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How to Manage Breeds and Assign Species

In Instinct, the breed field now filters available breeds based on the patient's species, so staff see only relevant options when registering or updating a patient. Authorized staff can also manage breeds directly in Admin using the new Breeds section.

Written by Melissa Duarte

Before you begin

  • To add or edit breeds in Admin → Practice settings, you must have the admin_breeds permission. Staff without this permission will not see the Breeds page in Admin.

How to manage breeds in Admin

Staff with the admin_breeds permission can add new breeds, edit existing breed names, and assign breeds to a species in the Breeds section in Admin.

Add a new breed

  1. Go to Admin → Practice → Breeds.

  2. To add a new breed, click New Breed in the top right corner.

  3. Enter the breed name (Label), the breed’s abbreviation, and select the associated species from the Species drop-down menu.

  4. Click Save.

Edit an existing breed

  1. Locate the breed in the Breed list in Admin, and click on it to open the editing window.

  2. Update the breed name or select a species from the drop-down menu.

  3. Click Save.

Note: Breeds without a species will have “Untagged” listed in the Species column in the Breeds settings page.

How breed filtering works in the edit patient form

When a species is selected for a patient, the breed field automatically narrows to show only breeds associated with that species. Breeds that have not been assigned to any species appear below a divider in the picker and are still selectable.

  1. Open a patient record or create a new patient.

  2. Select a species from the Species field.

  3. Click the Breed field. Breeds associated with the selected species appear at the top of the list.

  4. If the correct breed is not listed under the species, scroll below the divider line to see unassigned breeds.

  5. Select the appropriate breed, and save your changes.

Note: Staff is never prevented from selecting a breed—the breed list filtering acts as a guide, not a hard restriction. If a breed does not appear where expected, it may not yet be assigned to a species. See the section below for how to edit breeds.

Frequently asked questions

Who can see and use the Breeds section in Admin?

Only staff with the admin_breeds permission can access Admin → Practice → Breeds. Staff without this permission will not see the Breeds section.

Can I still select a breed that isn't assigned to a species?

Yes. Unassigned breeds appear below a divider in the breed picker and can be selected by any staff member. To assign a breed to a species, use the Breeds section in Admin.

Still need help?

Contact support via live chat or email [email protected].

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