Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Ethan C. Nelson
WAC 246-935-050 Animal health care tasks.
No individual, other than a licensed veterinary technician, may advertise or offer her/his services in a manner calculated to lead others to believe that she/he is a trained or licensed veterinary technician.
(1) Licensed veterinary technicians and unregistered assistants are prohibited from performing the following activities:
(a) Surgery except as outlined below;
(b) Diagnosis and prognosis;
(c) Prescribing drugs, medication or appliances;
(d) Initiation of treatment without prior instruction by a veterinarian except as outlined under emergency animal care.
(2) Immediate supervision. Unregistered assistants are not authorized to perform the tasks in this section. A licensed veterinary technician may perform the following tasks only under the immediate supervision of a veterinarian: Dental extractions.
(3) Direct supervision. Unregistered assistants are not authorized to perform the tasks in this section. A licensed veterinary technician may perform the following tasks only under the direct supervision of a veterinarian:
(a) Anesthesia:
(i) Induction, including preanesthesia;
(ii) Maintenance;
(iii) Monitoring.
(b) Application of casts and splints;
(c) Floating teeth;
(d) Intraperitoneal injections;
(e) Blood administration;
(f) Closure, including suturing, of prepared skin wound or gingival incision;
(g) Arterial and central venous catheters.
(4) Indirect supervision. Unregistered assistants are not authorized to perform the tasks in this section. A licensed veterinary technician may perform the following tasks only under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian:
(a) Intravenous injections into uncatheterized vein;
(b) Centesis, including fine needle aspirates;
(c) Unobstructed bladder catheter;
(d) Diagnostic procedures:
(i) Fecal analysis;
(ii) Electrocardiograms;
(iii) Blood pressure;
(iv) Cytology analysis, including urinalysis and hematology;
(v) Microbiology.
(e) Placement and use of nasogastric and orogastric tubes for gavage, lavage, or reflux;
(f) Ophthalmological procedures:
(i) Tear production testing;
(ii) Topical anesthetic application;
(iii) Fluorescein staining of the cornea;
(iv) Tonometry.
(g) Tasks authorized to be performed under immediate or direct supervision for unregistered assistants, may be performed by licensed veterinary technicians under indirect supervision unless otherwise restricted.
(5) Immediate supervision for unregistered assistants. An unregistered assistant may perform the following tasks only under the immediate supervision of a veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician:
(a) Place and secure an intravenous catheter;
(b) Monitor vital signs of an anesthetized patient;
(c) Dental prophy.
(6) Direct supervision for unregistered assistant. An unregistered assistant may perform the following tasks only under the direct supervision of a veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician:
(a) Intravenous injection into catheterized vein;
(b) ((Biologics injections (vaccines))) Vaccines (except for rabies and those diseases described in subsection (8) of this section) with the veterinarian's verification signature on an appropriate certificate;
(c) Imaging procedures;
(d) Removal of sutures, drain tubes and staples;
(e) Bandaging;
(f) Removal of exposed foreign bodies;
(g) Lab sample collection and test preparation (not evaluation) to include:
(i) Venipuncture;
(ii) Skin scraping.
(h) Microchip implantation;
(i) Enema;
(j) Ear flush;
(k) Perform electrocardiogram and blood pressure measurements;
(l) Intramuscular and subcutaneous injection;
(m) Massage except where regulated.
(7) Indirect supervision for unregistered assistants. An unregistered assistant must always be under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician, except as listed in subsections (5) and (6) of this section. Tasks not specifically listed or otherwise restricted may be performed by a licensed veterinary technician or unregistered assistant under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian.
(8) Veterinary biologics. Licensed veterinary technicians and unregistered assistants may only administer veterinary biologics for rabies and those diseases listed in WAC 16-42-026(1) under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.
(9) Rabies vaccinations require an appropriate rabies certificate. The certificate is considered part of the medical record and must contain at least the following information:
(a) Owner's name, address, and telephone number;
(b) Species age, breed, sex, size, name, and predominant colors/markings;
(c) Month, day, and year of vaccination;
(d) Month, day, and year of next vaccination due date;
(e) Product name and identification of manufacturer;
(f) Effective date of vaccine, example: One year, three years;
(g) Vaccine serial or lot number; and
(h) Veterinarian's name, license number, address, and signature.
(10) To be authorized to dispense pharmaceuticals, unregistered assistants must be registered as a veterinary medication clerk under chapter 246-937 WAC.
(((9))) (11) Emergency animal care. Under conditions of an emergency, a licensed veterinary technician and unregistered assistant may render certain life saving aid to an animal patient.
(a) A licensed veterinary technician may:
(i) Apply emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid procedures and all tasks as listed in subsections (3), (4), (5), and (6) of this section;
(ii) Administer pharmacologic agents and parenteral fluids only after communication with a veterinarian.
(b) An unregistered assistant may:
(i) Apply noninvasive cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid procedures;
(ii) Provide other aid upon the order of a licensed veterinarian as outlined in this section.
