JWC sr.
Well-Known Member
As usual it is all about the mighty dollar and not what is best for the horses or their owners. I was sent the following as an FYI in the continuing saga of this fight, needless to say the fight will continue in the courts till they get it right.
Everyone should note the part about employee’s(which most large farms will simply make their equine dentist an employee) being able to perform all the tasking needed, so the big farms will not be effected like the small farms will.
Everyone needs to make their senators and congress people aware of the problem we all have with this approach. Choice is by far the best approach as versus increasing costs and gaining nothing for the owners or the horses themselves.
******************************************************************************************
***************************************
On Monday, March 22, 2010 the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners voted against the proposed new rule that "would allow non-licensees to float the teeth of a horse without veterinary supervision if the procedure was done with hand tools and without sedation," according to a letter from Chris Copeland, JD, executive director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA).
In an earlier note, Mr. Copeland wrote: "As you know, for the last few years TVMA has been embroiled in a dispute with individuals who are practicing equine dentistry without a license. During the most recent session of the Texas legislature, TVMA helped defeat a bill that would have allowed lay people to perform equine teeth floating without special education, training or the oversight of a licensed veterinarian. Teeth floating would have become an accepted livestock management practice and would no longer have been considered the practice of veterinary medicine."
At the Monday meeting, the TBVME heard testimony from the TVMA's Equine Committee, including chairman Dr. Peter Rakestraw (a TEVA member) and several others who expressed reasons, including the welfare of the horse, as to why such a proposal was "a bad idea."
The TVMA Equine Committee's current position is to support the practice act as it is currently written:
1. Employee can float teeth with veterinary supervision
2. Employee can sedate with veterinary supervision
At the TVMA Equine Committee's latest meeting on March 5, its members also voted to continue to follow the equine dentistry statement sanctioned by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
"All in all," said Copeland, "it was a good day for both veterinarians and horses in Texas."
Brief Overview of Equine Dentistry in Texas
2003 - TBVME sent letter to lay dentists telling them filing teeth with hand floats and no sedation is acceptable and not a practice of veterinary medicine
2004 - TBVME creates committee to look at issue in detail
2007 - New TBVME sends "cease and desist" letters to lay dentists
2007 - Lay dentists file lawsuit and lose in District Court
2008 - Lay dentist win appeal
2009 - State Representative Sid Miller files bill to remove floating from veterinary practice act
2009 - Federal Trade Commission investigates TBVME
2009 - Lawsuit against lay dentists on hold
2010 - TBVME proposes new rule as stated above
2010 - TBVME votes against new rule and sends issue back to Rules Committee.
With several states looking at lay equine dentistry issues, and the good chance it will again come before the state legislature in Texas, this remains an ongoing issue important to both TVMA and TEVA, with the health and welfare of our state's horses our ultimate concern.
Marian Carpenter
Executive Director
Texas Equine Veterinary Association
P.O. Box 1038
Canyon, TX 79015
(806) 655-2244
[email protected]
Everyone should note the part about employee’s(which most large farms will simply make their equine dentist an employee) being able to perform all the tasking needed, so the big farms will not be effected like the small farms will.
Everyone needs to make their senators and congress people aware of the problem we all have with this approach. Choice is by far the best approach as versus increasing costs and gaining nothing for the owners or the horses themselves.
******************************************************************************************
***************************************
On Monday, March 22, 2010 the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners voted against the proposed new rule that "would allow non-licensees to float the teeth of a horse without veterinary supervision if the procedure was done with hand tools and without sedation," according to a letter from Chris Copeland, JD, executive director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA).
In an earlier note, Mr. Copeland wrote: "As you know, for the last few years TVMA has been embroiled in a dispute with individuals who are practicing equine dentistry without a license. During the most recent session of the Texas legislature, TVMA helped defeat a bill that would have allowed lay people to perform equine teeth floating without special education, training or the oversight of a licensed veterinarian. Teeth floating would have become an accepted livestock management practice and would no longer have been considered the practice of veterinary medicine."
At the Monday meeting, the TBVME heard testimony from the TVMA's Equine Committee, including chairman Dr. Peter Rakestraw (a TEVA member) and several others who expressed reasons, including the welfare of the horse, as to why such a proposal was "a bad idea."
The TVMA Equine Committee's current position is to support the practice act as it is currently written:
1. Employee can float teeth with veterinary supervision
2. Employee can sedate with veterinary supervision
At the TVMA Equine Committee's latest meeting on March 5, its members also voted to continue to follow the equine dentistry statement sanctioned by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
"All in all," said Copeland, "it was a good day for both veterinarians and horses in Texas."
Brief Overview of Equine Dentistry in Texas
2003 - TBVME sent letter to lay dentists telling them filing teeth with hand floats and no sedation is acceptable and not a practice of veterinary medicine
2004 - TBVME creates committee to look at issue in detail
2007 - New TBVME sends "cease and desist" letters to lay dentists
2007 - Lay dentists file lawsuit and lose in District Court
2008 - Lay dentist win appeal
2009 - State Representative Sid Miller files bill to remove floating from veterinary practice act
2009 - Federal Trade Commission investigates TBVME
2009 - Lawsuit against lay dentists on hold
2010 - TBVME proposes new rule as stated above
2010 - TBVME votes against new rule and sends issue back to Rules Committee.
With several states looking at lay equine dentistry issues, and the good chance it will again come before the state legislature in Texas, this remains an ongoing issue important to both TVMA and TEVA, with the health and welfare of our state's horses our ultimate concern.
Marian Carpenter
Executive Director
Texas Equine Veterinary Association
P.O. Box 1038
Canyon, TX 79015
(806) 655-2244
[email protected]
Last edited by a moderator: