Pet health record

What belongs in a pet health record

The goal is simple: anyone caring for your pet, from a new vet to an emergency clinic at 2 a.m., should be able to see what your pet takes, what they've had and who to call, without waiting on records from another clinic.

• Vaccines with the date given and the date the next one is due. Boarding, daycare and groomers usually ask for proof, especially rabies.
• Medications and preventives with the exact dose from the label.
• Weight over time. A slow change is easy to miss when you see your pet every day.
• Allergies and reactions, including any reaction to a vaccine.
• Microchip number and registry. A chip only helps if its registration has your current phone number.
• Surgeries, conditions and contacts for your vet, the nearest emergency clinic and your insurer.

For what to keep on paper, how to get copies from your vet and how to check a microchip, read Your pet's health records: what to keep and how to get copies.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice.