Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

Pulse and its clinical significance

PULSE

• Pulse is one of the cardinal signs of health; examination of pulse helps in diagnosis of various diseases and assessment of the condition of the patient.
• The arteries examined for pulse must be superficially situated, of a medium size and lying in close contact with a hard structure such as bones.
• Certain arteries are preferred in each domestic species.

Sites of pulse palpation in different animal species

• Students should find out site of palpation of each artery.
• To take the pulse palm of one or more fingers (except the index) could be used with application of gentle pressure until the pulse wave is detected. Pulse is counted in a whole minute.

Animal	Arteries	Animal	Arteries
Horse	External maxillary artery	Dog and Cat	The femoral artery
	Transverse facial artery,
	The median artery,
	The great metatarsal artery
Ox	Middle coccygeal artery	Sheep and Goat	The femoral artery
	The median artery	Large pigs	Middle coccygeal artery
	Transverse facial artery
	The facial artery

Aspects of examination

• Rate
• Rhythm
• Quality
• Rate or frequency of pulse is the number of blood waves/minute time

Normal pulse rate in domestic species

Animal	Range	Animal	Range
Horse	28-40	Large breed dogs	65-90
Colt (yearling)	70-80	Small breed dogs	90-120
Mules	45-50	Cat	110-130
Cattle	55-80	Rabbit	120-150
Calf	100-120	Fowl	120-160
Sheep & Goat	70-90
Pigs	60-100

 

Physiological factors affecting pulse rate in normal animals

• Age, pulse rate is higher in younger animals.
• Sex, females have a higher pulse rate than males.
• Pregnancy, parturition and exercise all increase pulse rate.

Pathological changes in pulse rate

• Slow pulse rate most often accompanies brain diseases (tumours, inflammation).
• Increase in pulse rate occurs in fever, painful conditions as injuries and in mental excitement.
• The rhythm of the pulse is assessed by observing the interval occurring between successive waves.
• Normally it is rhythmic, in certain conditions the pulse rate becomes arrhythmic (i.e. irregular).
• Quality of the pulse should always be assessed. Assessing the strength of the pulse waves, weak pulse is sometimes a sign of disease.