| (a) With appropriate supervision and after establishing
a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, a veterinarian may delegate
veterinary care and treatment duties to non-veterinarian employees,
or to the following independent contractors:
(1) licensed equine dental providers, in accordance
with §573.19 of this title (relating to Dentistry); or
(2) chiropractors, in accordance with §573.14
of this title (relating to Alternate Therapies--Chiropractic and Other
Forms of Musculoskeletal Manipulation).
(b) A veterinarian shall determine when general, direct,
or immediate supervision of a non-veterinarian's actions is appropriate,
except where such actions of the non-veterinarian may otherwise be
prohibited by law. A veterinarian shall consider both the level of
training and experience of the non-veterinarian when determining the
level of supervision and duties of non-veterinarians.
(c) A veterinarian is subject to discipline if he or
she improperly delegates care and/or treatment duties to a non-veterinarian,
or fails to properly supervise the non-veterinarian performing delegated
duties.
(d) A non-veterinarian shall not perform the following
health care services:
(1) surgery;
(2) invasive dental procedures except as allowed for
licensed equine dental providers under §573.19 of this title;
(3) diagnosis and prognosis of animal diseases and/or
conditions; or
(4) prescribing drugs and appliances.
(e) Euthanasia may be performed by a non-veterinarian
only under the immediate supervision of a veterinarian.
(f) A non-veterinarian may administer a rabies vaccine
only under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, and only after
the veterinarian has properly established a veterinarian-client-patient
relationship.
(g) The use of a veterinarian's signature stamp or
electronic signature pad on an official health document by a non-veterinarian
shall be authorized only under the direct supervision of the vaccinating
veterinarian.
(h) When feasible, a veterinarian should delegate greater
responsibility to a registered veterinary technician (RVT) registered
by the Texas Veterinary Medical Association than to an unlicensed
person that is not a RVT.
(1) Under the direct or immediate supervision of a
veterinarian, an RVT may:
(A) suture to close existing surgical skin incisions
and skin lacerations; and
(B) induce anesthesia.
(2) The procedures authorized to be performed by an
RVT in paragraph (1) of this subsection may be performed by a non-RVT
only under the immediate supervision of a veterinarian.
(i) Exception for Emergency Care. In an emergency situation
where prompt treatment is essential for the prevention of death or
alleviation of extreme suffering, a veterinarian may, after determining
the nature of the emergency and the condition of the animal, issue
treatment directions to a non-veterinarian by means of telephone,
electronic mail or messaging, radio, or facsimile communication. The
Board may take action against a veterinarian if, in the Board's sole
discretion, the veterinarian uses this authorization to circumvent
this rule. The veterinarian assumes full responsibility for such treatment.
However, nothing in this rule requires a veterinarian to accept an
animal treated under this rule as a patient under these circumstances.
(j) Exception for Care of Hospitalized Animals. A non-veterinarian
may, in the absence of direct supervision, follow the oral or written
treatment orders of a veterinarian who is caring for a hospitalized
animal, so long as the veterinarian has examined the animal(s) and
a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists.
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