34 breaths per minute
Cats —16 to 30 breaths per minute
Heart Rate
Place your hand over your pet’s heart, which is where your their left elbow meets their chest. Alternatively, take your pet’s pulse by placing two fingers on the femoral artery, which is on the inside of the hind leg. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by two.
Normal range:
Small dog — 90 to 120 beats per minute
Medium dog — 70 to 110 beats per minute
Large dog — 60 to 90 beats per minute
Cats — About 140 to 180 beats per minute
Temperature
Enlist a helper to hold your pet’s head and keep them still. Treats are good distractions. Cover the tip of a fast-acting rectal thermometer with lubricant and insert it into your pet’s rectum, just past the tip. Hold the thermometer steady until it beeps.
Normal Range:
Dogs — Between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit
Cats — Between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit