What is ideal breathing-rate, heart-rate & how to test HR

Fred is now on the heart drugs which slow things down. I've been trying to monitor his breathing rate. Last week he was 31 when seemed OK and a few times 50 respirations per minute. I just tested him on dose 3 of the drugs and his breathing rate is 21/22 for one minute. That seems awfully low, but maybe it's within an OK range...?

His heart rate, very hard to test. I'm just putting my ear to his chest but it's too fast to count easily. Is there another way, a pulse somewhere? I know it's in the 200 bpm range, but not sure what the ideal numbers are...

thanks
Martica

 

Gosh Martica I dont have those answers...I hope someone is able to help..

Jeanne

 

I got this from The Cat Repair BOOK by Ruth B James DVM.
Normal heart rate is 120-240 b/m. resting quietly= as low as 80
Respiration normal=25 /m count in or outs :smile:

 

If your cat is moderately thin, you can often feel the heart beating by placing your fingers to the left of the breastbone , almost under the armpit. If you can't feel it there, you can also check a femoral pulse on the upper inner thigh. It is hard to explain exactly where it is, you have to feel around for it. It is kind of in the "legpit" but slightly lower. When feeling pulses, remember that your own thumb has a pulse so you need to use your other fingers to feel it or you'll get mixed results.

 

Please note that 240 would NOT be a normal HR at home!

Most cats are going to be around 120-140 at home.....give or take.

 

Jess - I seem to remember you getting even lower HRs on your cats at home??

 

No, I don't remember saying so. I'm trying to think back to any normal Holter monitor readings we have on cats ... probably have seen them go down to 100 or so when asleep. (Big dogs routinely go down to 40-45 BTW!) I don't think I"ve seen a normal cat go down to 80.

 

Ok - thanks!