Module 1: First Aid Basics & Checking Vital Signs
Checking Vital Signs
Knowing what's normal helps you recognize when something is wrong.
✓Normal Vital Signs — Dogs
- Temperature: 101–102.5°F (38.3–39.2°C)
- Heart rate: 60–140 bpm, varies by size
- Respiratory rate: 10–30 breaths per minute
- Gum color: pink and moist
✓Normal Vital Signs — Cats
- Temperature: 100.5–102.5°F (38–39.2°C)
- Heart rate: 140–220 bpm
- Respiratory rate: 20–30 breaths per minute
- Gum color: pink and moist
✓How to Check
- Breathing: watch or feel the chest rise and fall for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4
- Pulse: place your fingers, not your thumb, on the inside of the hind thigh or just behind the left elbow
- Gum color and capillary refill: press a finger gently on the gum, release, and count how long the color takes to return — under 2 seconds is normal
- Hydration: gently lift the skin at the back of the neck — it should snap back quickly; slow return suggests dehydration
Pale, blue, or white gums are a red-flag emergency sign and mean you should head to the vet immediately.