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Heart Rate


Jigsaw
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I have been told by vets twice that my dog's heart rate is too slow! (She's a koolie about 18kg)

Last time it was 72 bpm at the vet's (on an emergency visit). They did an ECG but found all rythms to be normal. The vet suggested that it may be an idea to put a heart monitor on her for 24 hrs to see what her heart rate does over that period. She is pretty fit and doesn't know how to stop! The vet said that if her pulse falls below 60 she may experience fainting periods. I did take her pulse when she was asleep once and it was about 58 bpm (used the groin). And I must admit when she's asleep she's really asleep, as in I can lift her legs, pull her lips around and even move her tongue without her rousing. She does have a mild heart murmur but vet believed it was not related as ECG showed no electrical problems, although it was only a 5 min ECG. Anyone else had experience of a slow heart rate in a dog?

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3 of my 4 dogs have slow heart rates. I am not sure what their actual rate is, but my vets alway comments that they are slow. It is generally a positive comment & they often use the words "nice & fit" in association with it.

We have only had one complication/issue with a slow heart rate & it was anaesthetic related. The next time a different anaesthetic was used & he was fine.

I just googled heart rates. Most sites seem to say that 70-100 is normal, some say 60-100.

Edited by Vickie
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Hi-

many years ago.. (over 30) when we got our first Koolie.. we were told by a vet that her heart was similar to a greyhound heart... he said that meant it was a bit larger, and stronger, and had a lower resting rate....

No idea what was/is true... but I believe Greys do have a very low resting rate... so maybe you do not need to panic :laugh: Maybe she is just very fit and healthy!!

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Dogs' heart rates can drop down to 35-40 beats per minute at rest and at home. I would not be concerned about a slow heart rate at the clinic as long as the rhythm is normal. Dogs with a 3rd degree heart block will have a heart rate of around 35-40 even when excited and this can cause fainting. This would be fairly obvious on an ECG. I would not worry too much about your dog.

Charles

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Darcy's resting heart rate is 68.

If your dogs are lean and very fit, don't forget that a lot of the "average" dogs vet sees are anything but that. Just like people, some individuals will have low heart rates and fitter individuals can have quite low ones.

Oh, I see that Charles Kuntz has posted - what he said!! :wink:

Edited by poodlefan
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Thanks for your replies everyone! I was mildly concerned as you are when you're told that something is "abnormal" but had decided that as she runs around like a lunatic most of the time I was not going to go into a panic and she is reasonably lean and fit. The ECG was normal over the short time frame they took it. So next time I'm at my normal vet I'll mention it - the emergency vet was going to send a letter on.

PS We were at the emergency vet because she ate a bluebottle at the beach!! The only symptom she had was some excess drooling, other than that she was fine! She had some Peptosyl for a couple of days in case it irritated her stomach but we had no problems. The slow heart rate was discovered during her exam.

Edited by Jigsaw
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  • 11 years later...

I know this is an old thread, but it came up in my search and seems relevant. We were at the vet yesterday and she said my Jack Russells heart beat is low, his was 66 BPM, when apparently it should be around 120. She said he is either very fit or it could be something like Addison's disease. I would say he is a couple steps above very fit! I have never had a dog with so much energy and stamina, he can literally run from morning til night. We go for 2 off lead walks a day, 7 days a week, 2 hours each.

They did a blood test, so I'm praying it comes back good, and he is just is a very fit dog. He's only 8kg and 2.5 years old. I'm hoping there are others here who have dogs with similar stats.

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Interestingly I checked my young Cavaliers resting heart rate last night (she was asleep) and it was 66 as well!  I Googled it as I had no idea and the range is 60-100 bpm I think.  My girl is very fit also.  I imagine most dogs have an elevated heart rate at the vets, yours might be an exception.

 

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Malcolm has a very low resting heart rate due to Addison’s. If it’s Addison’s then know you have struck it lucky for it to be diagnosed without an Addisonian Crisis, and that while there are a lot of blood tests and altering med doses initially, once stable they do very well and you wouldn’t know they had an illness. He’ll need an ACTH stim test to confirm.

Edited by Papillon Kisses
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