Lost your dog’s vaccination records? How to get them back

Start with the vet who gave the shot

Every vaccination is recorded in the clinic’s system with the date, the product and the lot number. Call and ask for a copy of the vaccination history or a reprint of the rabies certificate. Most clinics will email it the same day, and many will do it for free.

If you have used more than one clinic

Each clinic only has what it gave. Ask each one for its history and combine them. If a puppy came from a breeder or shelter, the first shots are on their paperwork, and the shelter usually has a copy.

If the clinic has closed

Closed practices are usually required to transfer or store their records, often with a nearby clinic or the practice that bought them. Search the old clinic’s name; the state veterinary board can tell you where records went. Our guide to a closed vet has the steps.

Rabies specifically

Rabies certificates are often registered with the county or city when you license your pet, so animal control may hold a copy. A pet insurer or a boarding kennel that checked the certificate may also have one on file.

When you truly cannot find it

If no record can be found, your vet will usually recommend re-vaccinating, because an unverifiable vaccination is treated as no vaccination by kennels and by the law. For distemper and parvo, some vets offer a titer test instead; for rabies, the vaccination is required regardless.

The last time this happens

Once you have the copies, photograph each certificate into PawPass as a vaccination record. From then on the record is on your phone, the next due dates are beside each shot, and the kennel gets a QR code instead of a phone call to the clinic.