Whether you’re performing an admission assessment, monitoring a hospitalised patient or keeping a close eye on an anaesthetised dog, measuring heart rate is one of those fundamental clinical skills that veterinary nurses use almost every day.

It might seem straightforward: grab your stethoscope, count a few beats and write down the number. However, there’s a little more to it than that.

Heart rate can provide valuable information about cardiovascular function, pain, stress and overall patient stability. Knowing how to assess it accurately, recognise abnormalities and interpret your findings alongside other clinical parameters is an essential part of veterinary nursing.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to measure heart rate in dogs and cats, what normal values look like, how to assess pulse quality and what to do when the numbers don’t quite add up.

Understanding dog and cat vitals is super important. Read our guide here Normal Dog and Cat Vitals: 9 Critical Clinical Values Every Veterinary Nurse Must Know

1. Understanding Heart Rate vs Pulse Rate

Before reaching for your stethoscope, it’s worth understanding the difference between heart rate and pulse rate.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they aren’t necessarily the same.

Heart rate refers to the number of cardiac contractions per minute, measured in beats per minute (bpm). This is usually assessed through cardiac auscultation using a stethoscope or by interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Pulse rate refers to the number of palpable arterial pressure waves detected per minute. It is commonly assessed by palpating the femoral artery.

In a healthy patient with an effective cardiac output, the heart rate and peripheral pulse rate should generally correspond.

However, certain cardiac arrhythmias can result in some ventricular contractions failing to generate a sufficiently strong pressure wave to be detected peripherally. This is known as a pulse deficit.

For this reason, assessing both heart rate and pulse quality provides more information than relying on either measurement alone.

2. What Is a Normal Heart Rate in Dogs and Cats?

Knowing the expected heart rate for your patient is essential when interpreting clinical findings.

Normal values vary depending on several factors, including age, breed, body size, activity level, stress and overall health.

As a general clinical reference, the following ranges are commonly used for resting adult patients:

Species	Approximate resting heart rate
Dogs	60–140 bpm
Cats	140–220 bpm

These are broad reference ranges rather than absolute diagnostic cut-offs. Individual veterinary references may quote different intervals, particularly for dogs depending on breed and body size.

Heart rate in dogs

Dogs generally have a wider variation in normal heart rates than cats.

• Large and giant breeds often have lower resting heart rates.
• Small breeds typically have faster heart rates.
• Athletic dogs may have relatively low resting rates due to increased cardiovascular efficiency.
• Puppies generally have higher heart rates than adult dogs.

A resting heart rate of 70 bpm may be perfectly appropriate for a large adult dog, whereas the same reading in a small, distressed patient may warrant further investigation.

Heart rate in cats

Cats typically have higher resting heart rates than dogs.

However, anyone who has attempted to examine a particularly opinionated feline patient will know that stress can have a significant effect on cardiovascular parameters.

Hospital visits, unfamiliar surroundings, restraint and handling can all contribute to an increased heart rate.

Where possible, allow cats time to settle before taking measurements. A quieter environment and minimal restraint can make a surprising difference.

Interested in heart anatomy? Take a read of our guide here Heart Anatomy and Physiology for Veterinary Nurses: An Essential Clinical Guide

3. How to Measure Heart Rate in Dogs and Cats

Accurate measurement starts with good positioning, appropriate equipment and a patient who is as comfortable as possible.

You’ll generally need:

• A stethoscope
• A watch or timer with a second hand
• A clinical monitoring chart or patient record

Step 1: Position your patient

Ideally, the patient should be relaxed and resting comfortably.

Dogs can usually be assessed in lateral or sternal recumbency, or standing if they are comfortable and cooperative.

For cats, avoid unnecessary restraint. A calm cat sitting comfortably in its carrier or on an examination surface may be much easier to assess than one being firmly held.

Remember that restraint-related stress can influence the reading you’re trying to obtain.

Step 2: Locate the heart

Using your stethoscope, auscultate over the left side of the thorax, generally around the fourth to sixth intercostal spaces, just behind the elbow.

The point of maximal intensity is often found around the fifth intercostal space, although the precise location varies with patient size, conformation and cardiac anatomy.

Listen carefully for the characteristic lub-dub sounds of the cardiac cycle.

If you’re struggling to hear clearly, check your stethoscope positioning and ensure the diaphragm is making good contact with the thoracic wall.

Step 3: Count the beats

Once you’ve identified the heart sounds, count each complete cardiac cycle as one beat.

For a regular rhythm, you can count for:

• 15 seconds and multiply by four.
• 30 seconds and multiply by two.
• 60 seconds for a full minute.

Although shorter counting intervals can be useful for routine checks, counting for a full 60 seconds is preferable when the rhythm is irregular or the patient is unstable.

For example, if you count 32 beats over 15 seconds:

32 × 4 = 128 bpm.

Record the result in the patient’s clinical notes.

Top tip: If you’re getting an unexpected reading, repeat the assessment rather than immediately assuming something is wrong. Check your positioning, count again and compare your findings with the patient’s other clinical parameters.

4. How to Assess Pulse Quality

Measuring heart rate tells you how quickly the heart is beating, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you how effectively blood is being circulated.

This is where pulse assessment becomes particularly important.

The femoral artery is commonly used to assess peripheral pulses in dogs and cats. It can usually be located on the medial aspect of the proximal thigh.

Using your fingertips, gently palpate the artery and assess:

• Rate: How many pulses can you feel per minute?
• Rhythm: Are the pulses regular or irregular?
• Strength: Are the pulses strong, weak or bounding?
• Equality: Are pulses comparable between the left and right sides?

What do different pulse qualities mean?

Strong, bounding pulses

Can be associated with increased stroke volume or altered vascular resistance. They may be seen with certain hyperdynamic circulatory states.

Weak or thready pulses

May indicate reduced peripheral perfusion, hypovolaemia, shock or reduced cardiac output.

Absent or difficult-to-palpate pulses

Require prompt assessment, particularly when accompanied by other signs of cardiovascular compromise.

Irregular pulses

May indicate an underlying cardiac arrhythmia and should be investigated further.

Always interpret pulse quality alongside mucous membrane colour, capillary refill time, blood pressure and the patient’s overall clinical presentation.

Blood pressure plays a massive role in pulse palpation. Read more here How to Take Blood Pressure in Cats: A 4-Step Veterinary Nurse Guide

5. Understanding Pulse Deficits

One particularly important finding during cardiovascular assessment is a pulse deficit.

A pulse deficit occurs when the heart rate exceeds the palpable peripheral pulse rate.

In simple terms, the heart is contracting, but not every contraction is generating a sufficiently strong arterial pressure wave to produce a palpable pulse.

This can occur with certain arrhythmias, including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and atrial fibrillation.

How do you identify a pulse deficit?

Ideally, two people should assess the patient simultaneously:

1. One person auscultates the heart and counts cardiac contractions.
2. Another palpates the femoral artery and counts peripheral pulses.
3. Both measurements are compared over the same time period.

For example:

• Heart rate: 160 bpm
• Femoral pulse rate: 130 bpm
• Pulse deficit: 30 beats per minute

This suggests that some cardiac contractions are not producing detectable peripheral pulses.

An ECG is required to identify and characterise the underlying rhythm disturbance.

Clinical reminder: A pulse deficit is not something to dismiss as a counting error without further assessment. Report the finding and escalate appropriately, particularly if the patient is showing signs of cardiovascular compromise.

6. Recognising Tachycardia and Bradycardia

Once you’ve obtained your reading, the next step is deciding whether it is appropriate for that individual patient.

Two common abnormalities are tachycardia and bradycardia.

Tachycardia

Tachycardia refers to an abnormally elevated heart rate.

Potential causes include:

• Pain
• Anxiety and stress
• Hyperthermia or pyrexia
• Hypovolaemia
• Anaemia
• Hypoxia
• Shock
• Hyperthyroidism in cats
• Certain cardiac arrhythmias

A fast heart rate isn’t automatically an indication of cardiovascular disease.

For example, a frightened cat may have a significantly elevated heart rate simply because it has entered the consulting room.

However, persistent tachycardia, particularly when accompanied by weak pulses, prolonged capillary refill time or pale mucous membranes, warrants prompt investigation.

Bradycardia

Bradycardia refers to an abnormally low heart rate.

Potential causes include:

• Hypothermia
• Increased vagal tone
• Certain medications, including alpha-2 agonists
• Opioid administration
• Hyperkalaemia
• Certain cardiac conduction abnormalities
• Advanced cardiovascular compromise

It’s important to remember that a slow heart rate isn’t necessarily abnormal in every patient.

An athletic adult dog may have a relatively low resting heart rate without any underlying pathology.

However, bradycardia accompanied by hypotension, weakness, altered mentation or poor peripheral perfusion is particularly concerning.

The patient’s overall condition should always guide your interpretation.

7. Why Trends Matter More Than a Single Reading

One of the most important aspects of veterinary patient monitoring is recognising changes over time.

A single heart rate measurement provides useful information, but repeated assessments can help identify developing problems before they become more obvious.

For example, consider a hospitalised dog recovering from surgery.

Its heart rate may initially be 90 bpm, increasing to 115 bpm and then 145 bpm over several hours.

Although each reading may need to be interpreted in context, a consistent upward trend should prompt further assessment.

Is the patient experiencing pain? Could there be ongoing blood loss? Is the patient becoming hypovolaemic? Is there another developing complication?

Rather than simply recording the numbers, consider what they might be telling you.

Heart rate should ideally be assessed alongside:

• Respiratory rate and effort
• Temperature
• Blood pressure
• Mucous membrane colour
• Capillary refill time
• Pulse quality
• Mentation and responsiveness
• Pain assessment

This integrated approach helps build a much clearer picture of cardiovascular and overall patient stability.

Common Heart Rate Assessment Mistakes

Even experienced veterinary professionals can occasionally fall into habits that affect the accuracy of clinical observations.

A few things worth watching out for:

• Counting for too short a period: Short intervals can exaggerate small counting errors, particularly when the rhythm is irregular.
• Ignoring stress: A nervous patient may have an elevated heart rate that doesn’t reflect its relaxed baseline.
• Confusing heart rate with pulse rate: Remember that a palpable pulse doesn’t necessarily accompany every cardiac contraction.
• Failing to assess rhythm: Recording a number without considering regularity can mean important abnormalities are missed.
• Ignoring the bigger picture: A heart rate within the expected range doesn’t automatically mean the patient is cardiovascularly stable.

Good clinical assessment isn’t just about getting a number on the monitoring chart. It’s about understanding what that number means for the patient in front of you.

Conclusion

Knowing how to measure heart rate in dogs and cats is a fundamental veterinary nursing skill, but accurate assessment involves much more than counting cardiac contractions.

Understanding normal reference ranges, recognising abnormalities, assessing pulse quality and identifying potential pulse deficits all contribute to better clinical decision-making.

Most importantly, heart rate should never be interpreted in isolation. Combining it with other physiological parameters and monitoring trends over time helps veterinary professionals recognise early signs of deterioration and respond appropriately.

And remember: sometimes the most useful thing you can do is take a second reading, reassess your patient and ask yourself whether the numbers actually fit the clinical picture.

For more clinical reference information, explore our guide to Normal Dog and Cat Vitals: 9 Critical Clinical Values Every Veterinary Nurse Must Know, covering temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.