Keeping track of your own health by journaling is a helpful, proactive step towards better managed care and clear communication between healthcare delivery teams . The same is true for our fur family.
Logging health information such as vaccinations, medications, and tracking recurrences gives a front-row seat to your dog’s health and fitness and allows for easy access in case emergency or pet care situation.
What to include in your dog’s health notes
Veterinarian and emergency contact information and microchip information are important documents to locate needed. Food labels and amounts (or food allergies), flea and heartworm prevention schedules, plus any unusual health symptoms are helpful if written down and fixed in one place , said Dr. Sue Yanoff, Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon.
Dr Yanoff, who also teaches dog health classes for dog sports enthusiasts, advises: “The diary or diary can be as detailed or as simple as you like, but is ideally personalized. to suit your dog’s needs and health situation.
Since one of our dogs is a Senior Lab, I keep a log of exercise supplements and any associated effects. Tumors and lipomas were tracked using a sketch of her body, including a vet visit receipt noting any significant comments. Everything is bound in a 3-ring binder.
Journaling keeps dogs physically healthy
Dr. Yanoff keeps a daily diary of all physical activity for her two Beagles, 10-year-old Ivy and 3-year-old Quinn. An active lifestyle that trains agility and a two-hour hike along the tracks can lead to injury. Since her specialty is sports medicine, daily exercise logging is beneficial with her own dogs.
“I can look back and have some concrete evidence rather than relying on my memory,” she said. Her Dog Diary is a simple spiral notebook that sits on her kitchen countertop. Entries for this journal began in 2016. And in just a few minutes a day, using brief phrases, she records the dates and durations of daily activities (or no activities at all). ), changes in movement and when a rest day is needed. Her pet sitter has easy access to the log and will note anything out of the ordinary. The diary accompanies them when traveling with her dogs.
“So one thing I ask my clients is, ‘What’s the first thing you notice? And when did you notice it? ‘ And some of them have written material, and some of them are, ‘Well, I think it’s about spring time, but I’m not sure,’ Dr Yanoff said.
Keep a record of your dog’s health
Based on common questions asked by her dog parents, Dr. Yanoff recommends recording a start date for:
- All medications, including discontinuation dates
- Vaccines and any reactions
- Vomiting
- Sneezing
- Dry cough
- Change your appetite
- Diarrhea
- Change in attitude, shyness from doing daily activities
- Skin grows and lumps, especially on older people (Simple sketch of your dog with location, date and size.)
“And then when you notice, ‘Oh my god, that’s not right,’ you have a diary. You can go back to your diary and know, on this one, I think this is a bit strange… It’s great to have all this information at your fingertips. “
Journaling keeps dogs behaviorally healthy
Dr. Jennifer Summerfield, CPDT-KA – AVSAB specializes in behavioral problems. She regularly asks clients about journal behavior problems with the date, how long the event lasted, and any previous unusual occurrences. She says our furry companions were able to rise above something that happened earlier in the day, just like us.
Whether it’s seizures, anxiety, or dog-to-dog aggression, identifying triggers and monitoring frequency becomes an extremely useful tool for you and your doctor. your vet. “Sometimes the patterns that appear when you start looking at it may not always be obvious,” says Dr. Summerfield. Writing down what happened before an incident helps uncover possible triggers. Without a clue about the contributing factors, it is difficult to deal with behavioral problems.
“We’re monitoring the frequency of those things… It’s hard to tell if you’re doing any good unless you actually have a date that you can refer back to.”
The dog’s health note is expanded
Don’t forget the games your dog enjoys. Fun activities give them something to do, helping them relax if their routine changes. Playful games and activities help reduce stress and reinforce positive interactions with babysitters. Dr. Summerfield recommends writing down activities your dog already knows, without training. “Include something in their daily routine that they can still do, even if they don’t do it every day,” she says.
Suggestions for dog wellness activities include:
- Stress relief game (fetch)
- Fun activities (snuff mats)
- Favorite toy
- Food quiz
- Enrichment operation (distributed feeding)
- Daily walks (when, how long and where)
- Complementary calming or behavioral support medications
- Dislikes, thunderstorms, loud sounds, or off-limits stroked areas like ears
Depending on your dog’s specific health or behavioral issues, she also recommends writing down how you typically handle these situations, such as anxiety or aggression.
With a newly adopted shelter rescue in our home, I write down any aggression either dog shows. Noting what happened right before the disagreement helped me understand what crossed the threshold and how to better manage the situation in the future. That way, sitters have an idea of what would happen if those situations arise when they are with the dog, and an idea of some strategies that might be helpful to reassure them, if needed.
How to find a diary for your dog’s health records and notes
Smartphone apps are available for tech-savvy people, such as Paw print and DogLog for Android and iOS. Pawprint stores microchip information, flea and heartworm reminders, vaccination records, and food recall updates. (Some features are in-app purchases.) DogLog will send reminders about medication and vet visits. This content may be shared with others.
A web browser search for “dog health journals” pulls up a wide range of dog magazines for all life stages from online bookstores, such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Many independent bookstores often have an online search engine, which is an ideal way to shop locally.
“Dog Diary: A Daily Pet Health Care Notebook for Puppies and Puppies” by Amy Newton includes reminders of surgical history, vaccines, grooming, and daily activities.
For DIY-ers, creating your own version offers plenty of space to create and customize to fit specific needs. Etsy offers affordable digital downloads for both health journals and health trackers. Our magazine is a DIY magazine that uses a three-ring brochure with tabbed dividers for each dog’s health information, including vaccine briefs and clear sheet protection. Contains a veterinarian’s receipt. The pages are an Etsy download and a simple notepad for additional notes, such as behavioral concerns.
Vivid or simple, detailed or extensive, journaling offers a holistic view of health and well-being, a journey through time for all stages from puppy to senior. Life happens. Confusing thoughts. As you invest in this process, journaling will help untangle and ensure a better quality of life with your fluffy baby.
DIY Health Magazine Ideas for Dogs
- Commercially bound, blank magazines
- Pinterest – Journaling Ideas
- Tri-ring adhesive, great for adding or removing pages
- Bright, colorful paper for printing different sections
- Pocket folders for vaccinations/veterinary health records
- Washi tape (trendy Japanese tape) for color and design
- Art pens (felt & brush tip) for creativity
Record these! Dog health magazines you can buy
- Dog Diary: Daily Pet Health Care Logbook for Puppies and Dogs, Track Veterinary Visits and Vaccinations
- Amy Newton’s Journal, Health and Important Information
- My Dog’s Health Record Book: A Practical Guide to Recording Your Dog’s Health and Personal History, With Tips for New Puppy Owners by Leila Grandemange
- Dog Logbook: Dog Health and Wellness Log Book, Vaccination & Medication Tracking, Veterinarian & Caregiver Record Keeping, Teresa Rother’s Food & Walking Schedule
- Geriatric Canine Health & Care Journal: A Complete Toolkit for Geriatric Dog Caregivers Dr. Mary GardnerDVM
- My Pawsome Dog and Me Journal: Celebrate Your Dog, map its milestones and track its health and well-being by Charlie Ellis (release date April 4, 2023)
Information about the Authors: Cindy writes about all things dogs for many national publications. When not writing, she trains two of her own dogs, Bella and Ozcar – both rescuers, for AKC sports. She enjoys reading and takes time to organize after a long time teaching. You can follow her on Instagram @cyhowle.
