Section 2 of 10 · about 1 min read
Breathing, pulse, gums and temperature — know your dog’s normal.
This course is for learning and does not replace your vet. In an emergency, call your vet or nearest emergency vet straight away.
Lesson 1
Look for the chest rising and falling. Listen for air moving at the nostrils. Feel for breath on your cheek. A normal resting breathing rate for an adult dog is 10–30 breaths per minute, and slightly higher in puppies. Laboured breathing, gasping, or silence when breathing should occur are emergencies.
Lesson 2
Check the pulse at the femoral artery, on the inside of the back leg in the groin area. Normal resting heart rates: small dogs 100–160 bpm; medium and large dogs 60–120 bpm; puppies up to 180 bpm; neonates up to 250 bpm. Practise finding it while your dog is relaxed, so you know exactly where to feel in an emergency.
Lesson 3
Healthy gums are salmon pink. Pale gums can mean shock or anaemia. Blue gums are an oxygen emergency. Dark red gums can mean heatstroke. To check capillary refill, press the gum and let go — the colour should return in under 2 seconds. A delay suggests shock or dehydration.
Lesson 4
A dog’s normal temperature is 38.0–39.2°C. Knowing this helps you recognise a problem early — for example, an elevated temperature above 39.5°C is an early sign of heatstroke. If anything is outside normal and you’re worried, call your vet.
Normal adult resting breathing rate
Question 1 of 5
Puppies normally have a faster heart rate than large adult dogs.
A normal dog temperature is 36.0–37.0°C, the same as a person.
Blue gums are an oxygen emergency.
The femoral pulse is felt on the top of the front paw.
Silence when breathing should be happening is an emergency.
Score 70% or more to pass this section.
Question 1 of 8
