Bring the records with the dog.
Ask for the dog’s available health documentation, including vaccination and deworming history and any recorded hip or elbow results. Keep copies for your veterinarian and for your own records.
Plan the first veterinary visit.
The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends a veterinary examination soon after getting a dog. Bring the medical information you have and discuss the care that fits its age, health and daily life.
AVMA: selecting and caring for a dog →
Make a routine you can maintain.
Discuss feeding, weight, exercise and preventive care with your veterinarian. Ask Hans about the dog’s current routine so you can explain it at the appointment and prepare for the move home.
AVMA: resources for pet owners →
Reading hip and elbow records.
Some individual dog listings include the original X-ray documents and recorded results. These belong to that dog’s record. Your veterinarian can help interpret them; a photograph on its own is not a diagnosis.
Browse the individual dog records →
Hans’s care library.
The original health index includes material on hips, X-ray positioning and feeding. Those articles remain in the archive as historical records. Current health decisions should be made with your veterinarian.