When it comes to monitoring a dog’s health, heart rate (HR) is one of the fastest, most sensitive indicators that something is amiss. Yet the HR your veterinarian records during an annual or semi-annual check-up may look very different from the HR your dog shows at home.
That’s not because vets are doing anything “wrong.” It’s because a single reading, especially one taken in a place many dogs find stressful, captures only a moment in a heartbeat-by-heartbeat narrative.
Stress ≠ Sickness, but It Spikes the Numbers
A 2022 peer-reviewed study in Journal of Veterinary Behavior tracked the physiological and behavioral responses of 30 dogs during a mock physical exam. The findings were eye-opening:
- The average HR in the waiting room was ≈ 97 bpm.
- Once inside the exam room, HR jumped to ≈ 123 bpm.
- About one-third of the dogs peaked above 180 bpm, and the single highest reading hit 230 bpm, all while the dogs were technically “at rest.”
In this study, “At the heart of a dog’s veterinary experience: Heart rate responses in dogs vary across a standard physical examination”,
You can see the step-by-step breakdown of each spike and the body-language cues (tail tucked, ears back) that accompanied them.
This isn’t a criticism of clinic care. It’s simply the biological reality that novel sights, sounds, and handling raise arousal levels. One measurement taken during that adrenaline rush can’t tell you what your dog’s resting HR looks like on the couch at 2 a.m., and that baseline often matters more when you’re screening for cardiac disease, pain, or anxiety.
Continuous Data Changes the Conversation
That’s exactly why the PetPace smart health collar was created. Instead of a snapshot, PetPace streams near real-time data 24/7, capturing:
- True resting and sleeping HR
- Reliable activity-related highs (play, treats, doorbell excitement)
- Subtle HR trends linked to pain, illness, or anxiety
- Context (time of day, posture, environment) that clarifies whether a spike is a concern or just a game of fetch
With this longitudinal record in hand, your vet can see both ends of the spectrum: the “white-coat” spike and the low, restful HR that’s so easy to miss in-clinic.
A Teachable Moment from a 2-Star Review
Halfway through 2025, we received this Amazon review:
Our team and our Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Asaf Dagan, dug in immediately. Here’s the key point Dr. Dagan shared with the reviewer:
“It isn’t uncommon for vets to see only higher pulse rates. The moment a dog steps on the exam table, HR climbs.
PetPace, on the other hand, measures pulse at home, often when the dog is asleep or fully relaxed, so we routinely catch heart rates well below those clinic numbers.
Our pulse algorithm, validated against ECG, is > 98 % accurate.” – Dr. Asaf Dagan, Chief Veterinarian at PetPace.
When the full 24-hour timeline was expanded, the low, healthy readings were clearly visible.
How PetPace Complements (Not Replaces) Your Vet
- Fuller Baseline
Your vet no longer guesses what “normal” looks like for your dog; they can see it. - Early Red Flags
Gradual HR creep over weeks can precede overt clinical signs. PetPace flags trends long before an annual visit. - Context for Treatment
Whether it’s a new medication, diet change, or rehabilitation program, PetPace lets clinicians measure physiological response in real life, not just in the exam room. - Reduced Stress
Fewer in-office rechecks mean fewer stress spikes for the dog and smoother workflows for the clinic.
Takeaway: More Beats, More Insights
A single clinic reading is like a single frame from a movie: useful, but hardly the whole plot. By pairing your veterinarian’s expertise with round-the-clock data from PetPace, you give your dog the benefit of a complete cardiac story- highs, lows, and everything in between.
Because when every heartbeat counts, more data isn’t just better; it’s essential.
