Expired vaccines and medicines quietly eat into a clinic's profit, and running out of a common drug loses a sale. A few simple habits fix both.
Most expiry losses start at the receiving counter. When an order comes in, record the product, batch number, expiry date, quantity and purchase price before it goes on the shelf. Without the expiry date written down somewhere you can search, nobody notices until the box is found at the back of the fridge.
The bottle that expires first should be used or sold first, even if it arrived later. This is called FEFO (first expiry, first out). Keep the earliest expiry at the front of the shelf, and if you use software, let it pick the batch with the nearest expiry automatically when an item is sold or used.
Review everything expiring in the next 60 to 90 days once a week. That gives you time to use it on in-clinic treatments, offer it to regular clients, or return it. Many distributors accept returns or give credit for near-expiry stock if you ask early; almost none do after it has expired.
Set a minimum stock level for each fast-moving item, such as common vaccines, dewormers, tick preventives and antibiotics, so you reorder before you run out instead of after.
Vaccines and some medicines must stay between 2 and 8°C. Use a fridge only for medicines (not food or drinks), keep a thermometer inside, and note the temperature morning and evening. Don't store vaccines in the door. After a power cut, check the reading before using the stock. A vaccine that has been warm or frozen may not protect the pet even if it looks fine.
Count a few high-value or fast-moving items every week instead of the whole stock once a year. Differences show up quickly, while it's still possible to find out why: a missed bill, a breakage, or stock used in treatment but not recorded.
When a medicine is added to a bill or dispensed against a prescription, stock should go down automatically. Then your stock count, expiry alerts and sales reports stay correct without anyone updating a separate register. If you sell pet food and supplies, a simple online shop lets pet parents reorder, which moves stock before it expires.
First expiry, first out: always use or sell the batch that expires soonest first, so older stock doesn't expire on the shelf.
Review stock expiring in the next 60 to 90 days once a week, so there is time to use it or return it to the distributor.
Most vaccines must be kept between 2 and 8°C in a medicine-only fridge. Follow the storage instructions on each product.
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