Vet appointment checklist
How to prepare for a visit: a symptom timeline and video, records and medication, the carrier and journey, questions for the vet and notes afterwards.

[ ] Write a timeline: what, when and after what
    Dates, frequency, changes in food, routine and environment. This is what the vet cannot see and you can recall.
[ ] Film the symptom or unusual behaviour
    Limping, coughing, an episode, an odd gait. It usually does not repeat at the clinic but it is visible on video.
[ ] List all medication and supplements
    Including anything you gave without a prescription. It matters for safety, not as a judgement of you.
[ ] Bring the records and previous results
    Vaccination history, test results, previous prescriptions. It saves time and repeat tests.
[ ] Photograph the food packaging
    The name and composition matter more than \u201cnormal dry food\u201d. Photograph regular treats too.
[ ] Write your questions in advance
    Half your questions vanish in the room and return in the car park. A list solves that completely.
[ ] Ask whether the animal should fast beforehand
    Some tests and procedures require fasting. That is the vet's call — ask when booking, not on the day.
[ ] Get the carrier ready in advance
    Leave it out at home for a few days, open, with a blanket and a treat. Familiarity reduces stress more than any reassurance.
[ ] Take a lead and muzzle if the clinic requires
    Even a calm dog behaves differently in a strange place with strange animals. Check the rules in advance.
[ ] Ask whether you need to bring samples
    Sometimes samples collected at home are requested, with rules for collection and storage. Ask when booking.
[ ] Arrive with time to spare
    Rush transfers to the animal, and queues happen even with appointments. Fifteen minutes of margin changes the whole visit.
[ ] Keep the carrier closed in the waiting room
    Other animals, smells and sounds. Cover the carrier with a blanket if the animal is very anxious.
[ ] Ask about tests and alternatives
    What the test will show, what the options are, what happens if you wait. A normal question a good vet answers calmly.
[ ] Ask for the instructions in writing
    Medicine, dose, frequency, duration, what to do if a dose is missed. Details evaporate the same evening.
[ ] Put doses and the follow-up in the calendar
    \u201cIn ten days\u201d becomes \u201csometime last week\u201d by the evening. Reminders are more reliable than memory.
[ ] Note which signs mean coming back sooner
    Ask this directly at the appointment. A clear line between \u201cwait\u201d and \u201ccome now\u201d removes anxiety at home.
[ ] Keep the animal's documents in one folder
    A paper folder and copies on your phone. When moving, travelling or changing clinics it saves weeks.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/pet-vet-visit