Whether its routine care, vaccinations and preventative or a major medical issue, it’s never been easier to maintain the records than in the medical module. Not only that, when dog get adopted, the medical records can be emailed to the adopter! No more scraps of paper or medical records for the adopter to lose (come on, you all know that has happened). You can even email them to the adopter’s veterinarian if you want. So, let’s get started.

Select the dog from the Dog Roster, which will bring up their record. From there, select the Medical Tab under Internal Information.

This will bring up the Medical Module with various options/screens for you to complete.

Intake Medical Observations

What’s the song from Sound of Music? “Let’s start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start….” You are going to want to start with the Intake Medical Observations, obviously (pardon the pun), since it is the first screen and comes up automatically – and it is the beginning of the dog’s journey through rescue.

1. The first thing is to select the vet clinic which did the initial wellness or intake check. You can either use the sending shelter’s intake observations, your rescue’s observations, a vet clinic’s observations, or a combination of the two. Just choose the option in the drop-down box under Vet Clinic:

2. If you don’t see the vet clinic or rescue there, you can add it by clicking on the +Add Veterinarian link

   You will get a pop-up box to fill out. Just fill out the requested information and click save.

3. In this case, we chose the rescue. But if you want to add a second clinic, just click on Select Clinic under Additional Clinic 1.

   HINT: If the dog’s medicals are handled by various clinic or organizations (you got the dog from the shelter, you did your own observations, then dog went to the vet = 3) you can add them at any time here.

4. The next part is the actual observations:

   1. Fill out each section, most are click the button or drop-down boxes so it’s pretty easy. If you click on “no” or “other” on some questions, you will get further questions to answer.

   2. There is also a spot for you to record any other observations.

   3. Once it is all filled out click on Save – unless you had so much fun you want to do it again!

5. If you have no more to enter, then you can go about your business baking cookies or whatever. If there is more to enter, then continue on with the next section for which you have information to enter.

Microchip & Spay/Neuter

Time for Frizzle to get “tutored” so head on over to the Microchip & Spay/Neuter tab under Medical in the Internal Information section of the dog’s record.

1. The first part is the Microchip information. It asks whether the dog arrived microchipped, or whether the rescue did it. Just fill out the requested information, trust me it’s simple!

2. This part will also ask whether a rescue ID tag was issued. It can be filled out now, or later if the tag is not issued until adoption.

3. You have four choices regarding Spay/Neuter.

   1. Dog previously altered: If the dog arrived altered, you will click the “Yes, prior to arrival” button and fill out the requested information:

   2. Rescue altered the dog: Use the Yes, By this Rescue button and fill out the requested information:

   3. Yes, by Adopter: Again, it requests certain information which is easy to fill out. Remember to upload the proof of spay/neuter to the Documents section! (If you don’t know how to do that, check out our handy informational sheet on that)

   4. No, not altered: If the dog is not altered, choose the No button and fill out the requested information. If the dog will eventually be altered, you can note the date to be done in this section as well.

4. We’re now done with this section (at least for now if you have to come back and fill out any information later).

5. PLEASE REMEMBER to click the Update Button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen before leaving or going on to the next task. Information entered will not save without doing so and I’d hate for you to have to redo this all again, even though it didn’t take long.

Vaccines & Preventatives

In the next tab, you can log any vaccinations and preventatives (heartworm, flea & tick, and wormer) given.

Vaccines

1. First up is the Vaccination section where you can log any vaccine given the dog. The vaccines are split into to two groups – core and non-core. The core are the “multiways” (DA2PPv, etc.) and rabies; the non-core are things like Lyme, Bordetella, Giardia, etc.

2. First question is whether the dog is up to date on vaccines. If you pick yes, you’ll move on to the listings of vaccines. If you pick no, you will get a box asking you why not where you can list the reason (too sick, we’re titering the dog, etc.)

3. To enter the vaccines in the Core Vaccine section, click on the Select Vaccine box to get a drop- down box listing of the available vaccines and click on the one you want.

   • This will enter the type of vaccine and give you a “bar” (no, not the kind you get a drink from):

   • When you click on it, you will get a box to enter the information:

4. To enter a second booster vaccine, either now or later, click on the “+ Additional Dose”

   You will get another box where you can enter the information, but this time it will say Dose 2 (or 3 or 4, or whatever the appropriate number is):

5. Repeat this process to enter all the core vaccines the dog has received

   HINT: Remember to upload the rabies certificate (and/or any other proof of vaccination you want) to the documents tab for the dog. That way, you can send it with the medical records to the adopter.

6. Next is the Non-Core Vaccines where you will repeat the process until all vaccines are entered.

7. When you are all done, you will have a screen showing all the vaccines given.

Preventatives

1. The same process as Vaccines applies to both the Flea & Tick, Heartworm and DeWormer Preventative sections — Click on the preventative module you want, select your type and fill out the box.

2. There is one little change between the Preventative and Vaccine section – Date Last given. This allows you to quickly enter the monthly doses without having to reenter all the information on the preventative:

   Just log in with the follow up monthly doses and change the date last given each month. You can enter monthly doses individually, but it only allows you to enter a couple of doses and if you have a dog hanging out on your foster’s couch for months on end, which creates a problem – so this is an easy work around.

3. Please, please, please PLEASE – remember to click Update when you are done with your entries to save them. In fact, burn into your brain to Update often to save your data! The little button is always in the upper right-hand corner!

4. After updating, if you go back to the Vaccines & Preventative section, you will see all the boxes have collapsed. To get to them again, just click on the one you want to work on to add or edit the information for that item.

Exams and Tests

Next up on the hit parade is the Exams & Tests section. This is where you will enter such things as Wellness Exams and Injury/Illness Exams, along with the routine tests for Heartworm, Blood-born Disease and Fecal.

Exams

1. Go to the +Add Exam link to get a drop-down box where you can start entering exams.

   HINT: It’s best to do this in chronological order of the exams in order to have a comprehensible printout for your adopter.

2. The Select Exam(s) gives you a list of options, along with the catch-all “Other.”

3. Here, the first exam was a wellness (general) exam on intake due to limping. The example also shows that the x-rays and report were uploaded to the system (very handy to show the next vet when you forget to take all the records with you!)

4. When you are done with this exam click on the Submit Exam button in the lower right corner which will record the exam. If you ever need to review the exam, just click on bar for it. If you need to edit it for any reason, click on the pencil.

5. To add another exam, click on the +Add Exam link to get a new exam box to be completed. Don’t forget to click the Submit Exam button to save the exam to the system.

6. For each exam, a new bar will be inserted with all the information you have entered.

7. You can keep going as the exams occur or, like so many rescuers who have a lot to do, at any time it’s convenient. For me, it’s often midnight!

Testing

If you conduct routine testing on your dogs for heartworm, blood-born diseases (like erlichia, lyme and anaplasma), along with fecal testing, this is where you will enter those tests.

1. Choose the test you want to enter from the options given. While most rescuers refer to the 4DX test as a “heartworm” test, here it is used mean heartworm only. Don’t use it for the multi- purpose test, use the 4DX bar.

2. Click on the test you want to record and fill in the information.

   NOTE: While the Snap 4DX test detects both Erlichia canis or Erlichia ewingii antibodies, it does not differentiate between the two o the results. The same is true for Anaplasma which detects both Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys, but does not differentiate between the two. So, if you have a positive result, you will have to click both strains. Confusing, I know, but the sticklers of the software wrote it this way, since the 4DX does test for both.

3. You are now going to want to do the same thing for the fecal test, if performed. HINT: If the dog was not fecal tested at all, then just leave this test alone. If they were tested for certain things, then fill out the test results appropriately, noting Not Tested for those things for which the (ahem) stool sample was not tested.

You are now done with this section – BUT REMEMBER to click Update before leaving the module to make sure your info is saved!

“BUT WAIT!” you say? “Where’s the parvo, blood and all the other testing?” Well, that’s covered in the next section “Medical Conditions.” Read on …

Medical Conditions

The Medical Conditions tab allows you to enter all medical conditions (whether permanent or transitory; acute or minor) for the dog along with any testing and/or treatment the pet may have had. So, let’s head on over to the Medical Conditions tab and get started!

1. When you click on the tab, it will bring you up the Conditions module. If this is the first entry for the pet, I guarantee your first thought is going to be “Ummmm, why do I have a blank page?” No, we’re not trying to test you, you just need to click on the +Add Condition link.

2. That will bring up a box with 5 sections for you to fill out – General, Tests, Diagnosis, Treatment and Resolution. Let’s start where most people would – at the beginning – with the General Section.

3. You need to determine what the level of the condition is. Pick the most appropriate:

   • Is the condition Acute? Something like an open fracture or high fever would probably qualify. In other words, does the dog need to see the vet ASAP.

   • Is the condition Chronic? Something like cataracts or autoimmune disease probably would be classified as that.

   • Is the condition Acute & Chronic? Does that dog have a chronic autoimmune disease which is flaring up and needs to be dealt with Stat?

   • Is the condition Non Acute & Non Chronic? Everything else, from the beginnings of kennel cough to the dog got into the kitty litter box for some “tootsie rolls” and has a bit of a tummy ache!

4. Next will be the symptom, which you can pick from the drop-down box:

5. Next fill out the date of onset and if they went to the vet – which one and who took them. When your done, you will have a box that looks like this:

6. The next portion is Tests. If any tests were performed, you can note them here along with any notes. First pick the test from the drop-down box:

   You can select more than one test and, for each selected, a test result box will appear. You also can make any notes about the testing (although noting the dog bit the technician while she was retrieving the stool sample for testing might not be a good idea since, eventually, the adopter will get all this information.)

7. Once you have completed the Testing section, it’s time to move on to the Diagnosis section. Here you can add the diagnosis or diagnoses from the drop-down box. There are lots and lots to choose from mostly grouped into sections such as infection, Muscular/Skeletal, Gastrointestinal, Dental, etc. There’s even a section at the bottom for that dreaded makes-our-blood-boil “Human Inflicted Injury.” Pick the appropriate diagnosis(es) which will be entered into the box.

8. Next section relates to what you are going to do about it – Treatments. Again, you have a lot of options to pick from the drop-down box and can pick as many as you want.

   If medication is given, you can select that from the drop-down box, but the medications will be entered on the Medications screen.

9. Under Resolution, if the issue has been resolved, click on the Yes button; if it has not, then click on the No button and complete the requested information:

10. Since you also have the ability to upload any x-rays and vet records through the Documents section (see How to Upload Documents), you will be asked whether that has been done.

11. Once all filled out, click Submit Condition.

You can continue on entering conditions now or in the future until you have all the conditions this poor dog has/had have been entered. You will do that through the +Add Condition link you used before. Once all the conditions have been entered and submitted, you will have a listing of them here. You can click on a Condition at any time to review or revise (such as marking a condition resolved).

While this is the most time-consuming of all the sections, it sure beats having to keep track of paper records! Also, you can print, review o9r send some or all the medical records at any time from the Documents tab. (See Working with the Documents).

Medications

Along their journey with rescue, many dogs need some medication – from prescriptions to just some over the counter stuff. So, head over to the Medication Tab and let’s get them entered.

1. First thing, obviously, is to click on Add Medicine.

2. You will get a screen that allows to you add the medications.

   • Is the medication prescription or over the counter?

   • What’s the medicine name? HINT: You can always put what the medication
     was given for here (see below for examples)

   • Who was the medication given by? The name of the vet prescribing or the
     rescue (if you have them set up in the database as a “vet”)

   • How is the medication administered? Mark orally, injected, etc.

     NOTE: If Orally is marked it will ask whether before or with a meal. Use No if it doesn’t matter.
     NOTE: If Injected is marked, it will ask the location for the injection.
     NOTE: Since we were trying to be diplomatic, you can record such things as a suppository under Other.

   • How often is the medication given? Pick a frequency from the drop down menu.

   • How long is the dog supposed to get the medication? Chose the duration from the drop down box.

   • What’s the dosage/strength (10mb, 1 ml, etc). Type in the ml, cc, mg, etc of the medication.

   • Are there refills available? You can type in Yes (and how many), No, or — since it’s not a required field — just leave it blank.

   • Any special instructions? If so, you can put them here.

3. After adding all the information, remember to click on Save Medicine to record it!

4. Keep adding medications through the +Add Medication link until all the medication for the dog is listed. Remember to click Update in the upper right hand corner to save the medication(s) you entered to the module.

5. Once all the medications are entered and save, you will get a listing of all of them under the Medications Tab. Note: On the right hand side of the medication’s name bar, it has an icon for whether the medication is a RX or OTC.

6. If at any time you need to go back and edit the information for a medication, just click on the medication and it will bring the screen up for you to enter the new/changed information:

And, in the words of the immortal Porky Pig – That’s all folks! You have now made it through the Medical module! To see how the medical records will look when the wizards of the website compile them, head over to the Documents tab and click on the link you want to view.

To see how to send them to your adopter, check out the Working With Documents informational sheet!