RULE

Department of Health and Hospitals

Board of Veterinary Medicine

Alternative Therapy and Collaborative Treatment, Preceptorship Program, and Certified Animal Euthanasia Technician (LAC 46:LXXXV.712, 1103, 1105, 1200, 1201, 1209, and 1211)

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine amends and adopts LAC 46:LXXXV.712, 1103, 1105, 1200, 1201, 1209, and 1211 in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:953 et seq., and the Louisiana Veterinary Practice Act, R.S. 37:1518(A)(9). The rules are amended and adopted to provide alternative therapy and collaborative treatment on animals by a qualified layperson and the parameters within which services may be provided under the direct supervision of the veterinarian; amend the week in training for preceptorship program to more closely follow actual hours of veterinary medical practice hours, and outline parameters for repeal of week(s) in training for non-compliant weeks(s) in training; repeal the temporary certification for the certified animal euthanasia technician due to the annual certification training program which is now being provided at dedicated, periodic intervals during the year at various sites throughout the state; and clarify pre-euthanasia restraint of animals.

Title 46

PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS

Part LXXXV. Veterinarians

Chapter 7. Veterinary Practice

§712. Alternative Therapy and Collaborative Treatment

A. Alternative therapy and/or collaborative treatment may be performed by a layperson (a person not licensed, registered, or certified by the board) only with an order or prescription from a Louisiana licensed, supervising veterinarian who has first established the veterinarian-client-patient relationship, and can be performed only under such supervising veterinarian's direct supervision and with the written informed consent of the owner of the animal (client) or his duly authorized agent. The layperson must possess a license, registration, or certification issued by another Louisiana regulatory authority, or he must possess verification of an educational level acceptable by the board, in the subject matter of the alternative therapy and/or collaborative treatment at issue.

B. Direct supervision as used in this Section means the supervising veterinarian must be on the premises where the alternative therapy and/or collaborative treatment are being performed and is directly responsible for the on-going evaluation and/or diagnosis. A lay person (a person not licensed, registered, or certified by the board) cannot perform surgery, on-going evaluation and/or diagnosis, prognosis, or prescribe treatment, medicines, or appliances as set forth in §702.A.2.

C. The supervising veterinarian will be held accountable for the proper diagnosis and treatment of the animal, including the work delegated to the layperson, as well as compliance with proper documentation in the patient's medical record as set forth in §701, including the written informed consent for the alternative therapy and/or collaborative treatment obtained from the client or his duly authorized agent. The supervising veterinarian will also be held accountable for the maintenance of the confidential relationship with the client and patient.

D. Alternative therapy as used in this Section includes, but is not limited to, ultrasonography, magnetic field therapy, holistic medicine, homeopathy, animal chiropractic treatment, animal acupuncture, animal physical therapy, animal massage therapy, and laser therapy.

E. Collaborative treatment as used in this Section includes, but is not limited to, ophthalmology, cardiology, neurology, radiology, and oncology.

F. Written informed consent as used in this Section means the supervising veterinarian has informed the client or his duly authorized agent, in a manner that would be understood by a reasonable person, of the diagnostic and treatment options, risk assessment, and prognosis, and the client or his duly authorized agent has consented in writing to the recommended alternative therapy and/or collaborative treatment.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1518.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 23:970 (August 1997), amended LR 38:357 (February 2012).

Chapter 11. Preceptorship Program

§1103. Definitions

* * *

Week in Training-a week in training shall consist of a minimum of 40 hours earned during a maximum of six calendar days. A calendar day shall not exceed twelve hours in duration.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1518 et seq.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 16:232 (March 1990), amended LR 19:208 (February 1993), LR 23:968 (August 1997), LR 24:1293 (July 1998), LR 27:543 (April 2001), LR 28:1208 (June 2002), LR 38:357 (February 2012).

§1105. Applicants

A. - F. ….

G. The failure to comply with the time and duration requirements for any week(s) in training shall result in the preceptee having to successfully repeat the non-compliant week(s) in training at the same approved preceptorship site, or a successive board approved site, conditioned on submitting a revised preceptorship agreement to the board at least two weeks prior to the commencement of the makeup week(s) in training at issue. An applicant for a license to practice veterinary medicine must successfully complete the preceptorship requirement, or be granted a waiver pursuant to §1105.E, prior to being issued a license.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1518.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 16:232 (March 1990), amended LR 23:1686 (December 1997), LR 24:942 (May 1998), LR 27:543 (April 2001), LR 38:357 (February 2012).

Chapter 12. Certified Animal Euthanasia Technician

§1200. Definitions

A. …

* * *

Temporary Certification-Repealed.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1558.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 19:1424 (November 1993), amended LR 26:317 (February 2000), LR 38:357 (February 2012).

§1201. Applications for Certificates of Approval

A. - B. …

C. The board shall reject the application of an applicant who has practiced veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, or euthanasia technology with sodium pentobarbital in this state without a certificate of approval during the two year period immediately prior to application

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1558.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 19:1424 (November 1993), amended LR 23:963 (August 1997), LR 26:317 (February 2000), LR 29:1479 (August 2003), LR 38:357 (February 2012).

§1209. Pre-Euthanasia Restraint

A. Euthanasia by intracardiac injection on cats and dogs shall be prohibited unless the animal is unconscious or rendered completely unconscious and insensitive to pain through the injection of an anesthetic. Such prohibition is applicable to animal control shelters and their animals located on site as well as their animals which may be transported to a veterinary clinic for euthanasia. Temporary transfer of ownership of the animal to the veterinarian by the animal control shelter for euthanasia by cardiac injection is a violation of the law. The performance of euthanasia by intracardiac injection in violation of this section by a CAET and/or veterinarian is sanctionable.

B. A CAET (lead status or otherwise) shall not use any drug for purposes of sedation, or any form of anesthesia, since sedation is beyond the permissible scope of euthanasia practice for this certificate holder. However, Acepromazine, Rompun (xylazine), or Domitor (medetomidine) which are non-controlled drugs, may be legally used by CAETs for pre-euthanasia restraint of feral/fractious animals. If an animal control shelter's animal must be sedated/anesthetized pursuant to Subsection A above, then a LA licensed veterinarian must perform this service.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1558.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 38:357 (February 2012).

§1211. Fees

A. The board hereby adopts and establishes the following fees for the CAET program:

B. - C. …

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1558.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Veterinary Medicine, LR 19:1425 (November 1993), amended LR 26:318 (February 2000), LR 38:358 (February 2012).

Wendy D. Parrish
Executive Director

1202#084