Chapter VE 1

VE 1.44(2)(c) (c) Performing surgery, which means any procedure in which the skin or tissue of the patient is penetrated or severed but does not include any of the following:

VE 1.44(2)(c)1. 1. Activities not considered the practice of veterinary medicine, as follows:

VE 1.44(2)(c)1.a. a. Activities identified in s. 89.05 (2) (a) and (b), Stats.

VE 1.44(2)(c)1.b. b. Subcutaneous insertion of a microchip for identifying an animal.

VE 1.44(2)(c)1.c. c. Ear tag or tattoo placement for identifying an animal.

VE 1.44(2)(c)1.d. d. Euthanasia by injection.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2. 2. Activities considered the practice of veterinary medicine, but which a veterinarian may delegate to a certified veterinary technician, as specified in s. VE 1.44 (5) and (6), as follows:

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.a. a. Simple dental extractions that require minor manipulation and minimal elevation.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.b. b. Administration of injections, including local and general anesthesia.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.c. c. Sample collection via a cystocentesis procedure.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.d. d. Placement of intravenous and arterial catheters.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.e. e. Suturing of tubes and catheters.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.f. f. Fine needle aspirate of a mass.

VE 1.44(2)(c)2.g. g. Performing amniocentesis, embryo collection and transfer, follicular aspiration, and transvaginal oocyte collection and recovery on livestock.

VE 1.44(3) (3) Except as provided under s. 95.21 (2), Stats., veterinarians may delegate to veterinary students the provision of veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian when the veterinarian is personally present on the premises where the services are provided.

VE 1.44(4) (4) Except as provided under s. 95.21 (2), Stats., veterinarians may delegate to certified veterinary technicians the provision of the following veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian:

VE 1.44(4)(a) (a) Nonsurgical veterinary treatment of animal diseases and conditions, including administration of vaccines.

VE 1.44 Note Note: See s. 95.21 (2) (a), Stats., for the delegation of rabies vaccinations.

VE 1.44(4)(b) (b) Observations and findings related to animal diseases and conditions to be utilized by a veterinarian in establishing a diagnosis or prognosis, including routine radiographs, nonsurgical specimen collection, drawing of blood for diagnostic purposes, and laboratory testing procedures.

VE 1.44(4)(c) (c) Administration of sedatives and presurgical medications.

VE 1.44(4)(d) (d) Nutritional evaluation and counseling.

VE 1.44(4)(e) (e) Except to certified veterinary technicians who are also licensed professionals governed by the provisions in s. VE 1.48, the provision of any complementary, alternative, or integrative therapy, as defined in s. VE 1.48 (1).

VE 1.44(5) (5) Veterinarians may delegate to certified veterinary technicians the provision of the following veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian when the veterinarian is available to communicate via telehealth technologies within 5 minutes or the veterinarian is personally present on the premises where the services are provided:

VE 1.44(5)(a) (a) Performing diagnostic radiographic awake contrast studies not requiring general anesthesia.

VE 1.44(5)(b) (b) Sample collection via cystocentesis procedure.

VE 1.44(5)(c) (c) Placement of intravenous catheters.

VE 1.44(5)(d) (d) Suturing of tubes and catheters.

VE 1.44(5)(f) (f) Fine needle aspirate of a mass.

VE 1.44(6) (6) Veterinarians may delegate to certified veterinary technicians the provision of the following veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian when the veterinarian is personally present on the premises where the services are provided:

VE 1.44(6)(a) (a) Administration of local or general anesthesia, including induction and monitoring.

VE 1.44(6)(b) (b) Performing diagnostic radiographic contrast studies, including those requiring general anesthesia.

VE 1.44(6)(c) (c) Dental prophylaxis and simple extractions that require minor manipulation and minimal elevation.

VE 1.44(6)(d) (d) Placement of arterial catheters.

VE 1.44(6)(e) (e) Performing amniocentesis, embryo collection and transfer, follicular aspiration, and transvaginal oocyte collection and recovery on livestock.

VE 1.44(7) (7) Veterinarians may delegate to unlicensed assistants the provision of the following veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian:

VE 1.44(7)(a) (a) Basic diagnostic studies, including routine radiographs, nonsurgical specimen collection, and laboratory testing procedures.

VE 1.44(7)(b) (b) Monitoring and reporting to the veterinarian changes in the condition of a hospitalized patient.

VE 1.44(7)(c) (c) Dispensing prescription drugs pursuant to the written order of the veterinarian.

VE 1.44(8) (8) Except as provided under s. 95.21, Stats., veterinarians may delegate to unlicensed assistants the provision of the following veterinary medical services under the supervision of the veterinarian when the veterinarian is personally present on the premises where the services are provided:

VE 1.44(8)(a) (a) Nonsurgical veterinary treatment of animal diseases and conditions, including administration of vaccines, and administration of sedatives and presurgical medications.

VE 1.44(8)(b) (b) Observations and findings related to animal diseases and conditions to be utilized by a veterinarian in establishing a diagnosis or prognosis, including the drawing of blood for diagnostic purposes.

VE 1.44(8)(c) (c) Dental prophylaxis.

VE 1.44(8)(d) (d) Nutritional evaluation and counseling.

VE 1.44(8)(e) (e) Placement of intravenous catheters.

VE 1.44(9) (9) Notwithstanding subs. (1) to (8), a veterinary student, certified veterinary technician or unlicensed assistant employed by a veterinarian may, under the supervision of the veterinarian and pursuant to mutually acceptable written protocols, perform evaluative and treatment procedures necessary to provide an appropriate response to life-threatening emergency situations for the purpose of stabilizing the patient pending further treatment.

VE 1.44 History History: CR 21-062: cr. Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22; correction in numbering of (2) (c) 1., 2. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2022 No. 799.

VE 1.46 VE 1.46 Veterinary consulting.

VE 1.46(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

VE 1.46(1)(a) (a) “Consulting veterinarian” means the veterinarian who gives advice or assistance, whether in-person or by any method of communication, to the attending veterinarian, for the benefit of a patient.

VE 1.46(1)(b) (b) “Consultant” means a person whose subject matter expertise, in the opinion of the attending veterinarian, will benefit a patient, and who gives the attending veterinarian advice or assistance, whether in-person or by any method of communication.

VE 1.46(2) (2) A consulting veterinarian or other consultant may give advice or assistance to the attending veterinarian where the VCPR remains with the attending veterinarian and the responsibility for patient treatment, prescriptions, and welfare remain with the attending veterinarian.

VE 1.46(3) (3) A consulting veterinarian or other consultant may not do any of the following:

VE 1.46(3)(a) (a) Visit the patient or client or communicate directly with the client without the knowledge of the attending veterinarian.

VE 1.46(3)(b) (b) Take charge of a case or problem without the consent of the attending veterinarian and the client.

VE 1.46(4) (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to other veterinarians licensed by the board, practicing with the attending veterinarian, who have access to, and have reviewed, the medical history and records of the animal.

VE 1.46 History History: CR 21-062: cr. Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22.

VE 1.48 VE 1.48 Veterinary referral to a license holder in another profession.

VE 1.48(1) (1) In this section, “Complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies” means a heterogeneous group of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic philosophies and practices. These therapies include:

VE 1.48(1)(a) (a) Veterinary acupuncture, acutherapy, and acupressure.

VE 1.48(1)(b) (b) Veterinary homeopathy.

VE 1.48(1)(c) (c) Veterinary manual or manipulative therapy, meaning therapies based on techniques practiced in osteopathy, chiropractic medicine, or physical medicine and therapy.

VE 1.48(1)(d) (d) Veterinary nutraceutical therapy.

VE 1.48(1)(e) (e) Veterinary phytotherapy.

VE 1.48(2) (2) A veterinarian may make a referral to a client, for treatment of a patient by a license holder in another profession, using complimentary, alternative, or integrative therapies, as defined in sub. (1), if the license holder, to whom the client and patient are referred, provides all of the following evidence to the veterinarian for performing the type of therapy for which the referral is being made:

VE 1.48(2)(a) (a) The license holder’s current licensing in good standing, with the applicable board through the department of safety and professional services.

VE 1.48(2)(b) (b) The license holder’s education, training, and experience in performing the therapy on an animal.

VE 1.48(3) (3) The VCPR, as defined in s. 89.02 (8), Stats., does not extend to the provision of any complementary, alternative, or integrative therapy performed on a veterinarian’s patient, under either of the following circumstances:

VE 1.48(3)(a) (a) The therapy is performed by a license holder in another profession, where the veterinarian demonstrates meeting the requirements, in sub. (2), for making the referral to the license holder.

VE 1.48(3)(b) (b) The veterinarian’s client obtains any complementary, alternative, or integrative therapy services for a veterinarian’s patient without a referral by the veterinarian.

VE 1.48 History History: CR 21-062: cr. Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22.

VE 1.50 VE 1.50 Veterinary telemedicine.

VE 1.50(1) (1) In this section, “telemedicine” means the remote delivery of veterinary healthcare services, such as health assessments or consultations, over the telecommunications infrastructure, allowing a veterinarian to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients without the need for an in-person visit.

VE 1.50(2) (2) The practice of veterinary medicine, in accordance with ss. 89.05 (1) and 89.02 (6), Stats., takes place where the animal is located at the time of practice.

VE 1.50(3) (3) In order to practice veterinary telemedicine in Wisconsin, a veterinarian must be licensed in Wisconsin.

VE 1.50(4) (4) Except as provided under subs. (6) and (7) and s. VE 1.46, the veterinarian must have an established VCPR with the client. The VCPR must be established via an in-person physical exam, or timely medically appropriate visits to the premises on which the patient is kept. The VCPR may not be established by telehealth technologies.

VE 1.50(5) (5) The VCPR, once established, extends to other veterinarians licensed by the board, who are practicing with the attending veterinarian, and who have access to, and have reviewed, the medical history and records of the animal.

VE 1.50(6) (6) Tele-triage and emergency animal care, including animal poison control services, for immediate, potentially life-threatening animal health situations, including poison exposure mitigation, animal cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions, and other critical lifesaving treatment or advice that may be performed within or outside of a VCPR.

VE 1.50(7) (7) A veterinarian may provide general advice in general terms that is not specific to an individual animal or group of animals, diagnosis, or treatment, and may provide this general advice within or outside of an established VCPR.

VE 1.50(8) (8) Records must be kept in accordance with this chapter.

VE 1.50(9) (9) In accordance with s. 89.02 (8) (c), Stats., an animal owner must be able to easily seek follow-up care or information from the veterinarian who conducts an encounter while using telehealth technologies.

VE 1.50(10) (10) A veterinarian using telehealth technologies is required to follow all applicable requirements of this chapter.

VE 1.50 History History: CR 21-062: cr. Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22; correction in (2), (9) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register July 2022 No. 799.

VE 1.52 VE 1.52 Records.

VE 1.52(1) (1) A veterinarian shall maintain individual patient records on every patient administered to by the veterinarian other than food and fiber patients and equine patients for a period of not less than 3 years after the date of the last entry. The veterinarian shall keep individual client records for equine and food and fiber patients for 3 years after the date of the last entry. A computerized system may be used for maintaining a record, as required under this section, if the system is capable of producing a printout of records contained in such system within 48 hours of a request.

VE 1.52(2) (2) The individual patient record shall contain clinical information pertaining to patients other than food and fiber patients and equine patients with sufficient information to justify the diagnosis and warrant treatment, including information regarding each of the following matters which apply:

VE 1.52(2)(a) (a) Date.

VE 1.52(2)(b) (b) Client name.

VE 1.52(2)(c) (c) Patient identification.

VE 1.52(2)(d) (d) History.