How do you count pulse and respirations in veterinary medicine?

The pulse is measured by placing the first two fingers over a superficial artery; in dogs and cats you can access the external iliac artery pretty easy while in cattle and horses the facial artery is the preferred site. The respiratory rate can be measured by observing the caudal edge of the ribs contracting medially. Both measurements are counted over a period of time, usually 10 or 15 seconds, then calculated to determine the number per minute.

Another option is to simply measure both while ausculting the lungs through a stethoscope - you can hear both lung and heart sounds while doing this. This has the advantage of taking less time, as you can be listening for abnormal sounds (such as a heart murmur) while you are counting the number of beats for 15 seconds.