What might be noted while auscultating heart sounds in relation to the femoral pulse?

When assessing heart sounds and their relationship to the femoral pulse, noting pulse deficits is particularly significant. A pulse deficit occurs when there is a discrepancy between the heart rate and the peripheral pulse rate. This may indicate that not all heartbeats are being effectively transmitted to the periphery, often due to issues such as arrhythmias or inadequate cardiac output.

In healthy animals, each heartbeat should correspond with a detectable pulse; if some heartbeats do not result in a palpable pulse, this can suggest underlying cardiovascular problems. Edema or fluid build-up may be suggested by bulging veins, but those do not provide direct information regarding heart functionality in correlation to pulse quality. Similarly, chronic fatigue and rapid breathing may indicate systemic issues, but they do not specifically correlate heart sounds to the assessments of the femoral pulse in the same manner. The presence of a pulse deficit is a more direct and clinical diagnostic observation that ties heart function to vascular health.