What Information to Keep About Your Pet: Checklist

The information worth keeping about your pet falls into ten groups: identity and microchip, medical history, vaccines, medications, allergies, diet, vet and emergency contacts, insurance, photos, and care notes for whoever looks after them. Use the checklist below to see what you already have and what is missing, then keep it together, one set per pet.

Identity and microchip

• Name, species, breed or mix, sex, and whether spayed or neutered.
• Date of birth, or estimated age and the date you adopted them.
• Color, markings and anything distinctive, in words a stranger could use.
• Microchip number, the chip’s manufacturer if known, and the registry it is enrolled with.
• Adoption, purchase or breed registration papers, and any local license or tag number.

A microchip stores only an identification number, usually 9, 10 or 15 digits, and no medical information, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The number only leads back to you if it is registered with your current contact details. If you do not know where it is registered, your vet can scan the chip and the AAHA microchip registry lookup shows which participating registries hold a record for that number. AAHA also notes that the 15-digit chip is the international standard, which matters if you plan to travel abroad; see Traveling With Your Pet’s Vaccination Records.

Medical history

• Diagnosed conditions and when they were diagnosed.
• Surgeries, dental procedures and anesthesia, with dates and any complications.
• Recent lab work, imaging reports and specialist letters.
• Hospital and emergency visit summaries.
• Weight history: even a weight from each visit is useful.
• The name of every clinic that has treated your pet, so you can request records later.

Vaccines and preventives

• Each vaccine: name, date given, and when the next dose is due.
• The signed rabies certificate. The CDC advises keeping pets up to date on rabies vaccines, and many states and localities require it by law. Texas, for example, requires it for dogs and cats 12 weeks and older, and its certificate lists the vaccine used, the date given and the revaccination due date.
• Flea, tick, heartworm and deworming products, with the date of the last dose.
• Any vaccine reaction, written next to the vaccine that caused it.

Which vaccines your pet needs depends on species, age, health, lifestyle and local law, so ask your veterinarian. Dog owners can find more in Dog Vaccination Records: What to Keep and Why.

Medications, allergies and diet

Medications. For each one: name, strength, dose, how often, what it is for, who prescribed it, start date and, if it has one, end date. Include supplements and over-the-counter products. The FDA asks for exactly this kind of list (all medications with doses, vitamins and supplements, plus current food and treats) when owners report a side effect, which shows how much it helps to have it ready.

Allergies and sensitivities. Drugs, vaccines, foods or materials, and what the reaction looked like.

Diet. Brand and exact formula, wet or dry, amount per meal, meals per day, treats, chews and anything from the table. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes a short diet history form for owners because these details matter to veterinarians. A photo of the food bag’s label saves guessing.

Vet, emergency and backup contacts

• Your primary veterinarian: clinic name, phone, address and hours.
• The nearest 24-hour emergency hospital, and how to get there.
• Any specialist currently treating your pet.
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435, open 24/7; a consultation fee may apply.
• A trusted person who can make decisions if you cannot be reached.

The CDC also suggests adding a vet’s contact details to your emergency kit for the area where you would take shelter if you had to evacuate.

Insurance and paperwork

• Insurer name, policy number, what the policy covers, and how claims are submitted.
• Any wellness plan or prepaid care package with your clinic.
• Receipts for major treatment, if your policy asks for them.
• For travel: health certificates and anything your destination requires. Rules change, so check the official source before each trip.

Photos and care notes for sitters

Photos. The ASPCA recommends keeping recent photos in case you are separated and need to make lost-pet posters. Keep a clear face shot, a full-body side view and one that shows any distinctive marking, plus one of you with your pet, which can help show the animal is yours.

Care notes. The American Kennel Club suggests giving sitters your vet’s details, a list of vaccinations with dates, written medication instructions and a backup decision-maker. Add the things only you know:

• Feeding times and portions, and what they must not eat.
• Walk, litter and bathroom routines.
• Fears and triggers (thunder, other dogs, being picked up, doorbells).
• Escape habits: doors, fences, windows.
• How they behave with strangers, children and other animals.
• What “normal” looks like, so a sitter can spot when something is off.
• The care you authorize and a spending limit, if you cannot be reached in an emergency.

Where to keep it all

Keep it current. Most of this list changes slowly, but a few items go out of date fast: medications, weight, vaccine due dates, your own phone number and address in the microchip registry, and the emergency hospital’s hours. Review those after every vet visit and whenever you move. Check the whole list once or twice a year, and replace photos as your pet’s appearance changes, especially for puppies, kittens and pets that are groomed short.

Keep the originals of signed documents in one folder per pet, and a copy of everything on your phone so it is with you at an unplanned vet visit. For a step-by-step setup, see How to Organize Your Pet’s Medical Records; before an appointment, use How to Prepare Your Pet’s Information for a Vet Visit.

If you would rather keep it in an app, Fuzzi Fi has fields for most of this list, including microchip number, allergies, conditions, diet, vaccines, medications, and vet and emergency contacts, and lets you attach documents and photos to each pet. It works on the phone without an account.

This checklist is general information, not veterinary advice. Ask your veterinarian what else is worth tracking for your pet.

Sources

1. FAQs for AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool — American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
2. Microchip Registry Lookup — American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
3. Preventing Rabies — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
4. Pet Entry Requirements — Texas Department of State Health Services
5. How to Report Animal Drug and Device Side Effects and Product Problems — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
6. Global Nutrition Guidelines — World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)
7. Animal Poison Control — ASPCA
8. Be Prepared: Pet Safety in Emergencies — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
9. Disaster Preparedness — ASPCA
10. Pet Sitter Checklist: How to Prepare Your Home Before You Leave — American Kennel Club

This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Your veterinarian knows your pet and is the right person for medical decisions.