A New App Called ‘Buddies’ Helped Me Track My Dog’s Health Issues and I’ve Never Felt More Organized
Your dog will finally be thanking you for your screen time. 
Rachel-Crocetti By Rachel Crocetti November 22, 2021 Advertisement Pin FB More Tweet Email Send Text Message Print 
rachel and sammy the pomeranian lying in grass Credit: Jordan D. Stein
We've all been there—it's the third of the month and you realize you're three days late on your dog's heartworm chew. Or you could have sworn you wrote down when Fido was due for his bordetella vaccination, but that little scrap of paper must have gotten buried. Being a pet parent requires not only time and money, but it also means you have a whole other being who is dependent on you for everything from important vet visits and health updates to something as simple as replenishing their treats and pet food each month.
Tracking your pet's health (… and food, and walk schedule, and preventative medications) can be tricky. Throw in a health condition like my dog has, and it's nearly impossible to manage. So when a new app called Buddies from Blue Buffalo promised to help make it easier for me to track everything from our vet visits and vaccinations to photos and walks, I figured it was worth a shot.
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I'm a modern pet parent by definition—my dog Sammy goes everywhere with me and I'm constantly looking for ways to improve both of our lives. Sammy is an 8-year-old Pomeranian with a lot of health issues, and I'd been struggling to track all my notes on her condition in one place. Before I found the Buddies app, I had things noted on my digital calendar, vet visits written in my planner, and some things that I was just trying to keep in my memory (which, I'll be the first to admit, was not the best method).
Sammy has Addison's disease, a health condition that requires a monthly injection, daily medication, and frequent checks of her electrolytes. When she isn't feeling well, I need a very quick way to check when her last shot was, or what has been going on in her life that could cause her body to be more stressed. After I signed up for the Buddies app (which is available for cat parents, too!), I began to add information about our last few vet visits and other events like mealtimes and potty schedules. That info gave me a baseline to check out the timeline feature in the Buddies app, which is the perfect place for me to track that information in one quick glance. One day into using the app, and I'd already streamlined the data from my calendar and memory into an easily accessible snapshot.
Now I can add a timeline entry for every shot, vet visit, milestone, or medication that needs to be tracked for Sammy's well-being. Additionally, the app is a fantastic place to track a pet's vaccination schedule, exercise needs, and weight—great features for any pet parent to pay close attention to, especially ones with a new puppy or kitten or a senior dog or cat. The app even allows you to add photos to your entries, which seem like a great way to track things like skin conditions or eye issues. There's also a community feature that lets you share photos and updates with other app users. I used it to share some fantastic professional photos of Sammy with an audience of potential new Instagram followers outside of her own account—shameless, I know.
pomeranian sitting on bench Credit: Jordan D. Stein
Not only does the Buddies app let you connect with a community of other modern pet parents, it's a much more organized system for tracking important dates like vet visits and vaccinations. There's even a section of advice from pet pros called "Pet Buffs" filled with info covering all the challenges and triumphs of having a pet, from behavior and training to wellness and more.
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Another bonus I really appreciated was the ability to earn points within the app that can be spent on rewards, including Blue Buffalo food and treats. I loved getting something in return for the things I was already doing for Sammy, but now in a much more organized and easy-to-access way. It's a true win-win for both of us!
Want to give it a try for yourself? The Buddies app is available for free download in the App store or Google Play. Drop us a line on Instagram at @DailyPaws to let us know what you think!
