Veterinary Inventory Management: End the Stockouts and Waste

How smart inventory tracking saves thousands and improves patient care

"We're out of Convenia." Four words that ruin a busy Friday afternoon. A patient needs treatment, your order won't arrive until Monday, and you're calling every nearby clinic hoping someone can spare a vial. **This shouldn't happen. With modern inventory management, it doesn't have to.**
📦
$8,000
Average annual loss from expired medications
🚨
$5,000
Emergency order rush fees & lost revenue
📊
$12,000
Overstocking carrying costs (capital tied up)
⏰
120 hrs
Staff time on manual counts annually
## The Hidden Pain of Poor Inventory Management

Sound Familiar?

😰

Surprise Stockouts

Critical medications run out mid-procedure. Staff scrambles while patients wait.

🗑️

Expired Product Waste

Find outdated vaccines during counts. Thousands of dollars in the trash.

📝

Manual Counting Chaos

Hours spent on physical counts. Numbers never quite match the system.

🔄

Ordering Guesswork

Order too much, tie up cash. Order too little, face stockouts. No data to guide decisions.

💸

Revenue Leakage

Dispensed medications not billed. Product used but never charged. Money walks out the door.

🕵️

Shrinkage Mystery

Inventory disappears without explanation. No audit trail to identify cause.

## Smart Inventory Features That Solve These Problems
🔔

Automatic Low-Stock Alerts

Set custom reorder points for each item. Get notified before you run out—not after.

  • Custom thresholds per product
  • Email/SMS notifications
  • Dashboard warnings
  • Suggested reorder quantities
📅

Expiration Date Tracking

Know what's expiring before it expires. Use FEFO (first expire, first out) management.

  • 30/60/90 day expiration reports
  • Automatic alerts by date
  • Batch/lot number tracking
  • Return eligibility tracking
🔗

Dispensing Integration

When you dispense medication, inventory automatically decrements. No separate entry.

  • Real-time quantity updates
  • Automatic charge capture
  • Lot/batch on patient record
  • No missed billing
📊

Usage Analytics

See what's moving, what's sitting, and what your reorder patterns should be.

  • Product velocity reports
  • Seasonal trend analysis
  • Cost/margin analysis
  • Inventory turnover metrics
📋

Multi-Location Management

Track inventory across exam rooms, pharmacy, storage, and multiple locations.

  • Location-specific quantities
  • Transfer tracking between locations
  • Consolidated ordering
  • Per-location usage reports
✅

Audit Trail & Compliance

Every transaction logged. DEA compliance simplified. Variance explained.

  • Complete transaction history
  • Controlled substance tracking
  • Adjustment documentation
  • User accountability
## How Automated Inventory Works

From Receiving to Dispensing—All Tracked

📦
Receive
Scan or enter incoming products with lot & expiry
📍
Stock
Assign to storage location with FEFO order
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Dispense
Prescribe in patient record, inventory auto-decrements
🔔
Alert
Low stock notification triggers reorder
📊
Analyze
Reports show usage, turns, and optimization
## Example: Low Stock Alert
📦
LOW STOCK: Reorder Recommended
Rimadyl 75mg (100ct)
Current: 2 bottles | Reorder Point: 5 bottles
30-day usage: 8 bottles | Suggested Order: 10 bottles

Supplier: Patterson Veterinary | Last ordered: 23 days ago
## The ROI of Smart Inventory Management

Annual Savings for a 2-DVM Practice

Reduced expired product waste $6,000
Eliminated emergency order fees $3,500
Captured unbilled dispensing $8,000
Staff time saved (counting, ordering) $4,500
Optimized carrying costs $5,000
Total Annual Value $27,000
## Inventory Best Practices

Maximize Your Inventory ROI

1

Set smart reorder points

Use lead time + safety stock formula: (Daily usage × Lead days) + Buffer

2

Review expiration reports weekly

Move short-dated items to front, plan promotions, or arrange returns

3

Spot-check high-value items

Quick counts of expensive or controlled items catch issues early

4

Analyze your slow movers

Items with low turnover tie up capital. Consider reducing par levels.

5

Document every adjustment

Require reason codes for variances. Patterns reveal problems.

6

Leverage usage forecasting

Historical data predicts seasonal needs. Order ahead of busy seasons.

"Before VetSyCare, we had three expired medications totaling $1,200 in our last count. Now the system alerts us 60 days out—we've had zero waste in 8 months. The automatic inventory update when we dispense caught $400/month in unbilled medications we were giving away."

$0
Expired waste (8 months)
$400/mo
Recovered revenue
4 hrs/wk
Time saved
TM
Teresa Mitchell
Practice Manager, Valley Veterinary Care
## VetSyCare Inventory Features Our built-in inventory management includes: - **Real-time stock levels** updated with every dispense and receive - **Custom low-stock alerts** via dashboard, email, or SMS - **Expiration tracking** with configurable warning windows - **Lot/batch number recording** for recalls and compliance - **Controlled substance logging** with DEA-compliant audit trails - **Multi-location support** for pharmacies, storage, and exam rooms - **Usage analytics** for smarter ordering decisions - **Vendor management** with purchase history **All included in your subscription—no extra modules or fees.**

Stop Losing Money on Inventory

See how VetSyCare's built-in inventory management eliminates stockouts, reduces waste, and captures lost revenue.

Request Your Demo

We'll show you real inventory alerts and how dispensing integration works.

--- **Take control of your inventory.** [Contact VetSyCare today](https://www.vetsycare.com/contact) to see how smart inventory management protects your margins and improves patient care.