As used in this chapter:

(1) “Animal” means any animal other than man and includes fowl, birds, reptiles and fish, wild or domestic, living or dead;
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 63-12-103

  • Agriculture: means :
    (i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Animal: means any animal other than man and includes fowl, birds, reptiles and fish, wild or domestic, living or dead. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Board: means the board of veterinary medical examiners. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Certified animal control agency: means a county or municipal animal shelter, dog pound or animal control agency, private humane society, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency, or any combination thereof, that temporarily houses stray, unwanted or injured animals and that is certified pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Consultation: means when a licensed veterinarian receives advice in person, telephonically, electronically, or by any other method of communication, from a veterinarian licensed in this or any other state, or other person whose expertise, in the opinion of the licensed veterinarian, would benefit a patient. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • License: means any permit, approval, registration or certificate issued by the board. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Licensed veterinarian: means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Livestock: means all equine as well as animals that are being raised primarily for use as food or fiber for human utilization or consumption including, but not limited to, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, and poultry. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Practice of veterinary medicine: means to:
    (i) Diagnose, treat, correct, change, alleviate, or prevent animal disease, illness, pain, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical, dental, or mental conditions by any method or mode, including:
    (a) The prescription, dispensing, administration or application of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or medical or surgical, including cosmetic, technique. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Preceptor: means a person who is a last year student duly enrolled and in good standing in a recognized college of veterinary medicine. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Veterinarian: means a person who has received a doctor of veterinary medicine degree or its equivalent from an approved school or college of veterinary medicine. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Veterinarian-client-patient relationship: means :
    (A) The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for making clinical judgments regarding the health of the animal and the need for medical treatment, has obtained informed consent, and the client has agreed to follow the veterinarian's instructions. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Veterinary medicine: includes veterinary surgery, obstetrics, dentistry and all other branches or specialties of veterinary medicine. See Tennessee Code 63-12-103
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(2) “Board” means the board of veterinary medical examiners;
(3) “Certified animal control agency” means a county or municipal animal shelter, dog pound or animal control agency, private humane society, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency, or any combination thereof, that temporarily houses stray, unwanted or injured animals and that is certified pursuant to this chapter;
(4) “Certified animal euthanasia technician” means a person employed by a certified animal control agency who is authorized by the board to humanely euthanize animals by administering such drugs as are designated by the board for such use;
(5) “Complainant” means the board or any other person who initiates a proceeding;
(6) “Consultation” means when a licensed veterinarian receives advice in person, telephonically, electronically, or by any other method of communication, from a veterinarian licensed in this or any other state, or other person whose expertise, in the opinion of the licensed veterinarian, would benefit a patient. Under all circumstances, the responsibility for the welfare of the patient remains with the licensed veterinarian receiving consultation;
(7) “License” means any permit, approval, registration or certificate issued by the board;
(8) “Licensed veterinarian” means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state;
(9) “Licensed veterinary technician” means a person who has successfully completed the examination requirements prescribed by the board and has been issued a license;
(10)

(A) “Practice of veterinary medicine” means to:

(i) Diagnose, treat, correct, change, alleviate, or prevent animal disease, illness, pain, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical, dental, or mental conditions by any method or mode, including:

(a) The prescription, dispensing, administration or application of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or medical or surgical, including cosmetic, technique;
(b) The use of complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies;
(c) The use of any manual, mechanical, biological, or chemical procedure for the testing of pregnancy, or for the management or treatment of sterility or infertility;
(d) The rendering of advice or recommendation by any means including telephonic and other electronic communications with regard to subdivisions (10)(A)(i)(a)-(c); and
(e) The collection of blood or other samples for the purpose of diagnosing disease or other conditions. This shall not apply to:

(1) Any unlicensed personnel employed by the United States department of agriculture or the Tennessee department of agriculture who are engaged in animal disease control programs, or who perform laboratory examinations. This section does not prohibit extension personnel or vocational agriculture teachers from doing educational work that is considered normal to their profession in their government positions; or
(2) The removal of an embryo from livestock or companion animal for the purpose of transplanting such embryo into another female animal or for the purpose of cryopreserving such embryo;
(ii) Represent, directly or indirectly, publicly or privately, an ability and willingness to do an act described in subdivision (10)(A); and
(iii) Use any title, words, abbreviation, or letters in a manner or under circumstances that induce the belief that the person using them is qualified to do any act described in subdivision (10)(A)(i). Such use shall be prima facie evidence of the intention to represent oneself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine;
(B) The practice of veterinary medicine occurs wherever the patient is at the time services are rendered;
(11) “Preceptor” means a person who is a last year student duly enrolled and in good standing in a recognized college of veterinary medicine. Such person’s presence in a practice may be as part of a formal preceptorship program of the person’s college or as an informal arrangement between the person and a veterinarian licensed by the board. The preceptor must be under direct supervision of such licensed veterinarian;
(12) “Responsible supervision” or words of similar purport mean the control, direction and regulation by a licensed veterinarian of the duties involving veterinary services that such veterinarian delegates to such veterinarian’s personnel;
(13) “School of veterinary medicine” means any veterinary school or college, department of a university or college, legally organized, whose course of study in the art and science of veterinary medicine conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and approved by the board;
(14) “Temporary license” means temporary permission to practice veterinary medicine issued pursuant to this chapter;
(15) “Unprofessional or unethical conduct,” among other things, means any conduct of a character likely to deceive or defraud the public, objectionable advertising, obtaining any fee or compensation by fraud or misrepresentation, sharing office space with any person illegally practicing veterinary medicine, employing either directly or indirectly any unlicensed person to practice veterinary medicine or render any veterinary service except as provided in this chapter or the violation of any rule adopted by the board, which shall provide a code of professional ethics to be followed and carried out by persons licensed under this chapter;
(16) “Veterinarian” means a person who has received a doctor of veterinary medicine degree or its equivalent from an approved school or college of veterinary medicine;
(17) “Veterinarian-client-patient relationship” means:

(A) The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for making clinical judgments regarding the health of the animal and the need for medical treatment, has obtained informed consent, and the client has agreed to follow the veterinarian’s instructions;
(B) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal;
(C) The veterinarian has seen the animal within the last twelve (12) months or is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal, either by virtue of an examination of the animal or by medically appropriate visits to the premises where the animal is maintained within the last twelve (12) months;
(D) The veterinarian is readily available or has arranged for emergency coverage for follow-up evaluation in the event of adverse reactions or the failure of the treatment regimen;
(E) The veterinarian must maintain medical records as required by the board of veterinary medical examiners; and
(F) The veterinarian-client-patient relationship cannot be established or maintained solely by telephone or other electronic means;
(18) “Veterinary facility” means a building, place, or mobile unit from which the practice of veterinary medicine is conducted;
(19) “Veterinary medicine” includes veterinary surgery, obstetrics, dentistry and all other branches or specialties of veterinary medicine; and
(20) “Veterinary technician” means a person who is a graduate of a veterinary technology program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
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