Table of Contents
How long are veterinary records kept?
3 years
Records Retention
| State | Number of years veterinary records must be kept |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | 3 years following the last office visit |
| California | 3 years following the last visit |
| Colorado | 3 years since the last patient exam or treatment |
| Connecticut | 7 years from the date of the last treatment or 3 years following the death of a patient |
Can I take my dog to the vet without records?
You must request the records from your veterinarian – a written request is recommended. Under Business and Professions Code section 4855, the veterinarian is obligated to provide you with a summary of the patient record. The expectation is that the records will be provided within a “reasonable” amount of time.
Do vets keep vaccination records?
Keeping Pet Vaccination Record While most vets will keep a record of their patients and their vaccinations, it’s best if you also keep a vaccination record yourself. This can be helpful if you move or change your vet and your new vet will need to know the vaccination status of your pet.
Why is record keeping important in veterinary?
Clear, concise, contemporaneous clinical records can be crucial to the VDS’s ability to defend its members’ actions because they provide powerful evidence of the circumstances of a case, what was said and what was done. Clinical records are owned by the practice.
What if I don’t know what shots my dog has had?
If you have a dog that’s over 16 weeks old and isn’t fully vaccinated, or if you don’t know the vaccination history of your pet, consult your vet. You may be advised to begin the vaccination process again in order to protect your pet.
What happens if dogs aren’t vaccinated?
If dogs aren’t vaccinated at a young age, they will be vulnerable to diseases such as rabies, canine distemper, hepatitis, canine parvovirus, Lyme disease, canine influenza, leptospirosis, and kennel cough.
Are veterinary records legal documents?
Information within veterinary medical records is considered privileged and confidential. It must not be released except by court order or consent of the owner of the patient. Veterinarians are obligated to provide copies or summaries of medical records when requested by the client.
How long can a dog go without vaccinations?
In most states, a dog/cat is not considered immunized until 28 days from the date of initial inoculation. The maximum duration of immunity following initial inoculation of rabies vaccine is 12 months, whether or not a 3-year rabies vaccine was administered.