Normal values

Normal Temperature, Heart Rate & Respiratory Rate of Dogs

Q: What is a normal resting heart rate for a dog?

70–120 beats per minute in the MSD table. The UC Davis chart gives 100–160 for small dogs, 60–100 for medium dogs and 120–160 for puppies.

Q: How many breaths per minute is normal for a dog?

18–34 breaths per minute at rest in the MSD table; 10–30 in the UC Davis chart.

Updated 1 Nov 20265 sources

Reference ranges for the vital signs of the dog from the MSD Veterinary Manual tables, which are adapted from Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals ^[1]^[2]^[3], compared with the vital-signs chart of the UC Davis California Veterinary Emergency Team ^[4].

Reference ranges

Parameter	Dog	Source
Rectal temperature	37.5–39.2 °C (99.5–102.5 °F)	^[1]
Resting heart rate	70–120 beats/min	^[2]
Resting respiratory rate	18–34 breaths/min	^[3]
Estimated blood volume (used in transfusion calculations)	80–90 mL/kg	^[5]

How the references compare

Published reference ranges differ between sources. Each range below is printed as its source gives it; °C values marked * are converted from the source's °F.

Parameter	MSD Veterinary Manual ^[1]^[2]^[3]	UC Davis CVET ^[4]
Temperature	37.5–39.2 °C (99.5–102.5 °F)	100.0–102.8 °F (37.8–39.3 °C*)
Heart rate (beats/min)	70–120	Small dogs 100–160; medium dogs 60–100; puppies 120–160
Respiratory rate (breaths/min)	18–34	10–30

Other findings in a healthy dog

The UC Davis chart lists as normal: pink, moist mucous membranes; a capillary refill time under 2 seconds; soft, non-painful gastrointestinal findings; and a bright, alert, responsive (BAR) demeanour ^[4].

Frequently asked questions

What is the normal body temperature of a dog?

The MSD Veterinary Manual table gives a normal rectal temperature of 37.5–39.2 °C (99.5–102.5 °F) ^[1]; the UC Davis chart lists 100.0–102.8 °F ^[4].

What is a normal resting heart rate for a dog?

70–120 beats per minute in the MSD table ^[2]. The UC Davis chart gives 100–160 for small dogs, 60–100 for medium dogs and 120–160 for puppies ^[4].

How many breaths per minute is normal for a dog?

18–34 breaths per minute at rest in the MSD table ^[3]; 10–30 in the UC Davis chart ^[4].

Related tools and references

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References

Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Robertshaw D (temperature regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Heart Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Detweiler DK, Erickson HH (heart regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Respiratory Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Reece WO (respiration chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Normal Vital Signs (vitals chart)California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), University of California, Davis · June 2024
Blood Transfusions in Dogs and CatsBlois S — Merck Veterinary Manual · reviewed 2024

For veterinary professionals. Information supports — never replaces — clinical judgement; always check the current product label and local regulations.