Veterinary Establishment Inspection Trends

Published on Jul 8, 2026

All registered veterinary establishments are subject to routine inspections by the Department of Health Professions. See below for a refresher on commonly overlooked establishment requirements found in recent inspections.

TIP - Wondering if your establishment is in compliance with the Board’s standards? Conduct a mock inspection – the inspection report with guidance from the Board is available on the Board’s website here - Guidance Documents. Sample drug‑recordkeeping forms, along with other forms commonly used by veterinary establishments, can be found on the Board’s website under Forms.

READ MORE for a refresher on commonly overlooked establishment requirements found in recent inspections.

Expired Drugs

*Expired medications must not remain in working stock. An increasing number of medications — including compounded and sterile medications—use a Beyond-Use Date (BUD) alongside or instead of a traditional expiration date.  The first use date starts the manufacturer’s limited “in‑use” period, after which the drug must be discarded, even if the printed expiration date has not yet passed. Without recording the first puncture date or first use date on these types of drugs there is no way to determine when the drug actually expires. The regulations prohibit using expired drugs for any purpose, including for sedation prior to euthanasia.

Distribution Log

Surgical Emergency Lighting

Biennial & Change of Veterinarian-in-Charge Inventories

Records of Reconstituted, Compounded, or Prepackaged Drugs

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