Moving Vets? Transfer Your Senior Dog’s Full Care History
When changing veterinarians, ask how to transfer the medical record before the first appointment. A folder of invoices can help you remember dates, but it does not necessarily contain examination findings, test results or the reasoning behind treatment.
Ask both clinics what is needed
VCA’s guidance on sharing records distinguishes invoices from the fuller clinical history. Ask the new clinic for its preferred receiving address and the previous clinic for its release process. Confirm any authorization, timing or copying requirements directly.
Identify your dog clearly, including any previous name. If several clinics or specialists have provided care, list each one rather than assuming the regular practice has every report.
Request the material that supports continuity
Ask the receiving team which records and images it needs. Mention recent tests, procedures and ongoing conditions so missing information can be noticed before the appointment.
Keep a small transfer log: sending clinic, date requested, destination and confirmation received. “I sent the request” and “the new clinic received the file” are different steps.
Add a current household summary
Prepare one dated page with the food, medicines, supplements and practical care routine actually being followed. Include recent changes that may have happened since the last recorded visit. Label your own observations as owner notes so they are not mistaken for a veterinary diagnosis.
Keep past adverse reactions or administration difficulties visible and discuss them with the new team. Do not rely on memory when you have a written instruction or package label available.
Resolve gaps without guessing
If a report cannot be obtained in time, tell the new clinic what is missing and who may hold it. Bring the records you do have. Do not recreate a laboratory result or medicine strength from an approximate memory.
After the first visit, confirm who manages future prescriptions and follow-up. Update the emergency contact sheet and the people who care for your dog so they know which clinic to call.
Include any Well for Days chews in the current-care summary, with the actual label. A shopping receipt alone does not show how a product is being used.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
Well for Days · Practical guidance for life with an older dog. For health or mobility changes, seek advice from your veterinary team.