169.4 License requirement and exceptions.

A person may not practice veterinary medicine in the state who is not a licensed veterinarian or the holder of a valid temporary permit issued by the board. This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit:

1. An employee of the federal, state, or local government from performing official duties.

2. A person who is a veterinary student in an accredited or approved college of veterinary medicine from performing duties or actions assigned by instructors, or working under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The board shall issue to any veterinary medicine student who attends an accredited veterinary medicine college or school and who has been certified as being competent by an instructor of such college or school to perform veterinary duties under the direction of an instructor of veterinary medicine or under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, a certificate authorizing the veterinary medicine student to perform such functions.

3. A veterinarian currently licensed in another state from consulting with a licensed veterinarian in this state.

4. Any manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer from advising with respect to or selling in the ordinary course of trade or business, drugs, feeds, including, but not limited to customer-formula feeds as defined in section 198.3, appliances, and other products used in the prevention or treatment of animal diseases.

5. The owner of an animal or the owner’s bona fide employees from caring for and treating the animal in the possession of such owner except where the ownership of the animal was transferred solely for the purpose of circumventing this chapter.

6. A member of the faculty of an accredited college of veterinary medicine from performing functions in the classrooms or continuing education. However, those faculty members who have professional responsibility to the owner must be licensed. A temporary permit may be granted for a period not to exceed two years to interns or residents who are on the staff of the college of veterinary medicine of Iowa state university of science and technology. Such permit shall be renewable annually upon the application of the dean of the college of veterinary medicine.

7. Any person from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, or applying any pesticide, insecticide, or herbicide.

8. Any person from engaging in bona fide scientific research which reasonably requires experimentation involving animals.

9. Any veterinary assistant employed by a licensed veterinarian from performing duties other than diagnosis, prescription, or surgery under the direct supervision of such veterinarian which assistant has been issued a certificate by the board subject to section 169.20.

10. A graduate of a foreign college of veterinary medicine who is in the process of obtaining an ECFVG certificate for performing duties or actions under the direction or supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

11. Any person from advising with respect to or performing accepted livestock management practices.

12. Any person from engaging in the full-time study of the improvement of the quality of livestock.

13. Any person from performing post-mortem examinations on swine or cattle.

14. Any person from collecting or evaluating semen from livestock or poultry, or artificial insemination of livestock and poultry.

15. Any person from castrating, dehorning or branding notwithstanding section 169A.14.

[S13, §2538-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2766; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §169.3; C79, 81, §169.4]

83 Acts, ch 115, §3