I constantly advise people to keep an eye on and ear to their pets every day. You start to recognize patterns in their behavior, such as how much they eat and drink, how long they sleep for, where they sleep, and how they breathe both at rest and after an effort.
These are all indicators of your animal’s health. Understanding what is typical will help you spot odd behavior the easiest. Here are some criteria to assist you evaluate whether your hot dog or heavy breather is healthy or experiencing issues.
We hardly ever pay attention to our own or our dogs’ breathing. The muscles that control breathing receive signals from the base of the brain that travel down the spine on a regular basis instructing them to contract and relax. This is how the body naturally controls breathing. Based on variables including activity level, temperature, the presence of irritants or poisons in the air, and emotions like fear or worry, breathing can fluctuate.
At repose, dogs typically breathe between 10 and 35 times per minute. At repose, the typical dog breathes 24 times each minute. Calculate the number of breaths your dog takes in a minute by counting the motions of his chest for 15 seconds, then multiplying that amount by four. Practice at home in a calm environment with your dog so that you can spot problems as soon as they arise.
When a dog’s respiratory rate is abnormally high for an extended period of time without being caused by any of the aforementioned environmental conditions, it may indicate a health issue such anemia, congestive heart failure, or one of several respiratory illnesses.
A concern is also raised by shallow or slow breathing. A dog who has seen a sharp drop in breathing rate may be experiencing shock. He might be at danger of losing his ability to breathe. Many things can cause this, such as trauma (such being struck by a car), poisoning, or specific neuromuscular illnesses.
Other symptoms to watch out for include noisy breathing, trouble breathing in or out, forceful, deep breathing, or coughing, particularly a dry cough or one that produces mucus or blood. It goes without saying that any change in your dog’s respiration could be an emergency and call for an immediate trip to the vet!
Both people and dogs’ bodies can operate normally within a certain temperature range. The typical body temperature of a dog is between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Canines typically have a body temperature of 101.3. Puppies can differ slightly from these ranges. For instance, newborn puppies’ body temperatures range from 94 to 97 degrees, and they could take up to a month to reach normal range.
Dogs can stay warm in cold weather thanks to an insulating coat of hair or fur, but it’s harder for them to stay cool. They must release heat through panting since, unlike us, they lack a sweat gland evaporative cooling system. This is ineffective, therefore it’s crucial to always provide your dog access to cool water, cover from the sun when he’s outside, and to restrict activity during the hottest parts of the day. This is especially true for dogs with short faces (brachycephalic breeds), such as Bulldogs or Pugs, who can succumb to heatstroke quickly if not kept in a cool environment.
Use K-Y or petroleum jelly to lubricate a bulb or digital rectal thermometer before carefully inserting it one to three inches into the anal canal to take your dog’s temperature. You’ll need a helper to hold the dog firmly during this process, even if the dog is small. Hold the thermometer in place for three minutes, but do not allow the dog to sit down on it. Then take it out, clean it off, and check the temperature. Use alcohol to disinfect the thermometer after each use.
How can you tell whether your dog has an abnormally high or low body temperature? If he gets chills, shivers, or is attempting to stay warm by curling up or resting in a warm place, his temperature may be below normal. Fevers, on the other hand, can result from anything from inflammation and allergic reactions to poisons or cancer. They are frequently the body’s response to infection.
Dogs who experience heatstroke—a dangerously high body temperature—pant a lot, have trouble breathing, and may even have bright red tongues and gums. Other symptoms include vomiting and thick drool. A heat stroke emergency exists! Bring the dog to the vet after removing him from the heat and giving his paws a warm water bath.
The age and size of your dog affect how quickly his heart beats. Puppies under two weeks old have the fastest heartbeats, which range from 160 to 200 beats per minute at birth to up to 220 bpm at that age. The heartbeat of an adult dog occurs 60 to 140 times per minute. Typically, a dog’s heart rate decreases with size. The heart rate of a toy dog can reach 180 bpm.
Put your palm on the inner of the dog’s back leg at mid-thigh to check its heart rate. The femoral artery should be close to the surface and pulse. If your dog is standing, it will be simpler to find it. To calculate beats per minute, multiply the number of beats you perceive over a 15-second period by four.
An abnormally fast or slow pulse can raise red flags. A rapid heartbeat could be a sign of something as simple as anxiousness, but it can also be a sign of a wide range of illnesses, such as blood loss, dehydration, fever, and heatstroke. A sluggish heartbeat could indicate shock or cardiac problems.
Ask your veterinarian what is typical for your dog the next time you visit the clinic, and have her demonstrate how to look for it. Knowing what to watch for will help you avoid anxiety and ensure that you arrive at the veterinarian promptly in the event of an emergency.
Is Your Dog Breathing?
- To check for air, put your cheek or the back of your palm up to their nose. Observe their chest’s ups and downs as well.
- Check for obstructions in their airway if they are not breathing. Clear the throat and mouth of any debris or liquid by moving the tongue as far forward as you can.
Does your dog have a Pulse?
- The femoral artery on the inside thigh is where you may most easily identify your dog’s pulse. When you are almost at the spot where the leg joins the body, run your hand along the inside of the hind leg. Where the femoral artery is closest to the skin, you should feel a little dip there. To feel for a pulse, softly press down with your fingers instead of your thumb.
- If you are unable to detect the pulse at the femoral artery, try immediately above the heart or just above the metacarpal pad, the large, middle pad of your dog’s front paw.
- The left side of your dog’s chest is where their heart is located. The front left leg of your dog should be bent so the elbow hits the chest in order to locate it. The location of the heart is where the elbow touches the chest.
You can simply use artificial respiration if your dog has a pulse but is not breathing (Skip down to Step 4 below). You must do CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, on your dog if it is not breathing on its own. CPR combines chest compressions and artificial respiration.
What is a dog’s typical heart rate?
Every pet owner wants the best health and happiness for their pet. As their caregiver, you are in charge of making sure that you are doing everything in your power to keep your dog healthy and that you are also aware of and concerned about her wellbeing. This implies that you keep an eye on how she behaves and can spot odd conduct right away. Establishing a baseline for your pet’s vital data is one of the greatest methods to keep track of her health and welfare. When she is fit and healthy, her heart rate, temperature, and respiration rate are as follows. This information may then be compared to, and if there is a big difference, you know it’s time to get a vet’s advise.
Similar to humans, a number of variables, such as your dog’s size and health, will have an impact on his precise resting heart rate. A “normal, healthy” large dog should, as a general rule, have a resting heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats per minute, while smaller dogs typically have a resting heart rate between 100 and 140 beats per minute. Puppies with a heart rate of up to 180 beats per minute are considered to be young (12 months and under).
Checking your dog’s heart rate while she is healthy will help you understand what is ‘normal’ for your furry friend because this figure can vary greatly.
It’s crucial to realize that your heart rate is dynamic and that it might alter when you sleep and exercise. For this reason, the measurement should always be based on a resting heart rate. When your dog is quiet and comfortable and hasn’t recently engaged in any physical activity, their heart rate is at resting levels.
Contrary to what you would anticipate, it is simple to check your dog’s heart rate. Put your hand on her chest first. In 15 seconds, note how many pulses you can detect. To calculate the beats per minute, just multiply this by 4.
It could be challenging to sense the pulses if your dog has a large chest. You could also put two fingers on the middle of your dog’s thigh, close to the joint where the leg joins the body. You should be able to feel pulses in this area that coincide with your dog’s heartbeats because here is where the femoral artery passes through.
The disease known as sinus bradycardia, or SB, causes a dog’s heart rate to drop drastically below normal. It can be a sign of a major health issue that needs medical attention. However, there are some situations where SB is safe and even helpful because your dog’s heart doesn’t have to work as hard to distribute oxygen throughout the body. Some dog breeds, such as cocker spaniels, dachshunds, pugs, and West Highland white terriers, are more prone to acquiring SB. Except when it is brought on by an underlying illness, in which case a dog of any age can be affected, it is also more frequent in younger animals.
How are a dog’s vital signs checked?
Your dog’s pulse, respiration, temperature, and capillary refill time are the fundamental vital indicators to monitor. We’ll define them and describe how to measure each one.
Respiration
Simply counting the number of breaths your dog takes in a minute will yield its respiratory rate. The steps below can be used to establish your dog’s respiratory rate.
- Count the number of times your dog’s chest rises (to inhale) and descends by watching or placing your touch over its chest (exhales). One breath is equal to each rise and fall combination.
- To calculate the respiratory rate in breaths per minute, count your breaths for 30 seconds and multiply the result by two.
Small dogs should breathe between 20 and 40 times per minute on average. Larger canines will breathe more slowly, typically 10 to 30 breaths per minute.
Dogs in distress may breathe more quickly or more slowly than usual. Dogs suffering from pain or a fever, for instance, may pant (breathe faster than normal). And a dog who has experienced a large drop in breathing rate may be experiencing shock.
Temperature
Feeling your dog’s nose or belly won’t give you a reliable indication of how warm they are inside. You’ll need a digital thermometer in order to acquire an accurate reading. You can use a thermometer designed for humans as long as you keep it apart from other thermometers in your home. In a feverish haze, you wouldn’t want to grasp the incorrect one!
The steps below should be used to check your dog’s temperature.
- Your dog’s tail should be raised and to the side to prevent him from sitting after a petroleum or water-soluble jelly has been applied to the tip of a digital thermometer.
- In accordance with the directions, insert a thermometer 1/2–1 into the dog’s rectum and wait for the thermometer to beep.
The ideal range for your dog’s temperature is between 100.4 and 102.5 F. (38 C-39.16 C). However, just like humans, dogs’ typical body temperatures can change and even alter during the day! For comparison, it’s crucial to know your dog’s normal body temperature.
Serious consequences can result from changes in your dog’s body temperature (up or down). It’s recommended to call your veterinarian to discuss the proper course of action if your dog has either a higher or lower than normal temperature.
What canine respiratory distress symptoms are there?
Signs
- Continuous panting or rapid breathing
- dragged-out breathing
- being worried and unable to relax
- Standing with the neck stretched and the elbows pointing outward.
- excessive or unusual chest/abdominal movement when breathing.
- blue gummies.
- Collapse.
- Mouth breathing with open (in cats)
Is my dog dying, and how can I know?
There will always be death. As pet owners, we don’t like to think about it all that much, but regrettably, we all have to deal with it at some point. There are many articles on the internet that are intended to assist you comprehend the process of death when it comes to euthanasia, but very few that address the subject of natural death when it comes to our dogs passing. Although natural death does not occur frequently, we at Leesville Animal Hospital believe that pet owners should be prepared for it.
Even though only a small percentage of dogs die from natural causes, if you have an older dog, you might be wondering what to expect if yours is one of the rare ones.
There are some symptoms you should look out for if you are the owner of a dog receiving hospice care since they could indicate that your pet is preparing to pass away. Even while these symptoms might sometimes indicate illness or other changes, when they come simultaneously or in conjunction with a general feeling that your pet is getting ready to pass away, you can nearly always be sure that the end is close. It is always worthwhile to visit your family veterinarian or request that they make a home call if you start to see these symptoms in your dog. Your family veterinarian will be able to confirm your assumptions and assist you in understanding how to put your pet more at ease with the process of dying because they will have grown to know them over the years.
The following are indicators to look out for in an aging dog or an ill dog receiving hospice care:
- Inability to coordinate
- reduced appetite
- not anymore consuming water
- inability to move or losing interest in activities they formerly found enjoyable
- extreme tiredness
- vomit or have accidents
- twitching of muscles
- Confusion
- slowed breathing
- unease about being comfy
- a wish to be alone or to get closer to you (this can depend upon the dog, but will present as being an unusual need or behavior)
- consciousness loss
Some of these indicators will start to appear weeks before your dog dies. Most frequently, these symptoms resemble the following:
- You might observe weight loss, a lack of self-grooming, duller eyes, thirst, and gastrointestinal problems 3 months to 3 weeks before your dog passes away.
- Three weeks prior to your dog’s passing, you might notice: a rise in self-isolation, eye discharge, finicky eating, altered breathing patterns, decreased interest in enjoyable activities, growing weight loss, and fussy eating.
- Your dog may experience excessive weight loss, a distant expression in their eyes, a lack of interest in anything, restlessness or odd stillness, a change in how your dog smells, and a changing disposition in the final few days before they pass away.
Many folks may claim that their cherished family pet clung to life right up until the instant that they let the animal to let go. We can’t help but think of this as an extension of the lifetime of loyalty that our dogs show us. Without the assurance that we won’t be without them and that their task is finished, our pets are unable to move on. We owe it to our pets to provide them with that reassurance, no matter how much it may hurt.
Many people worry that they won’t know a) if their pet has genuinely passed away and b) what to do next when the time comes for their cherished pooches to pass away.
There are several indications that your pet has left their body when they have passed away. The body will completely relax, and your dog will no longer appear rigid; instead, they will “let go,” which is the most obvious indication. As the last breath leaves their lungs, you will observe a slimming of the body, and if their eyes are still open, you may notice a loss of life. You should now check for breathing and a heartbeat. You can be certain that your dog has passed on if there is no longer a heartbeat, no breathing, and these conditions have persisted for 30 minutes.
What should you do if your pet has moved on? If your pet died away with their eyes open, you might decide to gently close them first. Your pet may have lost the ability to regulate their bowels or bladder during their passing, and many pet owners wish to clean up after their pets. To do this, use baby wipes, a damp facecloth, or a moist towel. The most crucial thing at this time, though, may be to take your time and spend the final moments with your pet. Take as much time as necessary to say goodbye.
Once you’ve said your goodbyes, you should phone your vet or, if your vet doesn’t offer home visits, a vet who does. They will be able to attest to the passing of your companion and, if needed, transfer your dog for cremation. It is usually better to have a veterinarian check on your pet before you do so, even if you have permission to bury them on your land. Some pet owners decide to bring their deceased animal to their local veterinarian facility. If you decide to do this, cover your pet in a tidy blanket and phone your veterinarian to let them know you will be there. They will be able to inform you what you need to bring with you and provide you with any additional instructions you may need for your visit.
Your veterinarian can handle the cremation process for you if you decide to do so for your pet. Every veterinary practice works closely with a pet cremation. However, if you would rather, you can make the arrangements and go to the Crematory with your dog. However, if you decide to do this, you must remember that it must be done right afterwards, or else you must ask your veterinarian to preserve your companion’s remains until you can travel the next day.
You can decide whether to have an individual cremation or a communal cremation, in which case your pet would be burned alongside other animals. Even though an individual cremation is more expensive, it is still a private process. You may have decided to keep your pet’s ashes after cremation or to have them strewn near the crematorium. You must decide what is right for you at this moment.
A pet cemetery can be a better option for you if cremation is not the option that feels right to you but you are not allowed to bury your pet on your property because of municipal regulations. Every state has a pet cemetery, and each cemetery has its unique procedures for burying animals.
