Understanding Your Dog's Health Records: What Every Document Means

Most dog owners in India have a collection of loose papers somewhere: a vaccine card from the clinic, a discharge summary from a hospitalisation, maybe a prescription for last year’s skin infection. These documents are more valuable than they look — and most owners aren’t using them effectively.

This guide explains what each type of health document contains, how to read the key parts, and how to keep records in a way that actually helps your vet help your dog.

The Vaccination Booklet (Health Card)

The most common pet health document in India. Every vet should provide one after each vaccine — if yours doesn’t, ask for it specifically.

What it contains:

• Dog’s name, breed, age, sex, colour, and owner details
• A record of each vaccine administered: name/brand, batch number, date given, and due date for the next dose
• Space for rabies certificate (often required separately for boarding and travel)
• Sometimes: deworming records, weight history

How to read it:

• Batch number: Important if there’s ever a vaccine recall or adverse event
• Due date: When the next dose is required. Do not rely on memory — clinics in India vary in their reminder systems
• Vaccine name: Different vets use different brands (Nobivac, Vanguard, Eurican). The brand name tells your new vet exactly which formulation was used, which matters if there are ever questions about coverage or reactions

Key rule: Never let this card leave your possession. Ask your vet to record in your card, then take it home. If it’s lost, you lose documented proof of vaccination history — which matters enormously when your dog is due for surgery, boarding, or travel.

Blood Test Reports

Blood tests (haematology and biochemistry) are ordered when your dog is unwell, as part of pre-surgical screening, or as annual wellness monitoring for senior dogs.

Complete Blood Count (CBC) — Haematology

A CBC measures the cellular components of blood. Key values:

Parameter	What it Tells You
RBC (Red Blood Cell Count)	Low = anaemia (can indicate tick fever, blood loss, bone marrow issues)
Haemoglobin (Hb)	Carries oxygen; low with anaemia
WBC (White Blood Cell Count)	High = infection or inflammation; very low = immune suppression
Platelets	Low = risk of bleeding; a classic sign of tick-borne diseases like Ehrlichiosis
PCV (Packed Cell Volume/Haematocrit)	Percentage of blood that is red cells; low = anaemia

India-specific note: Abnormally low platelets (thrombocytopenia) are a hallmark of tick-borne diseases like Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis — both common in Indian dogs. If your dog is unwell and the CBC shows low platelets, ask your vet specifically about tick-borne disease.

Biochemistry Panel (Serum Chemistry)

Tests organ function using blood serum. Key values:

Parameter	What it Tells You
ALT / SGPT	Liver enzyme; elevated = liver stress or damage
AST / SGOT	Another liver enzyme; also reflects muscle damage
BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)	Elevated = kidney stress; interpret with creatinine
Creatinine	Kidney function; elevated = reduced kidney filtration
Glucose	High = diabetes; low = hypoglycaemia
Total Protein / Albumin	Low = poor nutrition, liver disease, protein loss
Bilirubin	High = jaundice — liver disease or red cell destruction (Babesiosis)

Normal ranges vary by lab and are usually printed alongside the result. Always compare to the reference range on your report, not generic values from the internet.

Prescription Records and Discharge Summaries

Any time your dog is treated for illness, ask for:

1. Written prescription: Drug name (generic + brand), dose in mg/kg or total dose, frequency, duration, and what it’s treating. Useful if you need a repeat prescription or a second opinion.

2. Discharge summary (after hospitalisation): What diagnosis was made, what treatment was given in clinic, what medications to continue at home, and any follow-up instructions.

3. Lab reports (original or copy): Ask for the full printed report, not just a verbal summary. A single abnormal value out of context means very little — the full picture tells the real story.

Keep every prescription and report. They form a timeline that helps future vets spot patterns.

Surgical and Procedure Records

If your dog has had surgery — spay/neuter, orthopedic repair, mass removal, dental extraction — the clinic should provide:

• Pre-surgical screening results (blood work, ECG if applicable)
• Anaesthetic protocol used (drug names and doses)
• Surgical notes (what was done, any findings during surgery)
• Histopathology report if a tissue sample was sent to a lab (critical for any mass removal — this tells you whether the growth was benign or malignant)

Histopathology reports are particularly important: a mass that “looked benign” surgically may have a different diagnosis under the microscope. Don’t leave without requesting the histopathology report if a sample was sent.

Organising Your Dog’s Health Records

The ideal system is simple enough that you’ll actually use it. Three approaches that work:

Physical Folder

A dedicated A4 folder or binder with sections:

1. Vaccination records / health card
2. Blood reports (most recent on top)
3. Prescriptions
4. Discharge summaries
5. Surgical records

Keep it in one place and bring it to every vet appointment.

Digital Folder

Scan or photograph every document immediately after you get it. Create a folder in Google Drive or Dropbox: [Dog's Name] Health Records. Sub-folders by category or year. Share access with your partner.

Why scan immediately: Paper fades, gets wet, and gets lost. A photo on your phone is better than nothing — a backed-up digital copy is best.

What to Record at Each Visit (Even Without a Formal Document)

Some vets in India — particularly at walk-in clinics — don’t provide printed records for routine visits. In that case, note in your phone:

• Date and clinic name
• Weight recorded
• What was done (vaccine, deworming, examination)
• Any findings or advice
• Medications prescribed

When Health Records Are Required

You’ll be asked for vaccination records and sometimes broader health records when:

• Boarding your dog at a professional facility (rabies + DHPPi current within the year)
• Travelling by air with your dog (DGCA regulations require health certificates from a registered vet, issued within 10 days of travel)
• Consulting a specialist or new vet — they need context before examining your dog
• Joining a training class or dog park — responsible operators require proof of current vaccines
• Moving internationally — extensive documentation required; the process varies by destination country

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Your dog can’t tell a vet what happened two months ago or what drug caused a reaction last year. Their health records speak for them. Keep those records complete, organised, and accessible.

Dogsvilla maintains digital records for every dog in our care — vaccination status, weight trends, and health notes from every stay. Bring your dog’s vaccination booklet when you first book with us, and we’ll keep the records current together.

Book your dog’s first stay with Dogsvilla and give them care that comes with a paper trail.