ABSTRACT
The rate, rhythm and intensity of heart sounds are determined by auscultation over the chest in the region immediately beneath the elbow joints. It is essential to listen to both sides of the chest because unilateral space-occupying lesions in the cranial thorax frequently displace the heart, leading to a marked disparity in intensity and origin of heart sounds. The heart rate of neonatal lambs may approach 180 beats per minute; older lambs and adult sheep have a heart rate 65-80 beats per minute. Handling and other stresses may increase the heart rate by more than 50% but it returns to normal within 5-10 minutes. The heart can also be reassessed at the end of the clinical examination. While the heart rate is usually regular, it is not uncommon to nd every fourth or fth beat dropped in otherwise healthy adult sheep.
