The core file every Shih Tzu should arrive with
A Shih Tzu's handover starts with the standard core: vaccination history with dates, the microchip number as registered, flea and worming prevention history, whether she is spayed, and the previous practice's name and number so the full clinical notes can follow. Add her age, current weight, and daily food, because this breed gains quietly under a heavy coat and a weight trend tells a new vet more than a single reading. Note any insurance or referral paperwork only as administrative detail; what matters clinically is the story so far, written down clearly enough that a vet meeting her for the first time can follow it without guesswork.
Breathing and anaesthetic history matter most in this breed
For a Shih Tzu, the most valuable pages in the packet describe her breathing. Record any past anaesthetic notes, including how she recovered, because a short muzzle and narrow airways make sedation planning breed-specific, and a new vet will ask before scheduling even a routine dental. Note any airway surgery, episodes of laboured breathing in heat, loud snoring, or exercise intolerance you have seen at home, with rough dates. Heat sensitivity deserves its own line: if she has ever overheated on a warm walk or in a car, write it down. These details change how a practice monitors her during procedures and how urgently they treat breathing complaints later.
Eyes, ears, teeth, and coat history
Shih Tzu eyes sit prominent in shallow sockets, so past eye trouble is essential history: any corneal ulcer, scratch, or bout of squinting and tearing, how it was treated in general terms, and whether it fully healed. Ear history matters too, since hair grows inside the ear canal and infections recur in this breed — list past ear problems and how often ears are cleaned and plucked at grooming. Dental notes should cover extractions and tartar build-up, because crowded small jaws collect plaque quickly. Finally, add skin and coat notes: any itchy patches under the coat, grooming frequency, and whether the coat is kept clipped or long, since skin problems hide under a full Shih Tzu coat.
What to add from home observation
A new vet sees a Shih Tzu for minutes; you see her every day, so include a short home-observation list with the records. Note eye rubbing, discharge, or cloudiness you have spotted, head shaking, changes in her snoring, appetite shifts, and whether she has started hesitating at stairs or in dim light, which can hint at vision changes worth checking. Include her daily routine details a vet would otherwise never know: how her face and eye corners are cleaned, what she eats and how much, and any supplements. Finish with your current phone number, an emergency contact, and confirmation that the microchip registry holds your up-to-date address.
One packet, ready before the first visit
The handover works best when nothing depends on your memory in the waiting room. Send or carry the packet ahead of the appointment so the practice can read the breathing and eye history before your Shih Tzu is on the table, and update it after each visit with new notes and results. Keeping those records assembled in KinsLe's Pet Passport means her vaccinations, anaesthetic history, and eye notes move with her as a single portable packet, so any new vet starts from her real story instead of a blank page.