Correlation of heart rate to body weight in apparently normal dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the correlation between heart rate and body weight in the apparently healthy dog.


METHODS
Sixty dogs weighing between 2 and 80 kg.


METHODS
Heart rate was evaluated with a 24-h ambulatory electrocardiogram. Minimum, average, maximum heart rate, ventricular premature complex (VPC) number and supraventricular premature complex (SVC) number were tabulated for each dog.


RESULTS
Minimum, maximum and average heart rate did not correlate to body weight. For all dogs, the median minimum heart rate was 42 bpm (beats per minute), median average heart rate was 73 bpm, and median maximum heart rate was 190. The median number of VPCs and SVC was zero.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study does not support a correlation between heart rate and body weight in apparently healthy dogs.
Lamb
Allison P
AP
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 06413, USA.
Meurs
Kathryn M
KM
Hamlin
Robert L
RL
D000818:Animals; D018880:Atrial Premature Complexes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000662:veterinary; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary