Dear Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine,

I am writing to urge that the Board implement the proposed amendment to subsection B of section 172 to 18 VAC 150-20-172 proposed by the Board of Veterinary Medicine, which would replace the restriction on insertion of IV catheters by unlicensed assistants with a restriction on placement of jugular catheters, as well as an amendment to subsection C to allow delegation of peripheral intravenous catheters under immediate supervision of a veterinarian.

Currently, if a practice does not have a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) available to place a catheter, the veterinarian places it. This works in routine situations; however, in an emergency, an animal’s life could be at risk. In addition, we believe that expanding the scope of veterinary assistants in this manner would positively impact the overall capabilities of veterinary practices in Virginia—thereby giving veterinarians additional bandwidth and ultimately benefit more clients and more pets.

As other commenters have pointed out, Virginia, like many other states, has a shortage of LVTs. Despite our concerted effort to recruit LVTs, including a tuition reimbursement program, Banfield's ratio of LVTs to DVMs in the state is approximately 1:12. Banfield currently employs 118 DVMs in the state of Virginia and only 16 LVTs. In contrast, Banfield Hospitals employ 291 veterinary assistants in Virginia. In those hospitals which do not currently have an LVT, the proposed changes would drastically increase that hospital's ability to serve pets while having no implication on the quality of medicine being practiced.

The proposed amendment mirrors similar guidelines in other states, where veterinary assistants are allowed to place an IV catheter under the guidance of a DVM. Prohibiting veterinary assistants from performing this task under DVM supervision is unnecessary and will adversely impact the quality of veterinary care in Virginia. On behalf of Banfield and the veterinary profession, I implore the Board to vote in favor of the proposed amendments to 18 VAC 150-20-172.

Respectfully,

Daniel Aja, DVM