Recording Vet Visits and Your Feelings
- Fruzsina Moricz
- Jan 9
- 10 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
In studies of human medicine, patients forget an estimated 70–80% of what they’re told in a clinic visit almost immediately afterward.[4] That’s in calm, climate‑controlled exam rooms, with adults talking about their own bodies.
Now place yourself in a veterinary clinic: your dog is limping, or coughing, or has just been diagnosed with something that ends in “-oma.” You’re trying to listen, to ask the right questions, to be “a good owner.” And your brain is quietly dropping most of the information on the floor.
There is a name for the thing many people start doing in response to this: recording clinic visits. Not just what the vet said, but—if we’re honest—what your heart heard.
This article is about that intersection: the practical act of capturing a visit, and the very human feelings that swirl around it.
Why recording vet visits is becoming “a thing”
Although most of the research comes from human healthcare, the patterns translate almost perfectly to chronic dog care.
A few numbers to ground us:
In US human medicine, about one-third of clinicians have already recorded visits for patients; roughly half of the rest say they’d be open to it in the future.[1]
Among the public, 16% have recorded a visit with permission and 3% have recorded secretly; 59% would consider recording with permission.[5]
In one UK study, 15% of patients had covertly recorded a visit, and 77% wanted recording to be available.[2]
We don’t yet have equivalent statistics for veterinary clinics, but smartphones in pockets and the complexity of modern veterinary care make the direction of travel obvious.
Behind those numbers are some very practical realities:
Chronic conditions in dogs—arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer—come with complex medication plans, monitoring instructions, and “if/then” scenarios.
Owners often have to relay information to partners, kids, pet sitters, or other caregivers.
Stress during the appointment itself can make the visit feel like a blur.
Recording the visit doesn’t magically fix any of this. But it can change the way your brain and your emotions process what’s happening.
Key terms, in plain language
A few phrases you might see or hear, translated into everyday use:
Clinic visit recordingAn audio or video capture of your consultation. In our context: you, your vet, your dog, your phone.
Personal useThe recording is for you (and your dog’s other caregivers) to review privately—not to post on social media or use as a weapon in an argument.
Covert recordingRecording without telling your vet. Legality varies by location; emotionally, it’s complicated.
After‑visit summaryThe printed or emailed notes you might get after a visit. Helpful, but often incomplete or written in medical shorthand.
Tagged recordingAn audio file where key moments—diagnosis, treatment plan, “watch for these signs”—are marked so you can jump back to them easily.
You don’t need the jargon to benefit from a recording. But having words for things can help in conversations with your vet: “Could we make a short recording of the treatment plan for my personal use?”
What recordings actually change in your understanding
Research in human medicine gives us a surprisingly consistent story.
1. Your memory improves (a lot)
People forget 70–80% of medical information right after a visit.[4] That’s not a character flaw; it’s how human memory behaves under stress and information overload.
Recordings help by:
Letting you replay complex explanations when you’re calmer.
Allowing you to pause and look things up (“What exactly is an echocardiogram again?”).
Giving you a way to share the exact words with others who help care for your dog.
Some studies show that when patients can access recordings, measures of engagement and shared understanding improve by around 68–71%.[4] That doesn’t mean you suddenly become a vet, but it does mean you move from “I think she said…” to “Let me listen to that part again.”
2. Decisions feel less haunted
Several trials in human healthcare have found that access to recordings reduces decisional regret—that nagging feeling months later of “Did I make the wrong choice?”[1][4]
In dog care, this might sound like:
“Did I rush into that surgery?”
“Should I have tried one more medication?”
“Did I really understand the prognosis?”
Being able to revisit what was said—what options were offered, what risks were discussed—doesn’t make hard decisions easy. But it can make them feel more grounded and less like something you stumbled through in a fog.
3. Long‑term management gets a little less chaotic
For older adults with chronic illnesses, studies like the CHRONICLE trial suggest that using recordings alongside traditional notes can improve medication adherence and aspects of quality of life.[3][4]
Translate that into dog care:
You’re more likely to give medications correctly (timing, dose, food or no food).
You can check what to watch for: “When exactly should I call if his cough worsens?”
You can better follow step‑wise plans: “If his pain is still bad after three days on this dose, then…”
Recordings don’t guarantee perfect follow‑through, but they lower the cognitive load. You don’t have to hold every instruction in your head at once.
The emotional layer: what your heart hears
The science talks about “patient empowerment” and “engagement.” In real life, the feelings are more textured.
Relief: “I don’t have to carry this alone in my head”
Many owners describe an immediate sense of relief once they know the visit is being recorded—whether they hit record on their phone, or the clinic uses a system to do it for them.
Common emotional shifts:
From “If I don’t remember this, I’m failing my dog”to“I have a backup. I can listen again.”
From “I can’t explain this to my partner; I’ll get it wrong”to“We can listen together tonight.”
That relief is not trivial. It softens the self‑blame that often rides along with caregiving.
Empowerment: “I can sit with this on my own terms”
Research participants often report feeling more in control when they can replay complex or unexpected information.[2][4] For dog owners, that might look like:
Listening again later and writing down questions for the next visit.
Sharing the recording with a trusted friend who’s been through something similar.
Using the recording to pace your emotional processing—stopping when it’s too much, resuming when you’re ready.
In other words, the conversation doesn’t end when you walk out of the clinic. It becomes something you can revisit in smaller, more digestible pieces.
Mixed feelings: hearing the hard parts again
There can also be discomfort:
Hearing your vet say the prognosis out loud a second time.
Noticing the moment your voice cracked, or the pause before you answered.
Realizing you missed a question you meant to ask.
This is normal. Recordings don’t just capture facts; they capture emotional weather.
Some people find it helpful to:
Decide in advance which parts they want to replay (e.g., “I’ll listen to the treatment options, but I don’t need to re-hear the diagnostic journey right now.”)
Listen with someone else the first time—partner, friend, family member—so they’re not alone with it.
The veterinarian’s side: why your recording might feel complicated
Studies of doctors’ and nurses’ attitudes show a mixed landscape, and veterinarians likely share many of the same tensions.[1][6][8]
Supportive reasons vets may have
Many clinicians see clear benefits:
Better recall and understanding for patients/owners.
Fewer follow‑up calls about basic instructions.
More engaged, informed conversations in future visits.
Some clinics are even experimenting with secure, annotated recording platforms, where the visit is recorded, tagged (e.g., “diagnosis at 05:12,” “med instructions at 12:30”), and shared privately with the patient.[2][3]
Worries that can make vets hesitate
Common concerns in the research:
PrivacyWho else will hear this? Will other clients’ voices in the background be captured?
Medicolegal riskCould the recording be edited or misunderstood and used in a complaint or lawsuit?
Performance pressureSome clinicians feel more self‑conscious, fearing every word is “on the record.” That can increase stress, especially in emotionally charged visits.[1][6][8]
Lack of policyMany clinics simply don’t have a clear rule or workflow for recording, which leads to on‑the‑spot decisions and inconsistency.
Understanding these pressures doesn’t mean you have to agree with every concern. But it can help you approach the topic in a way that feels less adversarial and more collaborative.
Covert recording: why it happens, and what it costs
In one UK study, 15% of patients reported covertly recording a visit, often because they felt they needed the information but weren’t sure permission would be granted.[2] In US surveys, 3–7% of people report recording without permission, and a larger group say they would consider it.[5]
Motivations are often practical, not malicious:
“I’m afraid I’ll forget.”
“I need to share this with my family.”
“I don’t want to upset the doctor by asking.”
But there are emotional side effects:
On your side:You might feel guilty, or like you’re sneaking around someone you’re trying to trust.
On the vet’s side (if discovered):It can feel like a breach of trust, even if your intentions were purely about understanding.
Ethically, this is a gray area, and legally it depends on your jurisdiction’s recording laws. But from a relationship standpoint, covert recording is usually a symptom of something else: fear you won’t be heard, or that your need for clarity will be seen as inconvenient.
If you notice yourself considering it, that’s a signal. Not that you’re doing something wrong—but that your need for information and reassurance is outstripping what you feel able to ask for directly.
If you’d like to record: ways to bring it up
This is not medical or legal advice—just language you might find useful.
1. Ask early and frame it as memory support
You might say:
“I tend to forget details when I’m stressed. Would it be okay if I make an audio recording of your instructions, just for personal use?”
“Is there a way we could record the main treatment plan so I can share it with my partner at home?”
You’re not asking for a performance; you’re asking for a memory aid.
2. Be clear about how you’ll use it
Vets’ concerns often soften when they know the recording is not headed for social media.
You could add:
“This would just be for me and my family to listen to—nothing public.”
“I won’t share this outside our household; it’s just so we can follow your directions correctly.”
3. Accept that “no” is possible
Because there are no universal policies, your vet might say no, or offer a compromise (e.g., “I’ll record a summary at the end for you”).
If that happens, you might respond:
“I understand. Could we maybe go a bit slower at the end while I write things down?”
“Would you be able to give me a written summary of the key points?”
The goal is not to win a debate; it’s to get your dog the best possible care with the clearest possible understanding.
Practical ways to use recordings without overwhelming yourself
Recording a visit is step one. What you do afterward is where the real benefit lives.
Right after the visit
Label the file clearly“Bella_arthritis_followup_2025‑03‑10” is more helpful than “Audio 027.”
Note the key momentsOn your phone or a scrap of paper:
Diagnosis explained ~5:00
Medication schedule ~11:30
When to call emergency ~18:45
Even rough time stamps make later review much easier.
At home, on your own time
Consider:
Listening once for facts, once for feelingsFirst pass: just capture the practical stuff—med names, dosages, timelines.Second pass (if you want): notice your emotional reactions. Where did you tense up? Where did you feel relief?
Writing down questions for next timeAny “Wait, what?” moments become a ready‑made list for your next appointment or a follow‑up call.
Sharing selectivelyYou don’t have to send the entire recording to everyone.
Your partner might want the full thing.
A pet sitter might only need the section about medications.
When it feels too heavy to listen
If the recording feels like too much:
Ask someone you trust to listen first and pull out key instructions for you.
Decide you’ll only listen to the practical segments (e.g., “I’ll start at the part where we talk about medications, not the initial diagnosis conversation.”)
Give yourself permission to set it aside. The recording is there as a resource, not an obligation.
How recordings change conversations over time
Research suggests that when patients can review what was said, they arrive at future appointments:
With more precise questions
With better recall of what was tried and what happened
With clearer expectations about what might come next[1][3][4]
In dog care, that might mean:
You can say, “Last time you mentioned two possible next steps if her cough didn’t improve. We’re at that point now—could we revisit those options?”
You’re less likely to feel blindsided by a development that was flagged as a possibility, even if it’s still painful.
For vets, this can be a relief too: fewer conversations that start from scratch, more that build on shared understanding.
The future: AI, tagged audio, and what might be coming to vet clinics
In some human clinics, AI‑assisted tools are already:
Recording visits (with consent),
Generating visit summaries,
And even producing patient‑friendly explanations of what was discussed.[7]
Other research teams are piloting secure, web‑based systems where patients can:
Log in,
Listen to recordings,
See key sections tagged and annotated.[2][3]
It’s not hard to imagine similar systems in veterinary care:
A secure portal where you can replay your dog’s visit and jump straight to “medication instructions.”
Automatic transcripts you can search (“what did she say about exercise limits?”).
These tools bring their own questions—about data security, accuracy, and who owns the recording.[7] But they all orbit the same central idea: you shouldn’t have to rely on a stressed brain’s first‑pass memory to care for someone you love.
When you’re the one holding the phone
Recording a vet visit is a small, almost mundane act. Tap “record,” set the phone down, carry on. But it can quietly reshape the experience in three ways:
Biologically, by working with the limits of human memory instead of against them.
Practically, by turning a single, stressful conversation into something you can revisit, share, and act on more accurately.
Emotionally, by acknowledging that what your vet says and what your heart hears are not always the same—and that both deserve space.
You are not supposed to remember every instruction perfectly. You are not failing your dog if you walk out of the clinic and realize you’ve already forgotten half of what was said.
Using recordings is one way of saying:“I take this seriously. I know my limits. And I’m building myself a bridge between this moment and the ones that come after.”
That combination—care plus realism—is, in many ways, the heart of good caregiving.
References
Elwyn G, Barr PJ, Castaldo MG. Audio-/Videorecording Clinic Visits for Patient's Personal Use in the United States. JAMA. 2017. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6231772/
Elwyn G, Barr PJ, Grande SW, et al. Sharing Annotated Audio Recordings of Clinic Visits With Patients: Development and Implementation of a Pilot Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. 2017;6(7):e121. Available at: https://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/7/e121/
OpenNotes. Research team to study audio recordings as way of sharing medical visit information with older adults. 2018. Available at: https://www.opennotes.org/news/research-team-to-study-audio-recordings-as-way-of-sharing-medical-visit-information-with-older-adults/
Vanderbilt University Medical Center News. Audio recordings could benefit older adults following clinic visits. 2022. Available at: https://news.vumc.org/2022/10/06/audio-recordings-could-benefit-older-adults-following-clinic-visits/
Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice. Dartmouth Institute study reveals public and physician attitudes on recording clinical visits. 2017. Available at: https://healthsciences.dartmouth.edu/news-events/dartmouth-institute-study-reveals-public-physician-attitudes-on-recording-clinical-visits
Karthikeyan P, et al. Cross-sectional survey of medical professionals' attitudes toward patient-initiated recording. Journal of Patient Experience. 2025. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/22799036251381224
WHYY News. Why many Philadelphia doctors now use AI to record patient visits. 2023. Available at: https://whyy.org/articles/artificial-intelligence-doctors-patient-visits/
Singh S, Butow P, Charles M, et al. Do you mind if I record?: Perceptions and practice regarding patient recordings in oncology. Cancer. 2022. Available at: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cncr.33910
ClinicalTrials.gov. The Impact of Sharing Audio Recorded Clinic Visits on Self Management (CHRONICLE). NCT04344301. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04344301
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