4 Petitions for Rulemaking

PETITIONS FOR RULEMAKING

Vol. 32 Iss. 15 - March 21, 2016

TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC150-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Veterinary Medicine.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Amy Schlake.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: To amend the definition of surgery to allow veterinary technicians to perform single layer closure of the gingival flap created by a veterinarian.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: At its meeting on February 10, 2016, the board considered the petition and all comments in favor of and in opposition to the request for an amendment. The board's conclusion was that closure of the gingival flap involves tissue and is different from a skin closure. While the procedure can be simple in some cases, it is often complex and difficult to achieve the desired result. The board has affirmed its guidance on the allowable duties of a veterinary technician adopted in Guidance Document 150-2 in February of 2015, in which it stated that: The Board determined that oral mucosa is not skin, therefore, an LVT would not be permitted to perform closure of a previously created gingival flap.

Agency Contact: Elaine J. Yeatts, Agency Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Health Professions, 9960 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone [phone], FAX [phone], or email [e-mail].

VA.R. Doc. No. R16-04; Filed February 22, 2016, 2:31 p.m.

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC150-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Veterinary Medicine.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Laura Court.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: Prohibition against euthanizing a pet against a veterinarian's recommendation if the pet owner is trying to schedule it and veterinarian is not recommending it.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: At its meeting on February 10, 2016, the board considered the petition and one comment in favor of the request for an amendment. Its conclusion was that veterinarians currently have the authority to refuse a request for euthanasia requested by a client. Therefore, the board has denied the petition and will not initiate rulemaking at this time.

Agency Contact: Elaine J. Yeatts, Agency Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Health Professions, 9960 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone [phone], FAX [phone], or email [e-mail].

VA.R. Doc. No. R16-09; Filed February 22, 2016, 2:32 p.m.