How to Share Your Dog's Health History with a New Vet

When you switch vets, the standard process is to ask your previous practice to transfer records to the new one. This works, mostly. The records arrive - often weeks later, sometimes incomplete, occasionally covering a different patient entirely. And in the meantime, you're at a new practice with a vet who knows nothing about your dog beyond what you can tell them in fifteen minutes. The RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) sets the professional standards for veterinary record keeping in the UK - but unlike human medicine, there is no standardised electronic transfer system, meaning the completeness of what you receive when switching practices varies considerably.

Emergency vets are a sharper version of this problem. You arrive at 10pm at a practice that's never met your dog, with a dog who's unwell, and you need to convey a relevant medical history under pressure. Whatever you can produce - a list of medications, a summary of chronic conditions, the date of the last vaccination - makes that situation easier to manage.

The solution isn't waiting for records to be transferred. It's having your own version, always current, always accessible.

What a new vet actually needs

Not the full history of every walk and every meal. The clinically relevant information falls into a few categories:

Current medications and doses. Including flea and worm treatment, any supplements, and the prescribing vet's details if it's a long-term prescription.

Known conditions. Any diagnosed conditions, when they were diagnosed, and how they're being managed.

Allergies or known sensitivities. Drug reactions, food allergies, contact sensitivities - anything the vet needs to know before prescribing.

Vaccination status. Which vaccines, when they were last given, when boosters are due.

Previous surgeries or significant procedures. With approximate dates.

Breed-specific context. Particularly relevant for breeds with specific medication sensitivities (MDR1 in herding breeds, sighthound anaesthesia protocols) or known conditions that require different handling.

That's it. A single page, kept current, covers the practical needs of most situations.

What happens when records transfer officially

Veterinary practices in the UK are obligated to transfer records on request. What actually arrives varies. Some practices send comprehensive, well-organised clinical notes. Others send illegible handwritten summaries or incomplete printouts. The transfer can take days to weeks, and the request needs to be initiated - it doesn't happen automatically.

For routine situations - scheduled appointments at a new practice you've chosen in advance - official record transfer is fine. Start the request early, chase it up if it hasn't arrived by your first appointment, and bring your own summary as a backup. According to the PDSA PAW Mini Report 2025, 64% of UK dogs are insured - and insurers routinely require access to complete veterinary histories when assessing claims, making owner-maintained records a practical safeguard against gaps in official transfers that could affect claim outcomes.

For emergency situations, there is no time for official transfer. What you can produce from your phone or your bag is what the vet has.

Building a one-page health summary

A practical health summary for your dog should include:

• Name, breed, date of birth, sex, microchip number
• Current medications (name, dose, frequency, start date, prescribing practice)
• Known conditions (diagnosis, approximate date, current management)
• Vaccination status (last date, next due)
• Known allergies or sensitivities
• Any surgical history
• Your regular vet's name and contact number

Update it when anything changes. Keep it as a note on your phone - you'll have it wherever you are.

Making it useful in an emergency

In an emergency, you're handing over the most relevant information as quickly as possible. Prepare for this by knowing your dog's medication list by heart, having your vet's out-of-hours number saved, and having the summary somewhere you can access quickly.

If your dog has a specific condition that significantly affects management in emergencies - epilepsy, diabetes, a known drug sensitivity, a condition requiring specific anaesthetic protocol - consider putting this as the first item in any summary, clearly flagged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ask for a copy of my dog's vet records? Yes. In the UK, owners are entitled to request copies of their pets' veterinary records. Some practices provide them free of charge; others may charge a small administration fee. Request them before switching practices, particularly if you want a complete history.

What if my dog has a complex medical history across multiple practices? This is where your own maintained record becomes most valuable. Official practice-to-practice transfers only cover the records held at that specific practice. If your dog has had care at multiple practices, a specialist, and an emergency clinic, no single record transfer will be complete. Your own summary, built from each interaction, fills those gaps.

My new vet says they don't have the records yet. What should I do? Chase your previous practice directly - call them, confirm the request was received, and ask for an estimated timeline. In the meantime, provide your own summary to the new practice and ask them to note it in the file pending the full records. The new practice can also contact the old one directly if records are urgently needed.

Should I keep vaccination certificates separately from the rest of the records? Yes. Keep the physical vaccination certificate or record card somewhere accessible - you'll need it for kennels, groomers, training classes, and travel. A photo of it stored on your phone is a useful backup. This is separate from the full health summary, which is for clinical context rather than proof of vaccination.