What to keep in a pet health record
In short: keep your pet's identity details, a dated list of what was done and by whom, the original documents, and the contacts for the people who care for them, all in one place you can find quickly. Mark anything you are unsure about as an estimate.
Identity details
- Name, species, breed or mix, sex and colouring.
- Date of birth. If it is a guess, write "estimated" next to it so nobody treats it as exact.
- Microchip number and brand or registry, if there is one. Copy it exactly, including any leading zeros.
- A clear recent photo, which helps when describing your pet to someone new.
Health history
For each event, note the date, what happened, who did it and anything written on the paperwork. Typical entries are:
- Vaccinations: the product name if shown, the date and the next date written on the record.
- Treatments and medication: what was given or prescribed, the dates and the instructions exactly as written.
- Consultations and procedures: the date, the practice and a short summary in the vet's words.
- Allergies or reactions you have noticed, with when they happened.
- Weight, if you track it, with the date and the unit.
Copy dates and instructions as they appear. Do not reword medical information, and do not work out your own schedules. If you are unsure, ask your vet.
Documents
Keep the originals or good scans of vaccination booklets, certificates, lab results, discharge notes and invoices you may need. Name each file with the pet, the date and what it is, for example Biscuit 2026-03-12 annual check-up.pdf. Back them up somewhere other than a single phone.
Contacts
- Your regular practice, and the after-hours or emergency option you would use.
- Groomer, boarding or sitter, if they need to reach you or the vet.
- Insurance policy reference, if you have one. Keep the reference, not your full account details.
Habits that keep it useful
- Update it the same day, while you remember what was said.
- Note the source: did a vet tell you, or are you recording something you observed?
- Correct mistakes by adding a note rather than erasing, so you can still see what was recorded before.
- Keep one master copy. Share copies, not the master.
How PetNFO fits. PetNFO is being designed to hold exactly this: profiles, dated entries with clear sources, documents and optional contacts, in one private place. It is not available yet. See the planned app.
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.