Week of December 31, 2000

A while ago the weekly tip was about the normal values of vital signs for horses. I thought it would be a good idea to offer you the same information regarding dogs and cats. Good health care begins with health, not illness, and knowing the normal base-line values of vitals is important for all your animals.

Dogs

Body temperature: 100.5-101.5 F Pulse: 70-120 bpm at rest (larger dogs rate toward the lower end, smaller dogs rate toward the higher end) Respiratory: 10-30 breaths per min at rest (again, this rate is generally slower in large dogs, faster in small dogs)

Cats

Body Temperature: 100.5-101.5 F Pulse: 110-130 bpm at rest Respiratory: 20-30 breaths per min at rest