ISO certified animal clinic

Quality and safety in every treatment

A-Vet Smådyrklinikk is an ISO-certified animal clinic in Larvik. We are certified according to ISO 9001:2015 through the Norwegian Veterinary Association's certification scheme for animal clinics, and the certification applies to consultation, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of dogs, cats and small animals at our clinic in Torsvang 2.

This means that it is not only our treatments that are assessed, but also the way we work: how we keep records, follow up on deviations, maintain equipment and learn from feedback. The clinic's quality work is internally audited every year, and the certification body also conducts external audits of a selection of clinics in the scheme. The certificate requires approved annual audits.

What is ISO 9001:2015?

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for quality management. The standard specifies the requirements for how a quality management system should be established, implemented, maintained and continually improved, and is used by businesses of all sizes and industries – from manufacturing to healthcare.

Certification is voluntary. Standard Norway describes third-party certification as an effective way to show customers, authorities and partners that the standard has actually been implemented – not just described on paper. For a veterinary clinic, that is precisely the point: the routines should work on a busy Tuesday, not just in a binder.

What is required of an ISO certified veterinary clinic?

The Norwegian Veterinary Association has had a certification scheme for animal clinics since 2000. In 2020, the association entered into a collaboration with the Danish Veterinary Association on their ISO 9001:2015-approved scheme "ISO Veterinary", adapted to Norwegian conditions. The clinics document their routines in the ePraksis-VET quality system.

To participate in the scheme, the clinic must, among other things:

• conduct an annual management evaluation
• is internally audited once a year
• document the work on two common quality goals: customer satisfaction and antibiotic use
• keep track of expertise, equipment, suppliers, deviations and customer complaints
• follow established and recognized professional routines in consultation, diagnostics and treatment

In addition, clinics are selected for external auditing each fall. The certificate itself is valid for three years, and it takes approximately one year from the time a clinic starts work until the certificate is in place.

What does certification mean to you as a pet owner?

The certification is not a stamp on the individual treatment, but on the system around it. In practice, you notice it in four ways:

• Responsible antibiotic use. Antibiotics are one of two common quality goals in the scheme, and their use is systematically monitored. This is about both the correct treatment of the patient and slowing the development of antibiotic resistance.
• Feedback that leads to change. Customer satisfaction is the second quality measure, and complaints and deviations are recorded and reviewed rather than being forgotten.
• Equipment and expertise under control. The clinic keeps track of our equipment and what skills the employees have and need.
• Predictable routines. Record keeping, follow-up and procedures are described in advance, so that the clinic is less vulnerable during holidays, illness and absence.

Our certificate

The certificate is issued to the ISO Veterinary Association, through which the scheme is operated, and our clinic is listed as a certified location in the appendix to the certificate.

• Standard: ISO 9001: 2015
• Location: Torsvang 2, NO-3271 Larvik
• Scope: consultation, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of dogs, cats and small animals
• Certificate number: DN111446062591A
• Issued: June 20 2025
• Valid until: March 17, 2027, subject to approved annual audits

If you want to check that we are an ISO-certified veterinary clinic, you can do it yourself: A-Vet is listed in The Veterinary Association's overview of certified clinics, and the certificate above can be verified with the certification body using the number listed.

If you want to know more about how we work, you can get to know us or see the whole our treatment offer.