How to Take the Femoral Pulse of a Dog

Certain diseases or trauma can cause your dog's heart rate to drop. Knowing how to take your pet's femoral pulse and interpret the results can help you determine when your dog needs medical attention. The femoral artery is the major artery in the back of your dog's leg, and is the best place to take your dog's pulse. Practice will help you easily locate your pet's femoral artery, but if you are still unsure, it may help if you ask your veterinarian during a routine visit to assist you in taking your dog's pulse so that you can learn the proper technique.

Things You'll Need

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Instructions

    • 1

      Grasp one of your dog's hind legs gently with one hand. From your dog's lower abdomen, slide your forefinger and middle finger downward toward your dog's thigh.

    • 2

      Put your two fingers on the spot where your dog's leg meets its body. Glide your fingers around in that area until you can feel your dog's pulse.

    • 3

      Count how many pulses you feel in a 15-second time frame. Use a watch or timer to measure the time span. Take the number of pulses you counted and multiply it by 4 to get the number of beats per minute.