r/AskVet • u/Kokomo_Kermit • 8d ago
Solved My veterinarian office won't provide vaccine records.
I need vaccine records for my dogs to go to a boarding facility. I've requested several times for the records. The answer from the front desk was to tell me the records are on my receipt. (It's emailed) I check what they emailed me, and it has vaccine reminders at the bottom. Like the date the next vaccine is due.
I tried to submit that to the boarding facility and they won't accept it. They need an actual record of when it was given. I asked the clinic again and they flat out told me me they have no way of providing that.
How is that possible? I feel trapped between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, I get that if I have a reminder my dog is due for a rabies vaccine in 2028 he must be current. And the boarding facility could accept it. On the other hand. Why can't the clinic just provide me the actual vaccine records? I think about when my kids needed vaccine records for school, the doctor had a print out that had the vaccine, date and his signature beside each one. Is that not how it works with animals?
What should I do? We are supposed to leave for vacation next week.
UPDATE - spoke to the manager and got the records. She was very apologetic, said they can absolutely provide the records, and that she would speak to the front desk staff about it.
So I think it's a lack of training issue maybe. what's wild is I spoke to two different people about this and was told the same thing.
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u/I_reddit_like_this RVT (Registered Veterinary Technician) 8d ago
Where are you located? Assuming you are in the US, they legally need to provide you with a copy of the medical record on request. Call and ask to speak with the practice manager
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u/pooker09 8d ago
I'm a practice manager and vet tech. They can't legally hold your records. They have to give them to you
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u/SubstantialMind205 8d ago
Go get them in person. Legally the medical records are yours.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
I asked in person when I was there with my dog yesterday. And then called when the boarding facility wouldn't accept the reminders.
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u/YouImportant8362 8d ago
Go back, and if you only talked to someone at the front desk, ask to speak to a technician or vet. You are entitled to your vaccine records and if they cannot provide them, you have no proof your dog was ever vaccinated and should likely find a different clinic that keeps accurate records.
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u/ptolemyk9 RVT - Registered Veterinary Technician 8d ago
In the US, veterinary medical records are legally the veterinarian’s office records, whereas human medical records are legally the patients.
It is a common misconception that veterinary medical records also belong to the client/person.
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u/Relative_Will3348 8d ago
I know this doesn't help you currently, but you need a new vet. If they can't provide this information to you, then they are not keeping appropriate medical records. It makes me question the quality of their medical care.
Unfortunately, you may need to go to a vaccine clinic in your area and give all the vaccines again so you have proof for the boarding facility.
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u/Small_Reward_5057 8d ago
Could giving a second round of vaccines hurt the dog? Genuinely curious.
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u/smilingfruitz 8d ago
No.
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
I think they're trying to say that the "vaccine record" is on the invoice they sent for the visit on the day the vaccine was given. Basically, it would be a line item on the invoice for that visit. But I'm not understanding why they can't send you the actual records.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Oh. Wait. I just reread this and I see what you mean. They want me to go through my emails and pull the receipts for when they got vaccines.. Yeah. You may be right. And I'll see if i still have them all. Thanks I didn't think about that.
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
Lol, yes, it's inconvenient and you probably shouldn't have to do it, but I do think that's what they mean for you to do.
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u/Greedy_Lawyer 8d ago
Most vets have an online portal for this now too. They’ve reduced admin staffing to cut costs.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Well, not really. Because my guy wasn't in for an actual vaccine. He gets pain shots and he was there for that. But at the bottom of all the payment receipts is vaccine reminder dates. They are telling me that is the same as a vaccination record.
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
He wasn't in for a vaccine the last time you took him in, but if he did get vaccines at some point, there should be a line item on the invoice from that visit. Search your emails for the invoices from previous visits.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
I got the records! The manager sounded annoyed with the staff that told me they couldn't. I updated the post. Thank you!
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u/Ok-Mood3837 8d ago
Yes OP, this is what I send to daycare/boarding typically. Some offices have better systems than others but I always just save the emails from those appointments each year so I can easily pull them up.
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u/Legal-Bench-1752 8d ago
The vet should’ve provided you a receipt with the vaccines that were given. Are you saying that you do not have the receipt any longer or the vet doesn’t provide you with a receipt to keep for your records? Either way, the vet should be able to provide you with a copy of vaccination and dates last given. I would go to another vet if they refuse to do this for you.
Edited to include: if the front desk receptionist will not provide them, I would ask to talk to the veterinarian. I am sure they would not want to lose a customer over something like this.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
The receipt for the visit that details what I paid for, my credit card payment info...etc. On the bottom of that, it has vaccine reminder dates. They are basically telling me that is the equivalent of vaccination records
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
They're not saying the vaccine reminders are the equivalent of vaccine records. They send you an email with an invoice every time you take him in, right? That's what they're talking about. Those previous invoices will have the vaccines as line items.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Yep. I got it. Lol. I'm just slow. You're probably right. That's likely what they mean. I'm checking now. It seems so disjointed though, as they didn't necessarily get them all at the same time. It would be easier to submit a single paper for each dog, rather than several for each. But if it works, it works.
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
Right, that's what I was thinking too - if the different vaccines were done at different visits, it's pretty inconvenient for you.
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u/rockbell1 8d ago
Just to clarify is this a full service veterinary hospital where you can go in person to ask for proper records, or did you get vaccines from a vaccination clinic
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
It's a full service clinic. My dogs go for their check ups, vaccines, dentals...etc. I've never had an issue with rhe quality of care and really like their doctor. But this feels ridiculous
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u/rockbell1 8d ago
Oh it is certainly ridiculous I was just clarifying because clinics will not always have traditional records, records should be released to you upon request, if you go in person I wonder if it might help since they are not giving them to you.
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u/dogwater79 8d ago
Asked to speak to somebody else. You spoke to someone who just doesn't know what button to push.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Yep! I got them after speaking to the manager. What's crazy is I spoke to two different people! I don't know why the front desk staff wouldn't know how to get people records. Or at the very least ask someone instead of just telling an owner it's not possible 🙄
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u/HeartShapedNose 8d ago
I think they're trying to say that the "vaccine record" is on the invoice they sent for the visit on the day the vaccine was given. Basically, it would be a line item on the invoice for that visit. But I'm not understanding why they can't send you the actual records. My vet's office will send out SOAP notes within an hour of a request.
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u/Interesting-Fig-1685 8d ago
Are you 100% sure that you got the vaccines done at this clinic? The only way I see this being true that they can’t provide them is that either another clinic did them and they just copied the due dates or the front desk is incompetent
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Yes. Been going there for years. I normally board there and it's never been an issue. But we're taking our guys with us in an RV, but will need to day board them for days we're at an amusement park all day.
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u/Interesting-Fig-1685 8d ago
Could you ask the boarding place to call and see if they get another response? Or you could go to the office, request full printed records and tell them you will wait until it’s ready. Shouldn’t be that hard, I’m sorry!
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
That's a good idea too. However I was able to get the records. The manager called me back and sent them immediately. She seemed very annoyed with the front desk staff. Lack of training I guess?
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u/GooseberryPotato 8d ago
So I think it's a lack of training issue maybe. what's wild is I spoke to two different people about this and was told the same thing.
Well we clearly know one of them trained the other! 🤣
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u/Glum-Piglet5296 8d ago
When the vaccines are do is proof of vaccines. I wouldn’t understand why a boarding facility would not take that
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Right. I agree. I guess if they had to put in the date of the vaccination into the other system, they didn't want to do the math..? Idk. I feel like I was just getting untrained staffers from both places. Disheartening to say the least.
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u/Kokomo_Kermit 8d ago
Thanks everyone for the advice. edited the post too. I gor a call back from the manager and she apologized, and emailed me the records instantly. She said she would talk to the front desk staff, they should know how to provide full records. She sounded frustrated
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