Practice of veterinary medicine without establishment of veterinarian-client-patient relationship prohibited; exceptions

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, a person may not practice veterinary medicine in this State except within the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. 2. A licensed veterinarian may, in good faith and without the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, provide emergency or urgent care to an animal when a client cannot be identified. 3. A veterinarian has a veterinarian-client-patient relationship concerning an animal if the veterinarian: (a) Assumes responsibility for making medical judgments concerning the health of the animal and the need for medical treatment of the animal; (b) Has knowledge of the present care and health of the animal sufficient to provide at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal, which knowledge must have been acquired by: (1) Conducting a physical examination of the animal; or (2) Visiting, within a period of time that is appropriate for the medical issue in question, the premises where the animal is kept; (c) Obtains an agreement with the client to follow the instructions provided by the veterinarian for the care and medical treatment of the animal; (d) Is readily available for follow-up evaluation or has arranged for: (1) Emergency or urgent care coverage; or (2) Continuing medical care and treatment which has been designated by the veterinarian to be provided by another licensed veterinarian who: (I) Has access to the medical records of the animal; or (II) Can provide reasonable and appropriate medical care; and (e) Provides oversight of treatment. 4. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not established solely through veterinary telemedicine. However, once established, a veterinarian-client-patient relationship may be maintained via veterinary telemedicine between: (a) Medically necessary examinations; or (b) Visits, within periods of time that are appropriate for the medical issue in question, to the premises where the animal is kept. 5. In the absence of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship: (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), any advice which is provided through electronic means must be general and not specific to a particular animal or its diagnosis or treatment. (b) Advice and recommendations may be provided via veterinary telemedicine in an emergency, but only until the animal can be examined in person by a licensed veterinarian.