Ariz. Admin. Code § R3-11-502 - Standards of Practice

A.Before providing a veterinary medical service or housing an animal, a Responsible Veterinarian shall ensure that the animal owner is provided a written notice that states whether personnel will be present on the veterinary medical premises for 24-hour observation of the animal.

B.A Responsible Veterinarian shall ensure that a notice of where veterinary medical services may be obtained when the veterinary medical premises is not open for business:

1. Is placed on the voice mail of the veterinary medical premises; and

2. Contains the name, telephone number, and address of a veterinarian or veterinary medical premises that is available to provide veterinary medical services. Livestock veterinarians are exempt from providing an address.

C.Before providing a veterinary medical service, a veterinarian shall ensure that the animal owner or the animal owner's agent is provided an estimate of the cost for the veterinary medical service, except in the case of livestock.

D.When providing a veterinary medical service, a veterinarian shall ensure that no expired supplies are used.

E.Before a surgical patient or hospitalized animal is discharged, a veterinarian shall ensure that the animal owner is provided with instructions detailing care of the animal after discharge and documents in the medical record that verbal or written care instructions were provided.

F.Before euthanizing an animal for which the animal owner is known, a veterinarian shall obtain signed authorization from the animal owner or verbal authorization from the animal owner that is witnessed by one other individual and documented in the medical record.

G.For animals with a suspected or diagnosed contagious disease or illness, a veterinarian shall provide a separate isolation area that is not in close proximity to other animals and shall ensure that the ill animal does not come into contact with another animal or the other animal's compartment.

H.If general anesthesia is administered or surgery is performed on an animal by a veterinarian, the veterinarian shall ensure:

1. A prior signed authorization is obtained from the animal owner if the animal owner is known or verbal authorization that is witnessed by one other individual and documented in the medical record is obtained from the known animal owner. This provision does not apply to livestock;

2. Within six hours before anesthesia is administered or surgery is performed, the animal is examined and the animal's temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, diagnosis, and general condition are recorded in the animal's medical record except for species or in situations that make the examination impractical or potentially detrimental to the animal or examiner;

3. The animal's heart rate and respiratory rate are recorded in the animal's medical record immediately after giving the animal a general anesthetic and monitored and recorded a minimum of every 15 minutes while anesthesia is being administered except for species or in situations that make the examination impractical or potentially detrimental to the animal or examiner;

4. After the animal is given a general anesthetic, the animal is continuously observed by personnel until the animal is extubated and able to swallow; and

5. The following information is recorded in a written anesthesia log, which is separate from both the controlled drug log maintained under subsection (K) and medical record of each animal maintained under subsection (L) and is maintained on the veterinary medical premises for three years from the date the anesthesia is administered:

a. The animal's name and species,

b. The name of the animal owner,

c. The date of administration of the anesthesia,

d. The recovery status of the animal, and

e. The name of the veterinarian .

I.A veterinarian shall follow manufacturer's label requirements for the storage and handling of biologics, veterinary supplies, and veterinary medications.

J.A veterinarian who dispenses a prescription-only drug shall:

1. Comply with all federal and state laws, including A.A.C. Title 3, Chapter 11, Article 8, regarding the dispensing of a prescription-only drug; and

2. Ensure that a prescription-only drug or prescription-only device is destroyed or returned to the manufacturer or distributor no later than 30 days after its expiration date.

K.A veterinarian who dispenses or administers a controlled substance shall:

1. Comply with all federal and state laws including A.A.C. Title 3, Chapter 11, Article 8;

2. Maintain an inventory record on the veterinary medical premises for two years from the date of entry of each controlled substance purchased by the veterinarian that contains the:

a. Name of the controlled substance,

b. Strength of the controlled substance,

c. Date the controlled substance was received by the veterinarian,

d. Amount of the controlled substance received by the veterinarian,

e. Name of the distributor of the controlled substance, and

f. Invoice number; and

3. Maintain a dispensing or administration log on the veterinary medical premises, separate from the inventory record required under subsection (K)(2), for two years from the date of entry that contains for each controlled substance dispensed or administered the:

a. Name of the controlled substance,

b. Strength of the controlled substance,

c. Amount of the controlled substance,

d. Name of the animal to which dispensed or administered,

e. Name of the animal owner,

f. Date dispensed or administered,

g. Name of the veterinarian who dispensed or administered the controlled substance, and

h. Decremented amounts of the controlled substance quantifying the amount remaining.

L.Except as provided in subsection (N), a veterinarian shall maintain on the veterinary medical premises for three years after the last date an animal receives veterinary medical services a written medical record containing the:

1. Name, address, and telephone number of the animal owner;

2. Description of the animal's color and markings or a color photograph of the animal, and the sex, breed, weight, and age of the animal;

3. Date of veterinary medical services and date a written entry is made to the medical record, if the entry is made on a date other than when the veterinary medical services were provided;

4. Results of examination, including temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and general condition of the animal, except for livestock and species or in situations that make the examination impractical or potentially detrimental to the animal or examiner;

5. The animal's tentative or definitive diagnosis;

6. Treatment provided to the animal;

7. Name of each medication administered including:

a. Concentration, except when the medication is only offered in one size and strength;

b. Amount;

c. Frequency; and

d. Route of administration;

8. Name of each medication prescribed including concentration, amount, and frequency;

9. Name and result of each diagnostic and laboratory test conducted;

10. Signature or initials of each individual placing an entry in the medical record; and

11. Signature or initials of the veterinarian performing the veterinary medical services.

M.A veterinarian shall ensure that a radiograph of an animal is permanently labeled with the following information and maintained on the veterinary medical premises for three years from the last date an animal receives veterinary medical services:

1. The name of the animal owner,

2. The name of the animal,

3. The date the radiograph was taken,

4. The name of the veterinarian or veterinary medical premises, and

5. The anatomical orientation.

N.A veterinarian who administers a rabies vaccine to an animal on behalf of an animal control agency or animal shelter and provides no other veterinary medical service to the animal:

1. Is exempt from the requirements of subsection (L);

2. Shall generate a rabies vaccination record for each animal vaccinated that includes:

a. The name and address of the animal owner;

b. A description or color photograph of the animal that includes species, breed, sex, age, and color;

c. The date of vaccination;

d. The vaccine manufacturer's name;

e. The serial number of the vaccine used;

f. The date re-vaccination is due; and

g. The veterinarian's signature; and

3. Shall provide a copy of each rabies vaccination record to the veterinary medical premises, animal control agency, or animal shelter at which the rabies vaccination was provided. If a copy of the rabies vaccination record is provided to the veterinary medical premises, the veterinary medical premises shall maintain the record for at least three years from the date of vaccination.

O.In this Section, unless otherwise specified:

1. "Animal control agency" means a board, commission, department, office, or other administrative unit of federal or state government or of a political subdivision of the state that is responsible for controlling rabies in animals in a specific geographic area.

2. " Animal shelter" means a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or other nonprofit corporate organization devoted to the welfare, protection and humane treatment of animals. A.R.S. § 11-1022(H).

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R3-11-502

Adopted effective February 24, 1988 (Supp. 88-1). Section R3-11-51 adopted and renumbered as Section R3-11-502 effective February 24, 1988 (Supp. 88-1). Amended effective August 31, 1995 (Supp. 95-3). Section repealed; new Section adopted by final rulemaking at 6 A.A.R. 3918, effective September 20, 2000 (Supp. 00-3). Section amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 448, effective March 5, 2005 (05-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 5455, effective February 4, 2005 (Supp. 05-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 4070, effective December 4, 2006 (Supp. 06-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 14 A.A.R. 3596, effective November 8, 2008 (Supp. 08-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 1886, effective September 7, 2013.