Knowing how to measure your dog's vital signs is an important skill for pet guardians. Some dogs are stoic when in pain and will not let you know they are hurting. Others will hide their illness or you may not be able to determine just how sick your pet is. Knowing how to take your dog's temperature, check for dehydration and take your dog's pulse will help you determine how sick your pet might be and whether you need to visit an emergency veterinary clinic.
Instructions
Help your dog to lie down on his side.
Place your thumb on the outside of your dog's top back leg.
Slide your fingers to the inside of your dog's leg, reaching your two fingers nearest the thumb to the crease where your dog's leg joins the pet's body.
Feel the femoral pulse and count beats for one minute to determine your dog's heart rate. A normal heart rate for an adult dog is between 70 beats and 180 beats per minute. The larger your dog, the slower the pet's heart rate will be. For puppies, a normal heart rate can be as high as 220 beats per minute.