Slow heart rate - experiences?

[Cash_Dolly]

Does anyone's dogs suffer from a slow heart rate? Cash was at the vets yesterday re his seizures and his heart rate has slowed down since his last visit (its now at 74) she assures me there is no immediate cause for concern but that it should be monitored. I asked if there was anything to bring it up but she said there isn't - there is only medication to slow it if it gets too fast. you can only increase it short term with adrenaline etc (Cash is forever running around playing so no idea how his heart rate is slow lol xx

 

[JoanneF]

I may be wrong but isn't the heart rate slower than average in humans who are very fit? So is it possible your vet has underestimated his fitness levels? Or could he be more relaxed at the second visit?

 

[Cash_Dolly]

Hi Joanne

I have been looking into this all morning and yes you are right - if they are fitter they tend to have slower resting heart rates and whippets in particular tend to have slower rates than other breeds...Some racing whippets are away down in the 40's! So I am not so worried now. he wasn't quite as fit at his last visit as he has been slightly unwell for a bit and wasn't doing as much running as he does now so it makes sense! I get myself all worried! As my BF said its like a GF who has a general overview knowledge but not breed specific so a whippet expert would probably have no concerns with that.....feel a lot better about it now!

 

[dogmatize]

I have a 14 year old whippet with a heart murmur. I have to monitor his heart rate sometimes for the vet. At home when he is calm it can vary between 52 to 72. At the vet when he is anxious it is usually double what I get at home, usually about 120/130.

I am particularly lucky as my vet has an interest in hearts and over the years she learned a lot about whippets from us

 

[Cash_Dolly]

Wow! Big difference!

When cash was at the vets in Dec it was about 110 but was down to 74 yesterday. However last time at the vets my BF took him and he is always a lot more relaxed with me plus as I said he wasn't quite as fit and active then!

I am sure if they took his heart rate again after they had to take blood from his neck TWICE it would have been a lot faster.....