Sinus Arrhythmia

chumleysma

chumleysma

New member
Chumley had a check-up this week. The vet listened to his heart a little too long for comfort...you all know that feeling you get. He told me he has I believe he said a sinus arrhythmia. He said it's a quickening and slowing of the heart in sync with inspiration and expiration. He said he's not worried because he sees it often in the larger breeds. I guess there's less room and the lungs cause this as they press on the heart on inspiration. He's 4 yrs. and 157lbs.
I'm a little worried even though the vet is not. I was curious enough to find the heart rate of large breeds to be 60-100 bpm. I had to search how to take a dog's pulse. Chumley was 81 bpm at rest, but I could actually feel the speeding and slowing on my fingers as I counted. I know It's a crazy request, but could some of you share your dogs pulse at rest and if it was a steady rate? Maybe this arrhythmia is more pronounced when their organs are pressed when they're laying on the hard floor as Chumley was.
 
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DAWNMERIE

DAWNMERIE

Active member
I'll mess about later tonight Stacy...could you post some links that show you how to take the pulse?
 
nowhavethreebears

nowhavethreebears

New member
This tutorial courtesy of Drs Foster and Smith website



Q. How do I learn how to take my dog's pulse?
A.
There are several areas on the dog's body where you may be able to feel the pulse. A pulse occurs with every heart beat. Sometimes, you can just place your hands low on your dog's chest, near the elbow joint, and feel the heart beats. You can count how many beats you feel in 15 seconds and then multiply it be 4. That will give you the pulse. A second place to find the pulse is high on the inner side of the thigh. You will be feeling for the femoral artery. Place two fingers on the middle of the thigh near where the leg joins the body. What you feel is the 'femoral pulse.' The femoral pulse can be very difficult to feel in cats.
It is always best to use your fingers to feel the pulse. If you use your thumb, and press too hard, what you feel will actually be your own pulse.
The normal pulse for a dog ranges from 70 to 180 beats per minute. In general, the larger the dog, the slower the pulse. Puppies generally have a fast pulse, up to 220 beats per minute. Cats usually have a pulse of 120-240 beats per minute.
The pulse of a dog is not always steady. Sometimes, the rate changes as the dog breathes in and out. The pulse will be faster on inspiration and slower on expiration. This is normal and is called sinus arrhythmia.
 
M

mcme

Member
I took my Dublin's pulse. It wasn't exactly at rest, because as soon as I started to try to take it, he started squirming and being silly. It was 98. He's four years old and about 112 lbs., a rather small guy.
For what it's worth, it always takes my vet ages listening to Dublin's heartbeat, because Dub is excited to be there and the vet says it's hard to hear over the panting.
 
chumleysma

chumleysma

New member
It's a relief to read this is normal, but I'm thinking that it would be good to know our dog's pulse at rest because I heard the pulse increases with pain. If we're ever unsure if our dog is in pain, or how much pain, we could compare his pulse to his "normal" pulse at rest. It might be especially helpful for those stoic dogs that hide their pain.
I'm also still curious if any of you can feel this arrhythmia too?
Snuffles is excused since he is technically dead!
 
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DAWNMERIE

DAWNMERIE

Active member
Sorry I'm so late, Zeke was 92 and Myra...well, she's dead ;) Neither Vin nor I could find the pulse on her, either spot. So he took out the stethoscope to give it another wherl and I'm guessing we say 80 is her number.
 
DAWNMERIE

DAWNMERIE

Active member
nowhavethreebears said:
This tutorial courtesy of Drs Foster and Smith website

Sometimes, the rate changes as the dog breathes in and out. The pulse will be faster on inspiration and slower on expiration. This is normal and is called sinus arrhythmia.
Click to expand...


I just re-read Anita's Foster & Smith post and noticed this. Just noticed you picked up on it. But yes, thank you for asking cause now I know how to get my dog's pulse. I've never thought about it before. And I'm sure you will be aware if Chumley is in any pain.
 
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Thor's Dad

Thor's Dad

New member
Stacy - since Thor is a puppy not sure that it would be a 1 to 1 comparison for you. However I tried and got nothing. So like a few of the others not sure what exact state he is in, my guess is we can at least classify him as a zombie newf because he then reached up and gave me a giant wet willy, which I am still drying as I type!
Thanks for suggestions a pulse base line for our dogs as that will be good info to have, I will just need to try again later.
 
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R Taft

R Taft

Active member
I did katy asleep.......dead on 70
Annabelle lying on the couch 76
Lukey up and about and not sure what I was doing 88
Yussie..wiggle bum and trying to help 96
Harry just come in from a little adventure with Tessa 112
Tessa who also just came in 120..she is the non-newf
none changed their rhythm on breathing and were regular
And a quote "Sinus rhythm, commonly referred to as normal sinus rhythm, is designated as the normal rhythm of the heart"
 
chumleysma

chumleysma

New member
Thor's Dad said:
Stacy - since Thor is a puppy not sure that it would be a 1 to 1 comparison for you. However I tried and got nothing. So like a few of the others not sure what exact state he is in, my guess is we can at least classify him as a zombie newf because he then reached up and gave me a giant wet willy, which I am still drying as I type!
Thanks for suggestions a pulse base line for our dogs as that will be good info to have, I will just need to try again later.
Click to expand...
The puppies fall into a much faster reference range, though I can't quite remember I believe it can even go beyond 100.

Thanks Ronnie...you were hard at work. I can just picture Yussie "helping" you take pulses. Can you equate this arrhythmia to the damage done to a horse's organs from the weight of his body when he lays down for extended periods ? i.e. forced to lay down when caught up in fencing.

Thanks for sharing these pulses everyone. Our dogs all have resting heart rates within range for their size, except for the dead dogs...Myra, Snuffles, and Thor. I sure would have felt better if someone else could detect a fast/slow rate though.
 
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