Equine Health
Get the facts:
Equine Dental Laws and Regulations Have Changed in Virginia, Effective November 29th, 2007!
What Changed?
A registry has been created for Equine Dental Technicians (EDT’s). From this time on they will be regulated by the Virginia State Board of Veterinary Medicine under the Department of Health Professions. This means that legally the only people who can do any dental work on horses in Virginia are licensed veterinarians and registered EDT’s.
What exactly can EDT’s do?
A registered EDT may hand float unsedated horses independently. They can extract unrooted teeth (deciduous caps and geriatric molars that no longer have roots). They may do extractions of rooted teeth (including wolf teeth), or use power tools only under the supervision of a veterinarian. EDT’s may not make medical diagnoses, nor prescribe or administer medications, including sedation or tranquilization, local anesthetics or antibiotics.
What changes for Veterinarians?
Not much, except that veterinarians need to make sure that any EDT’s that we collaborate with in equine dentistry is registered as an EDT. The State Board of Veterinary Medicine can take action, potentially including loss of license, against a veterinarian who works with an unregistered EDT. As before, veterinarians are not obligated to collaborate with an EDT.
How do I know if a particular EDT is registered?
Ask for a registration number, or go to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine web site and check for yourself. If you cannot find it on the web, call the board at (804) 367-4497 or (804) 367-4468.
What do I tell an unregistered EDT?
Suggest to them that they contact the Department of Health Professions or VEDTA for information on how to get registered. You should NOT work with anyone who cannot show you proof of registration, since working with an unregistered EDT can get you in legal trouble.
For questions or more information:
Board of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.dhp.state.va.us/vet/default.htm
Virginia Association of Equine Practitioners: http://www.vaep.net/index.php
Melinda Freckleton, DVM, mlfdvm@earthlink.net703-754-3309
Virginia Equine Dental Technicians Association: Robin Bickel 540-937-9856
The Virginia Veterinary Medical Association is looking for volunteers from the VAEP to help with disaster preparedness within the state. Those interested would work with the VVMA, Virginia Horse Council and the community at large to create disaster plans for the equine community. Contact us for more information.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed
Eastern U.S. Voluntary Feed Product Retrieval
Our recent aflatoxin-related voluntary feed product retrieval has resulted in a number of questions from animal owners and veterinary professionals. Updated information on this situation is provided below.
§ In mid-February our own incoming ingredient testing and routine state regulatory testing simultaneously indicated aflatoxin above FDA action levels in certain feeds manufactured at our Statesville, North Carolina feed plant.
o We immediately implemented an internal investigation and testing regimen to determine which products might be affected and, as a precautionary measure, initiated a voluntary retrieval of affected products (February 14, 2008) even prior to receiving all testing results.
§ Our investigation indicated a single ingredient from a single supplier, serving three eastern plants (Statesville, N.C.; Harrisburg, Penn.; Guilderland, N.Y.), as the aflatoxin source.
Note: No other plants are involved in the product retrieval.
o We suspended purchases from this supplier and, as additional testing was conducted, appropriately expanded the voluntary product retrieval to include specific products, produced during specific time frames at these plants.
o Only products distributed in the following eastern states are included in the retrieval: Connecticut; Delaware; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; eastern Tennessee; northern Georgia.
§ Products manufactured at these plants after the following dates are NOT included in the voluntary retrieval: February 8, 2008, Harrisburg and Statesville; March 10, 2008, Guilderland.
§ The decision was made to implement the product retrieval through local dealers, whose first-hand relationships and knowledge of customer purchasing patterns offered the best opportunity to get information regarding specific products and lot numbers to potentially affected customers as quickly and clearly as possible. Dealers have been responsive and helpful throughout the process.
§ As of the date of this posting, we have no confirmed cases of aflatoxin-related animal health issues. We continue to urge customers with concerns about their animals to contact local veterinarians.
§ We deeply regret the concern this situation may be causing for our customers and for their veterinary professionals. We are continually evaluating measures to further strengthen our quality programs. Animal health and welfare, along with customer trust and confidence, remain our utmost priorities.
- If you have further questions, contact our veterinary website equinevetnutrition.com
- For a list of products included in the voluntary retrieval, see our website at purinamills.com
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