How to Check Your Dog's Vital Signs at Home

How to Take Your Dog's Pulse (Heart Rate)

The easiest place to feel your dog's pulse is the femoral artery, located on the inside of the upper hind leg where it meets the body.

1. Have your dog lie down or stand calmly. The dog should be at rest (not after exercise).
2. Place two fingers (index and middle) on the inside of the upper thigh, in the crease where the leg meets the body.
3. Press gently until you feel the rhythmic pulse of the femoral artery.
4. Count the beats for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4 to get beats per minute (bpm).
5. Alternatively, place your hand on the left side of the chest, just behind the elbow, to feel the heartbeat directly.

Tip: Practice finding the pulse when your dog is healthy and relaxed. It is much harder to find when you are stressed during an emergency. Record your dog's normal resting heart rate for reference.

How to Measure Respiration Rate

Respiration rate is simple to check and provides important information about respiratory and cardiac health.

1. Wait until your dog is resting quietly (not panting). Sleeping is ideal.
2. Watch the chest rise and fall. Each rise-and-fall cycle counts as one breath.
3. Count breaths for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 (or count for a full 60 seconds for accuracy).
4. Normal resting rate is 10-30 breaths per minute.

When to be concerned: A resting respiratory rate consistently above 40 breaths per minute can indicate congestive heart failure, pneumonia, or other serious conditions. Labored breathing (visible effort, using abdominal muscles, flared nostrils) is always a reason to contact your vet.

How to Take Your Dog's Temperature

A rectal temperature is the most accurate method. While not pleasant for either party, it is straightforward with practice.

1. Use a digital thermometer — Faster and safer than glass. Label it "DOG ONLY."
2. Lubricate the tip — Use petroleum jelly or water-based lubricant.
3. Have someone help — One person to hold and comfort the dog, one to insert the thermometer.
4. Insert gently — Lift the tail and insert the thermometer about 1 inch into the rectum. Do not force it.
5. Wait for the beep — Digital thermometers typically read in 10-30 seconds.
6. Clean and reward — Disinfect the thermometer and give your dog a treat.

How to Check Capillary Refill Time (CRT)

CRT measures how quickly blood returns to the gums after pressure, indicating circulation quality. It is one of the fastest and easiest vital sign checks.

1. Lift your dog's upper lip to expose the gums above the teeth.
2. Note the gum color — healthy gums are pink (like bubblegum).
3. Press your finger firmly against the gum for 2 seconds, then release.
4. The spot will turn white where you pressed. Count how many seconds it takes for the pink color to return.

Normal CRT: Less than 2 seconds. If the color takes longer than 2 seconds to return, or if the gums are white, blue, gray, or brick-red, your dog may have a circulation problem and needs veterinary attention urgently.

What Gum Color Tells You

• Pink — Normal, healthy circulation
• Pale or white — Possible anemia, blood loss, or shock
• Blue or purple (cyanosis) — Insufficient oxygen; respiratory or cardiac emergency
• Bright red — Possible heat stroke, carbon monoxide exposure, or high blood pressure
• Yellow (jaundice) — Liver disease or red blood cell destruction
• Muddy/gray — Poor perfusion; possible sepsis or severe shock

When to Check Vital Signs

• Regularly when healthy — Establish a baseline so you know what is normal for your dog
• When your dog seems unwell — Lethargy, not eating, vomiting, or acting different
• After an injury or accident — Before calling the vet, so you can report specific numbers
• During hot weather — To monitor for signs of heat stroke
• Post-surgery recovery — Your vet may ask you to monitor at home

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