🩺 Dog Vital Signs & Hydration

Clinical canine triage assessment. Evaluate skin turgor snapback, gum capillary refill time (CRT), normal body temperatures, and resting respiratory rates.

📋 Normal Canine Baseline Vital Ranges:
BODY TEMP
38.3°–39.2°C
(101.0°–102.5°F)
HEART RATE
60–140 bpm
(Smaller dogs faster)
SLEEPING BREATHS
15–30 bpm
(>30 = Heart Alert)
The Life-Saving Sleeping Breath Count: When your dog is sound asleep, count how many times their chest rises and falls in 60 seconds (one rise + fall = 1 breath). Healthy dogs take under 30 breaths per minute. A resting respiratory rate consistently above 35–40 bpm is the earliest indicator of congestive heart failure (pulmonary edema) and requires immediate veterinary attention.