You can switch vets without losing records by doing three things: book with the new clinic, ask it (or your old clinic) to transfer the complete medical record, and keep your own copy of the essentials. In Ontario, the College of Veterinarians of Ontario expects a complete record transfer within two business days.
People change vets for ordinary reasons: a move, new hours, a clinic closer to home, or a better fit. None of that should cost your pet their history. Here is the order that works, what to check, and what to say.
Is it okay to switch vets?
Yes. Choosing your vet is your decision, and vets transfer records between clinics every day. The CVO's guidance even says a vet asked to confirm a transfer should not try to talk a client out of seeing another vet.
You do not need to explain why you are leaving. A short, polite note is enough, and many owners simply let the new clinic make the request.
How to switch vets without losing records, in five steps
- Choose and book the new clinic. Ask if it takes new patients and how far out the first visit is. Our guide on how to find a new vet has questions to ask.
- Arrange the transfer. Give the new clinic your old clinic's name and your account details so it can request the history, or ask your old clinic directly. Ask for the complete record, including lab results and imaging.
- Ask for your own copy too. Request a copy for yourself at the same time. It costs little time and means nothing depends on one email.
- Check what arrived. Before the first visit, confirm with the new clinic that the record, results and X-rays came through.
- Update the little things. Change your vet on your pet insurance, your microchip registry account and your city pet licence if they list one.
Ask for the complete record, including lab results and imaging, and keep a copy yourself. That is the whole trick.
What does the new vet need from the old one?
The new vet decides what it needs, but most clinics want the same core pieces:
- Vaccine history, including the signed rabies certificate
- Current medicines, doses as prescribed, and when they started
- Allergies and reactions to past medicines or vaccines
- Ongoing conditions and the notes from recent visits
- Lab results, X-rays and other imaging
- Surgeries and anesthesia notes
In Ontario, a vet treating an animal that was seen elsewhere is expected to get the relevant history from the previous vet as soon as practicable, and the previous vet must provide it. If you would rather the new clinic did not contact the old one, the CVO says the new vet should explain the risk of care without the history, then respect your choice.
What can go wrong, and how to avoid it
| What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Only vaccines arrive | Ask in writing for the complete record, including results and imaging |
| Records go to the wrong clinic | Give the new clinic's exact name and email, and ask both sides to confirm |
| A transfer is delayed by an unpaid bill | In Ontario, the CVO says records must not be held back over fees owed |
| Reminders stop | Set your own reminders for vaccines and preventatives while you settle in |
| The old clinic still sends reminders | Ask it to mark your file as transferred |
Keep your own copy, so the next switch is easy
The owners who switch most smoothly are the ones who already have the basics on their phone. The free PetGrid app works with any vet, or none at all. You add vaccines, medicines, allergies and papers yourself, a visit's papers included, and they are marked Added by you.
When the new clinic is on PetGrid, you can join it in the app and send it the records you added; its team checks them before they go on your pet's chart. When it is not, you can give it a code that works for 24 hours, or download your records as a PDF. You can find clinics near you on the vet directory, and the features page lists what works with any vet.
None of this replaces the transfer between clinics. It is your backup, and it makes the first visit faster.
Do you need to tell your old vet?
Not formally, but it is kind and practical. A two-line email works: you are moving your pet's care, the records are going to the new clinic, and please stop reminders. If something went wrong at the old clinic and you want to raise it, that is a separate conversation; in Ontario the CVO handles concerns about vets.
Questions people ask
How do I transfer my pet's records to a new vet?
Ask the new clinic to request them, or ask the old clinic to send them, and name the complete record including results and imaging. In Ontario, a complete transfer is expected within two business days. Confirm with the new clinic that everything arrived.
Will my old vet be upset if I switch?
Clinics transfer records all the time, and it is a normal part of the job. You do not have to give a reason. A short, polite note asking them to send the records and stop reminders is enough.
Can my old vet refuse to transfer records?
In Ontario, the CVO says a vet must provide the relevant history when another treating vet asks, and must not hold records back over unpaid fees. Elsewhere, check your provincial regulator or state veterinary board.
Should I keep my own copy of my pet's records?
Yes. A copy you hold means a delay between clinics never leaves you without vaccine dates, medicines or allergies. A free app like PetGrid can hold it on your phone, with any vet.
What should I bring to the first visit at a new vet?
Your pet's vaccine certificates, a list of current medicines and food, any allergies, and the questions you want to ask. If the full record has not arrived yet, tell the clinic at check-in.
The short version
Switching vets is routine. Book the new clinic, ask for the complete record to be transferred, keep a copy yourself and check it arrived before the first visit.
To keep that copy on your phone, with any vet, get the free PetGrid app.
Keep your pet's records, vaccines and visits in one safe place. The PetGrid app is free for pet owners, with or without a clinic.
Get the free PetGrid appSources
Every fact about another product or organisation comes from these pages, read on the date shown.