ASR- Lesson 1- Obtaining Vital Signs on Large Animals
Monitoring Livestock Vital Signs
Taking temperature, pulse rate, and respiration readings can help you to gauge an animal’s overall health. In general, abnormal readings in animal blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, and vital signs could indicate a larger problem. Monitoring livestock vital signs can help you identify potential issues early so you can contact your veterinarian for further diagnosis. Your veterinarian may also ask you to measure and report vital signs when you call for assistance in the event of an emergency, illness, or injury.
Monitoring an Animal’s Temperature
To determine whether your animal’s body temperature is normal, follow these steps to take a temperature reading.
• Use a veterinary thermometer—conventional and digital types are acceptable.
• Tie a long string securely to the end of the thermometer.
• Moisten or lubricate the end of the thermometer.
• Insert the thermometer into the rectum (figure 1). Ensure that thermometer does not get pulled into the rectum or broken; the string provides a backup means for removal. For horses, you may clip the thermometer string onto to a portion of the tail.
• Remove in 2 to 3 minutes and read, or use the time interval recommended by the manufacturer.
Interpreting Thermometer Readings
Be mindful that external temperatures can influence thermometer readings. Similarly, a healthy animal may appear to have a fever after a period of activity—for example, a horse shortly after it is ridden, or cattle after they are moved or worked on a hot day. If a resting animal has an abnormally high body temperature apart from normal fluctuation and environmental conditions, this may indicate that the animal is fighting an infection or suffering from heatstroke. This is known as “having a fever” in humans. When temperature deviates by one degree from the normal range, the animal is considered to have a fever. Abnormally low temperature readings occur less often and can indicate problems but can also be the result of external.
Normal Adult Animal Body Temperature by Species
(ºF) Cattle 100.4-103.1
Sheep and Goats 102.2-104.9
Swine 100.4-104
Horses 99.5-101.3
Foals 99.5.0-102.2
For each species, use a stopwatch to measure pulses that occur in one minute (60 seconds). Use gentle, steady pressure to palpate the artery and count pulses. Ensure that you do not palpate and measure using your thumb, as you may interpret your own pulse as that of the animal’s. If you have a stethoscope available, you may also be able to listen for a pulse on the left side of an animal’s chest, just behind the elbow or at what is considered the “girth line” on a horse. Cattle The external maxillary artery crosses the lower edge of the jaw, just in front of the masseter (cheek) muscle. When you place your fingers flat on the cheek in front of the masseter muscle and move them back and forth, you can easily feel the artery. Sheep and Goats Place your hand on the inside of the animal’s thigh— the saphenous artery runs down the inside of the hind leg.
In swine, the heart must be palpated directly to feel a pulse. Researchers and others sometimes use heart rate monitoring devices when measuring heart rates in swine. Horses As with cattle, the external maxillary artery crosses the lower edge of the jaw, just in front of the masseter (cheek) muscle. When you place your fingers flat on the cheek in front of the masseter muscle and move them back and forth, you can easily feel the artery. You can also measure pulse on a horse on the left side of the chest, just under the elbow, in which case it may be helpful to ask the horse to step a bit forward on the left side.
A pulse rate that falls outside of the normal range for your animal at rest can be indicative of a problem and pulse rate may be useful information to provide to a veterinarian in case of an emergency.
Normal Animal Pulse Rate by Species
Animal Heart Beats per Minute
Cattle 40-70
Sheep and Goats 60-90
Swine 60-100
Horses 28-40 Foals 100 for newborn foals; 4560 for weanlings and yearlings
For most animals, you may observe or palpate the rise and fall of the animal’s flank, using a stopwatch to take a count of breaths over the course of one minute. You may also observe breaths at the nostrils. Take note of any wheezing, rattling, groaning, or noisy breaths and try to determine if breathing is non-rhythmic, labored, or shallow. You can measure an animal’s respiration rate by observing or palpating the rise and fall of an animal’s flank. You can measure an animal’s respiration rate by observing breaths at the nostrils. Interpreting Respiration Rates Measure respiration rate when your animal is at rest. Respiration rate is influenced by stress, exercise, temperature, and more. Labored, shallow, or noisy respiration can indicate problems. Abnormal respiration may indicate pain or stress, and a number of livestock diseases are associated with abnormal respiration.
Normal Resting Respiration Rate by Species
Animal Breaths per Minute
Cattle 10-30 (beef); 18-28 (dairy)
Sheep and Goats 12-20
Swine 8-18
Horses 8-16