Here we are. The four-legged newcomer makes a glorious entrance into the house. Paw after paw, he wanders around scared, but curious.
We owners can’t help but enjoy these moments of a new life made of tenderness and… responsibility! These certainly include the health of the animal and the dog health record it is proof of that. What is it about ? Let’s find out together!
What is the health card?
The dog’s health record is a sort of diary in which Fido’s data is collected. It is a database, a “health identity card”, where your health information is collected health information and which will be useful at each new veterinary visit, but not only.
It is usually released by the vet following the first visit: once Fido has been dewormed, registered in the canine registry and has received the first vaccination, everything will be specified in his diary.
If you have adopted a dog from a breeder or in any case a specimen that has received the first vaccines, it usually comes directly with the animal itself.
What is it for?
The health booklet is very practical: it allows you to have an overview of the animal’s health, its vaccinations or any diseases it suffers from.
In this way, at the next veterinary visit to the specialist, a quick look at the booklet will suffice to realize the vaccinations that Fido has received or if the animal suffers from any chronic pathologies.
Specifically, the following information is contained in the dog’s health booklet:
- Name of the animal;
- Date of birth;
- Sex;
- Race;
- Particular signs;
- Identification code of the microchip;
- Owner data;
- Tables showing the vaccines performed;
- Deworming data;
- Test, allergy and disease data;
- Transaction data.
How much does a dog’s health card cost?
As specified, the diary will be provided during the first visit of the animal. Its price is therefore to be included in the visit itself. In itself we can say that the booklet is free.
Perhaps it is good to know that there are also apps for smartphones where dog data can be entered and therefore function as a digital health record.
Is the dog’s health card mandatory?
Unlike the microchip, the dog’s health card is not mandatory. However, it is strongly recommended to use it (and try not to lose it!) so as to have all its health data available whenever Fido needs a veterinary visit.
Even more so if you change your vet on a regular basis.
Who makes the dog’s health record?
The diary is provided and compiled by the vet during Fido’s first visit. However, if the animal was purchased on a farm, the breeder himself will have to provide the document since he has taken care of the first vaccinations and deworming.
From that moment on, it will be up to us owners to take care of the booklet and take it with us to every veterinary visit.
What to do if you lose your dog’s health record?
Since the vet does not keep a copy of the diary, once lost, a new one will have to be compiled with the data they remember. Therefore it is advisable to take pictures of the booklet so that in case of loss it will be easier to fill in another one. Nowadays there are also APPs for smartphones in which to enter all the dog’s personal data.
If Fido was operated on in the clinic it is possible that they have a copy of all his health data in his medical records.
Can the dog travel with the health card?
If you plan to travel, a health card may be necessary. If you are traveling by plane to national destinations, you must have a diary with you which lists all the pet’s vaccinations.
If you are traveling to European destinations, it is not necessary. Mandatory, however, is the dog’s passport that shows vaccinations and health status, in addition to the microchip. In particular, it is mandatory that the anti-rabies vaccination be included among the vaccinations carried out. The same goes for traveling to the United States.
Attention: each country and each means of transport can have specific rules. Before traveling, inform yourself according to the specific case.