A group of signs that can be used to evaluate some of the body's most important functions. These signs are often part of a basic health assessment. In the horse, the most commonly assessed signs include:
Temperature: body temperature is generally measured by gently inserting a thermometer into the horse's rectum.
Heart rate or pulse: the rate at which the the heart beats can be measured by listening to the heart with a stethoscope or by feeling the pulse (the pressure wave in an artery caused by each beat of the heart) in certain arteries.
Respiratory rate: the rate of breathing is measured by counting the rise and fall of the horses chest or flanks or by movements of the horse's nostrils.
In humans, blood pressure is another vital sign that is typically assessed.