TVMA calls for oversight of lay practitioners

AUSTIN, TEX. — The Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) petitioned the state board to regulate lay practitioners. The petition calls for changes to the state practice act.

With attention focused on lay practitioners because of a current court case involving equine dentistry, a TVMA-appointed task force undertook an examination of all integrated therapies in the state.

After concluding these modalities, if misapplied, could pose harm to animals, the group asked the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME) to bring these practices — with "acupuncture and chiropractice being the most important" — under the oversight of the practice act, says Mark Cox, DVM and TVMA president. The group also asked that non-licensed procedures be performed only by veterinarians or under their direct supervision.

"It is hard to regulate these modalities, because if a problem occurs they have no licensing board to punish them," Cox says.

Submitted in October by the task force, the request has yet to be addressed by TBVME. "I do think they will address these issues in due time. I think it is hard to fight all these crocodiles at once," Cox says.

TBVME President Robert Lastovica, DVM, did not return calls to DVM Newsmagazine seeking comment about the status of the request.