In both SB 1999 and HB 3202, the changes to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practices Act involve the additions of animal husbandry as "the branch of agriculture and animal science concerned with the care, breeding and management of bovine (cow), caprine (goat), equine (horse), porcine (pig), poultry, and other farm animals" and teeth floating as "the removal of enamel points and the smoothing, contouring and leveling of dental arcades and incisors, and the extraction of molars and deciduous and vestigial teeth of bovine, equine, porcine, and other farm animals, and does not include dental procedures on canines (dogs) and felines (cats)." SB 1999 also adds that "Practitioners of services exempted by paragraph 1 of this section may not advertise procedures that are illegal for the practitioner to perform." HB 3202 states almost the exact same wording with minor changes in sentence structure and punctuation. Both bills make the acts of "animal husbandry" and "tooth floating", farriery as exempt, or not prohibited by the Oklahoma Veterinary Practices Act.
These bills may be the result of a reaction on the part of equine "dentists" or "tooth floaters", who were required to work under a veterinarian's supervision by last year's law. Two years ago unlicensed equine dentistry was a felony. The pendulum of permissible care has swung from one side to the other. As far as the animal husbandry aspect, many of the reproductive activities in farm animals are conducted by farmers and ranchers without the assistance of a "vet". Clearly the issue is complicated and not solved yet.
People use unlicensed tooth floaters for various reasons. Some wish to save money. Some don't want to have to truck their horse miles away for treatment by a vet who doesn't make house calls. Some have an alternative view, like people who use midwives. They pursue a simpler type of life. Some people don't want to be required to follow rules made by others. Some don't want to listen to professionals who don't identify with their lifestyle. Some say tooth floaters know more about horse teeth than some vets do.
The issues involved in these changes to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practices Act have motivated parties on both sides. Then the issue of changing veterinary practices may be more than who will be allowed to do what.
According to Representative Brian Renegar, "House Bill 3202, authored by Representative Don Armes, removes equine teeth floating out of the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act. This measure also relaxes state prescription drug laws that will allow non-licensed individuals to be in legal possession of dangerous sedatives that could be misused and abused for a purpose other than which it is intended."
The sedatives to which Renegar refers are sometimes called date rape drugs because of their amnesia-inducing qualities. These sedatives are related to Rohypnol, a member of the benzodiazepine family, about 7 to 10 times stronger than Valium.
According to Renegar, in addition to changing the law regarding sedatives, Rep. Armes "added a new section of law into the Veterinary Practice Act that makes breeding of animals an act of 'animal husbandry'." A veterinarian for 34 years, Renegar is well aware of the various drugs used in the breeding of animals. These drugs include those that "synchronize breeding cycles and that these drugs are also deemed highly abortifacient drugs. These drugs are the newest and most popular drug used by young women to end unwanted pregnancies... These drugs are referred to by drug users as 'CC's, which stands for 'chemical coat-hangers,'" stated Renegar.
The Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, (WVMA) is watching these CC's very carefully. The WVMA's executive director contacted a school nurse in his state. She had called regarding reports of teenagers getting access to drugs used for cow and horse breeding. The WVMA executive director contacted the district school nurse, who verified that the district has received reports of this abuse. Whether or not these reports prove to be true, this situation underscores the need for veterinarians to remain vigilant about storing, distributing, prescribing and using veterinary products that can pose human health risks. In addition, food animal producers must be vigilant about all veterinary drugs they may be storing or using at their facilities."
Do these House and Senate bills specify how prescription medications used by non-licensed individuals will be stored or used in stationary and / mobile facilities? Will anything really change as far as prescriptions?
According to Freeman, "The drug diversion issue is huge with the changes they are trying to make in the practice act of Veterinary Medicine...Yes, there is a problem when untrained and non-licensed individuals try to practice medical procedures in violation of Oklahoma law. This law is what they want changed and I am fighting to keep this from happening. Lawless practice of Veterinary Medicine is no different from me setting up to practice on human patients, practice human dentistry or fill prescriptions in violation of Oklahoma Pharmacy Law. I don't think these same lawmakers would go to bat for me just because I say I am qualified to do such. Elected officials have a responsibility to the citizens whom they serve to protect the consuming public and in this case the welfare of the animal population. They should err on the side of caution regarding the legalization of non-licensed individuals and granting access to potentially harmful and dangerous drugs. For you see, these dental procedures can not be performed safely and humanely without the use of sedation. The controlled and script anesthetic drugs necessary for sedation are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are illegal in the hands of non-certified and non-licensed individuals. Illegal drugs in unregulated and non-certified hands will lead to drug diversion and abuse."
Drs. Stephen Galloway and Lynn Caldwell have written regarding the issue of non-veterinarian dental care providers (NVDCPs) providing dental care for horses. "Based on veterinary research and the application of dental science, dental practice has advanced significantly over the past decade. We now know that many aggressive dental practices performed during the past half century such as severe “bit seating” and 'performance floating,' are either unnecessary or detrimental. The treatment of many dental conditions requires the management of pain, inflammation and infection, and possibly the treatment of concurrent systemic disease. Veterinary training is a prerequisite to the practice of equine dentistry within the current standard of veterinary care, and the practice of equine dentistry by autonomous NVDCPs jeopardizes the health and welfare of horses."
"Since state legislators," Galloway and Caldwell state, "ultimately decide who can legally practice veterinary dentistry, these representatives must be educated about the practice of dentistry before they are asked to make a legislative decision... Discussions with this group of decision-makers should focus on the consequences of unregulated veterinary practice on voting constituents. Common practices by NVDCPs that threaten the safety and welfare of both humans and horses include the illegal use of sedatives and other prescription medications and having horse owners participate in dental procedures by giving injections, restraining the horse or assisting in dental extractions...Through aggressive marketing, NVDCPs have created a public perception of competency, and the failure of our profession to proactively educate equine health care decision-makers will result in continued deregulatory actions across North America."
Oklahoma veterinarian George McCarroll asked Oklahoma State Representatives in a letter dated Feb. 7 of this year, "Why would Oklahomans want to turn their backs on a veterinary care and (an) education system that has been finely tuned for over one hundred years and return to the archaic and barbaric practices that existed prior to statehood?" Speaking of tooth floaters, McCarrol said, "Their own legal testimony clearly admits to their breaking of state laws, that they have no desire to pursue professional education and validation and they do not desire to be associated with veterinarians or regulated by anyone. Even as they claim to provide a vital role in health care delivery to the horse industry, their rogue, lawless behavior and disdain for professional oversight places all of Oklahoma's animals at a seriously increased health risk."
Scott Buchanan, a practice coordinator for an Oklahoma Veterinary Hospital, stated that "Oklahoma has multiple certifications to allow teeth floaters a right to work. They can of course be a Veterinarian, but that takes nearly a decade of education, and doesn't focus solely on dentistry. Oklahoma 's Veterinary Practice Act also enables Veterinary Technicians the opportunity to practice some level of equine dentistry. These Veterinary Technicians are also certified yearly by the State of Oklahoma and can complete an education in just over two years.
It seems to me that those making an argument for allowing equine dentists to practice without regulation are either implying that the act of floating teeth is so easy and uncomplicated that it should require no certification, or that they think that any regulation is fundamentally wrong, and that we should also begin deregulating all other professions as well. Most veterinary professionals seem to see a value in specialized veterinary care, such as teeth floating, ultrasonography, reproductive activities, etc. In fact most veterinarians that work with large animals do desire the assistance of individuals that can float teeth…as long as they follow through with the proper training and licensure as required by the state to ensure appropriate consumer (and animal safety) protections."
Representative Charles Ortega commented that neither of these bills, SB 1999, nor HB 3202 advocate or condone the availability of these (prescription) drugs to anyone that is not allowed to have them. He also said he had hoped that the vets and the agricultural side would come together on this issue. "We need to be prudent and fair in our legislation," Ortega said.
In reference to Ortega's comment on prescription medications, both bills state that these drugs will "be sold only to or on the prescription order or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian for use in the course of professional practice."
A response from Senator Mike Schulz, was not received by press time. Since Schulz is the author of SB 1999, his bill, and its modifications to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act speak for him.
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