The heartbeat in humans is. Animal equally important. It is an important indicator of whether your dog is doing well. This means that you should also be able to check your friend's pulse. The sooner you get a feel for taking the pulse, the better. The heart rate shows how often the heart beats per minute. The heartbeat is necessary for the blood to be pumped through the body. Pulse refers to the wave of blood that flows to the walls of blood vessels as a result of the heartbeat. So theoretically it can be felt in various parts of the body.
Measuring the pulse in a dog
A heartbeat your animal has for sure. But unlike humans, the pulse of a dog cannot be felt in many places. A hairless area and thin skin are prerequisites for palpation. The thighs meet the criteria. The artery is located on the inside of the back legs. You can feel the throbbing from the heartbeat on it. Taking a pulse in a dog can be done on the crease of the inner thigh of the leg. With a little practice you will find the aderschlag easier and easier. For the first palpation, you should not wait for the next emergency. Instead, practice measuring immediately. Otherwise it may take too long for you to find it.
How to measure the pulse in a dog?
The hand grasps the thigh.
The thumb, which is around the thigh, fixes the position.
With two fingers on the inside of the thigh, press on the artery.
Now count the throbbing from the heartbeat in 15 seconds.
The number of heartbeats multiplied by 4 gives the pulse per minute.
For safety you can repeat the procedure.
Resting pulse
The resting pulse is not the same for every four-legged friend. The heartbeat of a dog varies from animal to animal. It depends on the size, breed and age of the dog. If you are unsure, you can get information from the vet. If dog owners know what the resting pulse rate is, deviations can be easily detected. Basically, the following guide values apply to the resting pulse:
1. Resting pulse of small dogs: 100 to 120 heartbeats per minute. 2. Resting pulse of large dogs: 80 to 100 heartbeats per minute.
Irregular heartbeat in dogs
An irregular heartbeat is not atypical in dogs. Normally it is not a cause for concern. In general, however, you do not need to be afraid for your animal. Who is nevertheless uncertain, which can drive to the veterinary surgeon. Sometimes the situation is just funny. And since it is about the dog's health, you as the owner are welcome to play it safe.
Heart disease: symptoms of problems
As a rule, dogs do not suffer from arteriosclerosis. A heart attack is very rare. The life of a dog is different from that of a human. His stress can not harm his heart. Also the nutrition of the quadruped is different. In itself it can be called healthier. Nevertheless, many pets suffer from heart disease. These influence heartbeat and pulse. The reason is already in the genetics. This does not necessarily mean that a heart defect must be present from birth. With many dogs it occurs only in the course of the life. Also, not every breed is affected by problems in the same way. Some dog breeds are considered healthier. Others are known to have certain heart conditions. If your friend belongs to a rather endangered dog breed, it is generally recommended to check the heartbeat once. A short inquiry with the veterinarian makes by all means sense.
Besides genetics, there may be other causes of disease. Age plays an important role. But besides this you can also take precautions yourself for your four-legged friend. For example, you need to know that the diet of raw meat brings some risk. BARF can lead to a taurine deficiency in some quadrupeds. The same problem occurs in dogs with a sensitive gastrointestinal system. Taurine is an amino acid. The degradation product is important for the heart metabolism. In addition, harmful environmental influences. Too little exercise is bad for the heart.
Recognizing heart problems in dogs
But how are heart problems in dogs detected? Often many heart diseases are discovered only by chance. They often stand out during health checks or vaccination appointments. The veterinarian routinely checks the heartbeat. But you can also take the pulse. If something seems unusual, it is best to report it to the doctor you trust. Other signs point to a problem. Your dog has noticeably less urge to move. Lies a lot in the basket or on the blanket. After just a few minutes of walking, your pet wants to go home. Frequent coughing. Panting are typical symptoms.
Quadrupeds can suffer from edema. You should be warned about water retention in legs, abdomen and lungs.
If the tongue and mucous membranes are discolored blue, this indicates a lack of oxygen.
If the dog suffers from these problems, death can come quickly. The heartbeat simply stops. This is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the brain. It is important to have a watchful eye. However, it is often seen in practice that symptoms are detected but are not life-threatening. Therefore, as a dog owner, I ask you not to panic immediately if you notice something strange. If you want to react, it's best not to ask the Internet. There is a lot of misinterpretation here. Better visit your vet. With examinations and simple heartbeat and pulse measurement, it can help you and your dog further. This allows rhythm disturbances and any problems to be detected quickly and reliably.