(A) Unless exempted under this chapter, no person shall practice veterinary medicine, or any of its branches, without a license or limited license issued by the state veterinary medical licensing board pursuant to sections 4741.11 to 4741.13 of the Revised Code, a temporary permit issued pursuant to section 4741.14 of the Revised Code, or a registration certificate issued pursuant to division (C) of this section, or with an inactive, expired, suspended, terminated, or revoked license, temporary permit, or registration.

(B) No veterinary student shall:

(1) Perform or assist surgery unless under direct veterinary supervision and unless the student has had the minimum education and experience prescribed by rule of the board;

(2) Engage in any other work related to the practice of veterinary medicine unless under veterinary supervision;

(3) Participate in the operation of a branch office, clinic, or allied establishment unless a licensed veterinarian is present on the establishment premises.

(C) No person shall act as a registered veterinary technician unless the person is registered with the board on a biennial basis and pays the biennial registration fee. A registered veterinary technician registration expires biennially on the first day of March in the odd-numbered years and may be renewed in accordance with the standard renewal procedures contained in Chapter 4745. of the Revised Code upon payment of the biennial registration fee and fulfillment of ten continuing education hours during the two years immediately preceding renewal for registration. Each registered veterinary technician shall notify in writing the executive director of the board of any change in the registered veterinary technician's office address or employment within ninety days after the change has taken place.

(1) A registered veterinary technician operating under veterinary supervision may perform the following duties:

(a) Prepare or supervise the preparation of patients, instruments, equipment, and medications for surgery;

(b) Collect or supervise the collection of specimens and perform laboratory procedures as required by the supervising veterinarian;

(c) Apply wound dressings, casts, or splints as required by the supervising veterinarian;

(d) Assist a veterinarian in immunologic, diagnostic, medical, and surgical procedures;

(e) Suture skin incisions;

(f) Administer or supervise the administration of topical, oral, or parenteral medication under the direction of the supervising veterinarian;

(g) Other ancillary veterinary technician functions that are performed pursuant to the order and control and under the full responsibility of a licensed veterinarian.

(h) Any additional duties as established by the board in rule.

(2) A registered veterinary technician operating under direct veterinary supervision may perform all of the following:

(a) Induce and monitor general anesthesia according to medically recognized and appropriate methods;

(b) Dental prophylaxis, periodontal care, and extraction not involving sectioning of teeth or resection of bone or both of these;

(c) Equine dental procedures, including the floating of molars, premolars, and canine teeth; removal of deciduous teeth; and the extraction of first premolars or wolf teeth.

The degree of supervision by a licensed veterinarian over the functions performed by the registered veterinary technician shall be consistent with the standards of generally accepted veterinary medical practices.

(D) A veterinarian licensed to practice in this state shall not present the person's self as or state a claim that the person is a specialist unless the veterinarian has previously met the requirements for certification by a specialty organization recognized by the American board of veterinary specialties for a specialty or such other requirements set by rule of the board and has paid the fee required by division (A)(10) of section 4741.17 of the Revised Code.

(E) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section, any animal owner or the owner's designee may engage in the practice of embryo transfer on the owner's animal if a licensed veterinarian directly supervises the owner or the owner's designee and the means used to perform the embryo transfer are nonsurgical.

(F) Allied medical support may assist a licensed veterinarian to the extent to which the law that governs the individual providing the support permits, if all of the following apply:

(1) A valid veterinary-client-patient-relationship exists.

(2) The individual acts under direct veterinary supervision.

(3) The allied medical support individual receives informed, written, client consent.

(4) The veterinarian maintains responsibility for the patient and keeps the patient's medical records.

The board may inspect the facilities of an allied medical support individual in connection with an investigation based on a complaint received in accordance with section 4741.26 of the Revised Code involving that individual.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 06-30-1999; 10-12-2006