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10 free copy-paste clinical templates, with 12 more in development. Written for ezyVet, RxWorks, Cornerstone, Avimark, Covetrus, VetlinkSQL, Provet Cloud and every other system, because they are clean plain text that pastes anywhere, including a word processor for clinics that print.
Consultation SOAP notes and history templates, emergency triage notes, nursing shift handovers (handoffs), discharge statements for surgery, dentals and medical cases, referral letters and client communication records. Every live template is published in full on this page: read it, copy it with one click, paste it into your software and replace the [bracketed prompts]. They double as worked examples for veterinary students learning clinical documentation.
DH
By Dr Duncan Houston
BVSc, University of Sydney · emergency & GP veterinarian
Last reviewed
Quick answer
Find a template below, hit Copy, paste it into your practice software and replace the [bracketed prompts] with your patient's details. Every template is universal text, so picking your system in the practice software filter mostly confirms that; software-specific coded versions will appear there as they are published. Save it in your system's own template or quick-text feature once, and it is a two-click insert forever. Written for veterinary professionals. Owners should use the free pet calculators for owners instead.
Mid-shift, need it now
The four you reach for most, straight to the text.
Nothing matches that.
Try SOAP, handover, discharge, or a shorter word.
Copy the templates
Every live template in full, each with Copy, Email, Download and Print buttons. Copy straight into your software, email it to the practice inbox, download it as a text file for your templates folder, or print a clean sheet, then replace the [bracketed prompts] and adapt the wording to your clinic.
Client Telephone Update
Client communication
TELEPHONE UPDATE: [date, time] SPOKE WITH: [owner name / voicemail / no answer]
CALLED BY: [name and role]
REASON FOR CALL: [results / patient update / treatment decision / other]
DISCUSSED: [key findings or update in plain language as explained]
INTERPRETATION GIVEN: [normal / abnormal - what it means for the patient]
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE:
- [next step 1, e.g. start medication, repeat test in x weeks, book recheck]
- [next step 2]
OWNER RESPONSE: [agreed / declined / wants to consider - any questions asked]
CONSENT OBTAINED: [what was consented to, if anything]
ACTIONS:
- [booked recheck date / medications to be dispensed / callback scheduled]
FOLLOW-UP REQUIRED: [what and when, and who is responsible]
Dental Procedure Discharge
Discharge
[PATIENT NAME] had a dental procedure today under general anaesthesia: [scale and polish / extractions - list teeth removed]. Dental X-rays [were/were not] taken.
TONIGHT: sleepiness from the anaesthetic is normal. Offer a small soft meal and fresh water.
THE NEXT [7-10] DAYS:
- Feed soft food only: [wet food / soaked kibble]. No hard kibble, bones, chews or hard toys[ while the extraction sites heal].
- Medications: [drug, dose, frequency, duration]. [Antibiotics if dispensed: complete the full course.]
- Mild blood-tinged saliva for the first day or two can be normal after extractions.
- Some pets are quieter for a day; most are noticeably brighter within a week, often because a painful mouth has been treated.
CONTACT US ON [PHONE] IF YOU SEE:
- Ongoing bleeding from the mouth
- Not eating by tomorrow evening, or dropping food consistently
- Pawing at the mouth, facial swelling, or a bad smell returning
RECHECK: [date/time] to check the mouth [and extraction sites].
ONGOING DENTAL CARE: [brushing / dental diet / chews recommendation] once healed.
After hours, contact [emergency clinic name and phone].
Emergency Triage Note
Triage & ECC
TRIAGE TIME: [time] TRIAGED BY: [name]
PRESENTING COMPLAINT: [owner's words]
TIME OF ONSET: [when] WITNESSED: [yes/no]
TRIAGE PRIORITY: [1 immediate / 2 urgent / 3 semi-urgent / 4 routine]
PRIMARY SURVEY:
- Airway: [patent / obstructed / at risk]
- Breathing: [RR, effort, pattern, stridor/stertor]
- Circulation: [HR, pulse quality, MM colour, CRT]
- Neuro: [mentation - alert / obtunded / stuporous / comatose; ambulatory yes/no]
- Temperature: [x C]
- Pain score: [x/10 or scale used]
KEY HISTORY (AMPLE):
- Allergies/reactions: [known]
- Medications: [current]
- Past history: [relevant]
- Last meal: [when]
- Events leading up: [trauma, toxin access, ticks, heat, other animals]
TOXIN EXPOSURE (if relevant): [substance, amount, time since ingestion, packaging seen]
OWNER CONSENT: [CPR status discussed: CPR / DNR; estimate given: $x-$x; consent signed yes/no]
INITIAL ACTIONS: [oxygen, IV access, bloods drawn, analgesia given - drug/dose/route/time]
VET NOTIFIED: [name, time]
Euthanasia Condolence & Aftercare Letter
Client communication
Dear [owner name],
All of us at [clinic name] are thinking of you after saying goodbye to [patient name] [yesterday / on date].
[Personal line - a genuine memory or quality, e.g. "He greeted every one of us with a wagging tail, even on his hardest days."]
Choosing euthanasia is one of the kindest and hardest decisions an owner can make. You gave [patient name] a peaceful, dignified goodbye, surrounded by love, and [he/she] was fortunate to have you.
[If private cremation: "[Patient name]'s ashes will be ready to collect from [date]. There is no rush; call us when you feel ready."]
[If communal cremation or home burial: omit or adapt.]
If you would like to talk about anything from [patient name]'s care, or if we can help in any way, please call us on [phone]. Grief after losing a pet is real, and support is available: the Pet Loss Support line and your GP are both good places to start if the coming weeks feel heavy.
With sympathy,
[vet name] and the team at [clinic name]
[PATIENT NAME] was [hospitalised from [date] to [date] / seen today] for [condition, in plain language].
WHAT WE FOUND: [diagnosis or working diagnosis, key test results in plain language]
TREATMENT PROVIDED: [fluids, medications, procedures - plain language summary]
AT HOME:
- Medications: [drug - what it is for - dose - frequency - with/without food - duration]
- Feeding: [diet, amount, frequency, any restrictions]
- Activity: [restrictions and for how long]
- Monitoring at home: [what to watch - appetite, thirst, urination, breathing rate, etc.]
EXPECTED COURSE: [what improvement should look like and over what timeframe]
CONTACT US ON [PHONE] IF YOU SEE:
- [specific warning sign 1]
- [specific warning sign 2]
- Any return of the original signs, or [he/she] seems worse to you
RECHECK: [date/time] for [repeat bloods / exam / imaging].
After hours, contact [emergency clinic name and phone].
Nursing Shift Handover
Hospital & handover
PATIENT: [name, signalment, weight] CAGE: [location]
CODE STATUS: [CPR / DNR] IVC: [site, placed date]
PROBLEM: [one-line reason for hospitalisation]
BACKGROUND: [key history and findings so far, major results]
CURRENT STATUS: [demeanour, vitals trend, eating/drinking, urination/defecation, pain score]
FLUIDS: [type, rate mL/h, next bag due]
MEDICATIONS DUE THIS SHIFT: [drug - dose - route - time]
FEEDING: [food, amount, frequency, last ate]
MONITORING: [what to check and how often, incl. parameters to act on]
CALL THE VET IF: [specific triggers, e.g. RR over x, no urination by x, pain score over x]
OWNER: [name, phone, last update given, next update due]
PLAN FOR TOMORROW: [rechecks, imaging, bloods, likely discharge]
Postoperative Discharge
Discharge
[PATIENT NAME] had surgery today ([procedure, e.g. desexing]) under general anaesthesia. The procedure went smoothly and recovery was uneventful.
TONIGHT: [he/she] may be sleepy or unsteady from the anaesthetic. Offer a small dinner ([half the usual amount]) and fresh water. Keep [him/her] indoors, warm and quiet.
THE NEXT [10-14] DAYS:
- Strict rest: short lead walks only for dogs, no running, jumping, stairs or rough play. Cats stay indoors.
- The wound must stay clean and dry: no baths, no swimming, no licking. Keep the [Elizabethan collar / recovery suit] on at all times, including overnight. Licking is the most common cause of wound breakdown.
- Check the wound twice daily. Mild bruising and a small firm lump under the incision can be normal.
- Medications: [drug, dose, frequency, with/without food, duration]. Never give human pain relief such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.
CONTACT US ON [PHONE] IF YOU SEE:
- Redness, swelling, discharge or an opening at the wound
- Bleeding, or a swelling that is growing
- No appetite by tomorrow morning, vomiting, or ongoing lethargy
- No urination within 24 hours
RECHECK: [date/time] for a wound check [and suture removal if applicable].
After hours, contact [emergency clinic name and phone].
Sedation & Day-Procedure Discharge
Discharge
[PATIENT NAME] had [procedure] today under [sedation / general anaesthesia] and has recovered well.
TONIGHT:
- Drowsiness, wobbliness or clinginess for up to 24 hours is normal.
- Offer a small meal ([half the usual amount]) and fresh water. Mild appetite loss tonight is common.
- Keep [him/her] indoors, warm, and away from stairs, pools and other pets while unsteady.
THE NEXT FEW DAYS:
- [Procedure-specific care: wound, dressing, bandage or site instructions]
- Medications: [drug, dose, frequency, duration, or "none required"]
- Normal food and routine can resume [tomorrow / timeframe] unless advised otherwise.
CONTACT US ON [PHONE] IF:
- [He/She] is still very drowsy or not eating by tomorrow evening
- There is vomiting, breathing changes, or anything at the procedure site that worries you
RESULTS: [when and how you will hear about any lab/biopsy results]
RECHECK: [date/time, or "no recheck needed unless concerns"].
After hours, contact [emergency clinic name and phone].
Veterinary Referral Letter
Referral & transfer
Dear [referral vet / service],
RE: [patient name], [age] [sex] [breed] [species], owned by [owner name]
Thank you for seeing [patient name] for [reason for referral].
HISTORY: [concise chronological summary of the presenting problem]
EXAMINATION FINDINGS: [key findings at presentation and most recent exam]
DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED:
- [test - date - key results; attach full results]
TREATMENT TO DATE: [drugs with doses and dates, response to treatment]
CURRENT MEDICATIONS: [drug, dose, frequency, last given]
REASON FOR REFERRAL: [specific question or procedure requested]
The owners have been advised of [what they have been told, incl. any estimate discussed].
Please contact me if you need anything further. I have attached [records/imaging/lab results].
Kind regards,
[vet name], [qualifications]
[clinic name] | [phone] | [email]
Free, and staying free
No account, no trial, nothing gated. Copying happens in your browser and no patient data ever touches this page. If a template is missing, or your software needs a different format, tell me and I will build it. Templates marked in development are being built in order of demand.
Need the paperwork, not the wording?
The clinic forms and certificates library has fill-and-print consent forms, vaccination certificates and health certificates, customised with your clinic details.
Every practice management system ships with a templates feature, and almost every clinic's templates folder holds three half-finished drafts from a vet who left in 2019. Writing good reusable clinical text is a job nobody has time for mid-shift, which is exactly when its absence hurts: histories that miss the parasite prevention question, handovers that lose the 2am medication, discharges retyped from memory at 6pm.
These templates are that job, done once, by a working emergency veterinarian, and published in full so you can read every line before it goes anywhere near your records. They are deliberately plain text: no fonts, no tables, no formatting to break between systems. Paste one into your software's template or quick-text feature and it becomes a two-click insert for every consult after that.
Spelling note for searchers: this page uses Australian spelling. A handover is a handoff, an anaesthetic template is an anesthetic template, and a SOAP note is a SOAP note everywhere.
How to write the notes these templates structure
The templates encode the answers below. If you are a student or new graduate, this is the reasoning; if you are mid-shift, skip it and copy the template.
How do you write a veterinary SOAP note?
Subjective: the owner's story and the history you elicit, from appetite and thirst through to parasite prevention and prior illness. Objective: what you measure and find, starting with weight, body condition and vitals, then the systematic examination. Assessment: the problem list and your differentials. Plan: diagnostics, treatment with doses, the recheck, and what you told the owner. The discipline is separating what you were told from what you found. The SOAP consultation template prompts every history question so the gaps do not happen at 6pm on a Friday.
What should veterinary discharge instructions include?
What was done in plain language, what tonight looks like, the medications with doses and timing, the activity and feeding rules, the specific warning signs that mean call the clinic, the recheck booking, and the after-hours number. The warning signs matter most: an owner who knows what abnormal looks like calls once, early, instead of twice at midnight. The postoperative, dental, day-procedure and general discharge templates each carry a case-appropriate call-us-if list.
How do you structure a veterinary shift handover?
Per patient: who they are and their code status, the one-line problem, current status and trends, exactly what is due this shift with times, feeding, monitoring instructions, and the specific triggers that mean call the vet now. The trigger line is the part that prevents the 2am deterioration nobody escalated. The shift handover template pairs naturally with the printable Hospital Patient Chart on the calculators side.
What should a veterinary referral letter include?
The signalment, the specific question you are asking the specialist, a chronological history, examination findings, diagnostics with dates and key results, treatment to date with the response, current medications with the last dose given, and what the owner has been told, including money. Specialists read the question first; a referral without one is a history dump. The referral letter template leads with it.
How do you document an emergency triage?
Time and triage priority first, then the primary survey: airway, breathing, circulation, neurological status and temperature, followed by the AMPLE history, any toxin details, the consent and estimate conversation, and every initial action with a time against it. Times are the difference between a defensible record and a reconstruction. The triage template is built in that order.
Using them in ezyVet, RxWorks and everything else
Are there ezyVet templates for history notes here?
Yes, two ways. Every template on this page pastes into ezyVet as universal plain text. ezyVet also has its own template language: coded templates set up in its template editor render dropdowns and selectable fields where the plain versions use [bracketed prompts]. Coded ezyVet versions of these templates, written and used in practice by Dr Duncan Houston, are being added to this page. When a template has one, its entry will say so, and until then the universal text works in ezyVet from day one.
Do the templates work in RxWorks?
Yes, the same way: paste the text wherever your RxWorks setup keeps reusable notes and document text. RxWorks clinics tend to be long-established with deeply customised setups, which is another argument for plain text: it slots into whatever structure your practice already has rather than fighting it.
What about Cornerstone, Avimark, Covetrus, VetlinkSQL, Provet Cloud or paper records?
All of them. Every major practice system has a feature for storing reusable text, whether it is called templates, macros, glossaries or quick text, and clean plain text pastes into each one, or into a word processor for clinics that print. If your system truly cannot store reusable text, keep this page bookmarked and copy from here; the templates do not expire.
Why not native import files for each system?
Because a template that imports wrongly wastes more time than it saves, and formatting is the thing that breaks between systems. Universal text works everywhere on day one. Platform-specific versions are published only after being used in that platform for real, starting with ezyVet coded templates with dropdowns, and each will be labelled by what was actually verified rather than what sounds impressive.
The shorthand explained
SOAP
Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan: the standard structure for a consultation record, from the owner's story through examination findings to what happens next.
POMR
Problem-Oriented Medical Record: a record organised around an active problem list, with evidence, differentials and a plan per problem rather than one narrative blob.
SBAR
Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation: a handover structure that forces the urgent question to the front instead of burying it in history.
AMPLE
Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last meal, Events: the five-question emergency history that gets what matters before the patient is whisked out the back.
Signalment
The patient in one line: age, sex, neuter status, breed, species. The first thing every record and referral should state.
Handover / handoff
The structured transfer of patient responsibility between shifts or teams. Same thing, different side of the Pacific.
Code status
The documented resuscitation decision: full CPR, limited measures, or do not resuscitate, agreed with the owner before it is needed.
NAD
No abnormalities detected: the examination shorthand that is only trustworthy when the system was genuinely examined, which is why the templates prompt each system by name.
Questions teams ask before pasting a template
Are these veterinary templates actually free?
Yes. Every template is free, permanently, for any veterinary clinic including commercial use. No account, no email capture, no trial, and nothing is gated behind a paid tier.
Do these work as ezyVet templates?
Yes, two ways. Every template pastes into ezyVet as plain text and becomes a two-click insert from then on. ezyVet also supports coded templates set up in its template editor, which render dropdowns and selectable fields instead of bracketed prompts. Coded ezyVet versions written and used in practice by Dr Duncan Houston are being added, and each template's entry will say when its coded version is live.
Do they work in RxWorks?
Yes, the same way. RxWorks clinics can store the text wherever the practice keeps reusable notes and merge text. The templates deliberately avoid special formatting, so what you paste is what you get.
What about Cornerstone, Avimark, Covetrus, VetlinkSQL, Provet Cloud or paper?
Plain text pastes into all of them, and into a word processor for clinics that print. Every major practice system has some feature for storing reusable text, whether it calls that templates, macros, glossaries or quick text, and these are written to survive any of them.
Why plain text instead of native imports for each system?
Because formatting is what breaks between systems, and a template that arrives mangled wastes more time than it saves. Universal text works everywhere on day one. Platform-specific versions with real import files are only worth publishing after they have actually been tested in that platform, and will be labelled that way when they exist.
What do the square brackets mean?
Each [bracketed phrase] is a prompt to replace with your patient's details: [PATIENT NAME], [drug, dose, frequency], [date/time]. Everything outside the brackets is ready-to-keep wording you can edit to suit your clinic.
Can I customise them for my clinic and protocols?
Yes, and you should. They are starting structures: adapt the wording, add your clinic's protocols and drug choices, and drop sections that do not fit your caseload. Drug names and doses are deliberately left as prompts, because those belong to your formulary and your prescribing decisions.
Who wrote these templates?
Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc, University of Sydney, working in emergency and general practice. The structures reflect real shifts: the SOAP note is the history a locum can follow, the handover is the sheet that stops a 2am medication being missed, and the discharges are the calls that do not come in at midnight because the owner already had the answer.
Can nurses and technicians use them?
Yes, and several are written for exactly that: the nursing shift handover, the triage note and the client update record are daily nursing documentation. Prescribing decisions and certifying statements remain the veterinarian's.
Can veterinary students use these as examples?
Yes. Each template doubles as a worked example of the record it structures, and the writing guides on this page explain the reasoning behind the SOAP, handover, discharge, referral and triage formats. Documentation submitted for assessment still needs to follow your school's requirements.
Is anything I type or copy stored anywhere?
No. Copy puts the text straight on your clipboard, Download saves a text file to your own device, Email opens a draft in your own mail app, and Print uses your browser's print dialog. Nothing goes through a server, no patient data is entered on this page at all, and the only thing saved locally is which templates you opened.
What is the difference between these and the clinic forms?
A template is reusable wording you paste into the medical record or a client communication. A form or certificate is a standalone document that gets completed, signed and printed, like a consent form or vaccination certificate. Those live in the certificates and clinic forms library.
A template is missing, or my software needs a different format. What do I do?
Contact me with the template and the system you use. Requests from working clinicians get priority, the in-development list above is built in order of demand, and tested software-specific versions are on the roadmap.
Professional use only. These templates structure clinical documentation for registered veterinary professionals and veterinary students under supervision. They do not replace clinical judgement, your practice protocols or your record-keeping obligations. Drug choices, doses and clinical content pasted into a record remain the responsibility of the treating veterinarian.
Pet owners. If you have arrived here from a search and you are not a veterinary professional, these clinical templates are not written for you. Use the free pet calculators for owners instead, or contact your vet.
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