Preferred Timing Device for HR

[Jgar96]

Hey guys, I'm starting vet school this fall and I'm looking into buying an Apple Watch to use mainly as a timing device while monitoring HR (and will probably be able to replace my phone during clinicals from what I understand). I've noticed a few vets and techs using them throughout my pre-vet experiences. Does anyone own an Apple Watch and think it is or isn't worth the money? Should I just get a digital watch? What do you use as a timing device for HR?

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[DVMDream]

Vet techs

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Regular analog watch with a second hand worked fine for me.

Edit: Just looked up the price of Apple watches No way, man. Save your money.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

I prefer an analog watch with a second hand.....whatever you do, make sure you have something that can get washed (by hand, under running water) and not be damaged, because something will get splashed on it. And not too expensive (for the same reason). I wear a $20 kids Timex with a fabric band that fulfills all those requirements.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I prefer an analog watch with a second hand.....whatever you do, make sure you have something that can get washed (by hand, under running water) and not be damaged, because something will get splashed on it. And not too expensive (for the same reason). I wear a $20 kids Timex with a fabric band that fulfills all those requirements.

THIS. Blood, saliva, urine, fecal matter, dirt, chlorhexidine, drenches, you name it.

 

[Trilt]

I wouldn't buy a big purchase like an Apple Watch specifically for this, but I have really loved my smartwatches. I had a pebble time and now a fitbit versa and like the functionality from my wrist for sure. I personally can't do HRs with analog clocks easily so always just picked a watch face with a second count down. They were both waterproof and I shower/swim/frolic in rain with no concern.

 

[MOOSEygoosey]

You can get a really nice digital watch with a second counter Armitron is a great company to look at and they're super reasonably priced. This is the one I have! There are cheaper ones for $15 but I love this one!

 

[DVMDream]

In vet school, found a cheap walmart watch. Digital because I don't like the moving second hand. I'd forget it frequently, so cell phone stop watch became what I'd use.

Now as a vet, the techs get a HR and I rarely give two ****s what the actual rate is. I'm more focused on "is this too fast? Too slow? Normal? Is the rhythm right? Do I hear a murmur? Unless the animal is tachycardic or bradycardic, the exact number doesn't matter to me. And you don't really need to count to tell "holy **** this is way too fast or holy hell this heart rate is way too slow."

I do pay attention to the rate the techs record, some techs are great and record about what I'd expect the rate to have been when I was listening and some I don't think they actually pay attention, I've had them record "70" before on a chihuahua whose rate was easily 150, so do pay attention to that because if that record does ever get evaluated they're going to wonder why you didn't address the HR of "70" in a chihuahua.

 

[Jgar96]

Thanks for the advice! I'll look for cheap waterproof digital watches. Maybe by the time I graduate those apple watches will be more affordable

 

[jmo1012]

...im ashamed to admit it took reading 8 posts to figure out what thus thread was about.

 

[supershorty]

I have a digital watch that I got on Amazon for like 5 bucks. Won't feel bad replacing it when it gives up the ghost from everything that's gotten on/in it.

 

[Caia]

But which is more accurate - digital or analog???

 

[CalliopeDVM]

But which is more accurate - digital or analog???

Probably digital, but the difference is incredibly small, and in the realm of measuring heart rates, it doesn't make a difference.

 

[DVMDream]

But which is more accurate - digital or analog???

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

But which is more accurate - digital or analog???

How is babby formed?

 

[NorthernWoods]

I love my AW (have had a few over my 5 years working as a tech) but as far as HR, it kinda sucks. The raise to wake works most of the time, but the timeouts are ~5 seconds on that.

 

[Jgar96]

I love my AW (have had a few over my 5 years working as a tech) but as far as HR, it kinda sucks. The raise to wake works most of the time, but the timeouts are ~5 seconds on that.

Good to know!! Thank you

 

[pirateslayme]

I have an apple watch. I would use it sometimes but ended up buying a cheap watch at target anyway. I found it a bit annoying to use because when I would count the HR notifications would keep popping up from my email etc so that I lost track of the time. I am sure there is a way to turn these off but the other watch was just more simpler