Estimates, surgery consents and boarding forms, signed from the parking lot
Veterinary paperwork follows the pet through the building. The owner signs an anesthesia consent at 7 a.m. drop-off, approves an estimate by phone at 11 when the surgeon finds something else, and signs boarding or grooming terms on the way out. SignMaster handles each of those moments, at the front desk or on the owner's phone, and keeps a signed record in case anyone asks later what was agreed.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
On this page
What owners sign
| Form | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| New client and patient form | First visit | By link before the appointment |
| Treatment estimate | Before non-routine care | At the desk, or by link if the owner left |
| Anesthesia and surgery consent | At drop-off | In person on the front desk iPad |
| Updated estimate | When the plan changes mid-procedure | By link, with approve and decline buttons |
| Euthanasia consent | At the appointment | In person, quietly, in the comfort room |
| Boarding or grooming agreement | At check-in | By link the day before, or at the desk |
| Records release | When the owner moves clinics | By link |
Drop-off for surgery
Keep the anesthesia and surgery consent as a template with the procedure, the estimate range and the owner's choices as fields. The most important choice is resuscitation: a radio button for full CPR or no CPR if the pet arrests under anesthesia. Add checkboxes for optional extras like pre-anesthetic bloodwork, a microchip or nail trim while they're under, and a phone number field for the number you can reach today.
At the desk, choose Sign in person and turn the iPad toward the owner. They initial each choice and sign, and the copy arrives in their inbox before they're back in the car. In the iPhone and iPad app, your team's Face ID or passcode takes the iPad back, so the next client can't scroll through anyone's records.
When the plan changes mid-procedure
- 1
Write the updated estimate
The surgeon finds a second mass or a cracked tooth. The front desk fills the updated estimate template with the new low and high range.
- 2
Send it to the owner's phone
Send it by link with an approve and a decline field. The owner opens it at work, without an account, and taps their choice. Call them at the same time; the signature is the record of what they said.
- 3
Act on the answer
As soon as they sign, you get the email and the envelope shows their choice. If they decline, the reason they give is on the record too.
Send the estimate to both owners if a couple shares the pet, with signing set to all at once so whoever sees it first can answer. Each send is an envelope: one or more documents going to one or more signers.
Euthanasia consent, handled gently
Nobody wants a clipboard in the comfort room. Many clinics send the consent by link when the appointment is booked, so the owner can read it at home and choose aftercare, communal or private cremation or taking the pet home, without hurrying. If it's signed on the day, hand over the iPad for one signature and step out. The consent confirms the owner is the owner or authorized to decide, and that's on the certificate of completion with the time it was signed.
Records, privacy and your state board
Veterinary records aren't covered by HIPAA, but many states have their own rules on keeping and releasing them, and your state veterinary board may say what a consent form must include. Signed PDFs carry a SHA-256 fingerprint, so a later change is detectable, and you can search envelopes by the owner's name or email.
Owners can read the signing page and emails in 6 languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese and Simplified Chinese. Your consent wording is your own to translate.
Pricing for a clinic
Crew is $49 a month for 5 people, so the front desk, technicians and doctors can all send. Company covers 15 people for $99 a month, and each extra seat is $8. Every paid plan sends unlimited envelopes. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. See every plan.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It isn't practice management software. It doesn't keep medical records, schedule or invoice.
- It doesn't take deposits or payments.
- It emails signing links. Copy the link if you'd rather text an owner.
Questions? Answers.
Can owners approve a vet estimate by phone?
Yes. Send the estimate by link with approve and decline fields. The owner opens it on their phone without an account, chooses and signs, and you're notified by email.
Can clients sign surgery consent on an iPad at drop-off?
Yes. Start in-person signing from the envelope and hand over the iPad. The owner is guided field by field and gets the signed copy by email.
Do vet consent forms fall under HIPAA?
No. HIPAA covers human health information. Many states have their own veterinary records rules, so check your state board's requirements.
Can both owners sign the same form?
Yes. Add both as signers and choose whether they sign one after the other or at the same time. Each gets their own link.