Free checklist template · Veterinary

Vet clinic opening and closing checklist

A vet clinic opening and closing checklist lists the checks before the first consult and after the last: in-patient care and handover, anesthetic and emergency equipment, fridges, controlled drugs, theatre, consult rooms and reception. Running it the same way every day means no animal is missed and every theatre is ready.

Updated October 2026 · PDF, Word and CSV · Free to use, don’t resell

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Vet clinic opening and closing checklist

Checklist template

Check this template against your local regulations and your own policies before you use it.

Business
Location
Date

Opening checklist

Before the first consult

DoneTaskTimeInitials
In-patients
Read the overnight notes, or the handover from the after-hours clinic
Check every in-patient and record its observations
Give due medications, fluids and feeds, as the treatment sheets say
Clean kennels and cages, and walk the dogs
Equipment and theatre
Check the anesthetic machine and run its leak test before the first anestheticIncluding the oxygen supply, the breathing systems and the scavenging.
Check the crash cart and emergency drugs are complete and in date
Turn on the sterilizer and run any daily test the maker requires
Run the daily quality control on the in-house lab analyzers
Fridges and drugs
Check the vaccine and medicines fridges are in range, and record the temperatures
Check the controlled drugs safe is locked and the register is up to date
Consult rooms
Check each table is clean and the scales are zeroed
Check gloves, syringes, needles and swabs are stocked
Check the sharps containers are below their fill line
Reception
Take the phones off the after-hours service and check messages and lab results
Check today’s consults, surgeries and admissions
Get consent forms and estimates ready for today’s surgeries
Check the waiting area is clean, with separate space for dogs and cats where possible
Completed by
Checked by (manager)
Date
Notes

Closing checklist

After the last consult

DoneTaskTimeInitials
In-patients and overnight care
Update every treatment sheet and the plan for the night
Hand over to overnight staff, or transfer patients to the after-hours clinic
Check each in-patient has water, clean bedding and its ID on the cage
Theatre and consult rooms
Clean and disinfect the theatre, prep area and consult tables
Clean and pack instruments, and record each sterilizer cycle
Turn off the anesthetic machine and close the oxygen cylinders
Restock each room for tomorrow
Drugs and fridges
Record every controlled drug used today, and lock the safe
Check the fridge doors are closed and the temperatures are in range
Reception
Reconcile the day’s payments with the practice software
Check tomorrow’s surgeries and that fasting instructions were sent
Put the phones through to the after-hours service
Lock-up
Start the laundry and store clinical waste for collection
Turn off the lights, lock all doors and set the alarm
Completed by
Checked by (manager)
Date
Notes

How to use this template

  1. Check it against your local veterinary and controlled drug rules and your equipment makers’ instructions, and add your own checks.
  2. Assign the in-patient and theatre checks to a vet or vet nurse, and the reception checks to the front desk.
  3. Initial and time each task, and record fridge temperatures and controlled drugs in their own registers too.
  4. Review the list with the team every few months, and after any missed check or incident.

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Common questions

What should a vet clinic check before opening?

The in-patients and their overnight notes, the anesthetic machine and emergency equipment, the fridges and controlled drugs, the consult rooms, and the day’s consults and surgeries. In-patients come first, before the doors open.

How often should the anesthetic machine be checked?

Before the first anesthetic each day, with a leak test and checks of the oxygen supply, breathing systems and scavenging, and again between patients as your protocol sets. Follow the maker’s checklist for your machine.

How should controlled drugs be handled at closing?

Record every controlled drug used that day in the register, check the balance as often as your rules require, and lock the safe. Rules differ by country, for example under the DEA in the US or the Veterinary Medicines Regulations in the UK.

Can Wikidoc run a vet clinic’s daily checklists?

Yes. Import the opening and closing CSVs as two daily checklists, assign them to the vet nurse or receptionist on each shift, and see which checks were done, by whom and when. The temperature and drug readings stay in their registers.

Run your checklists and SOPs in one place

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