The goal of the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners is to impress upon licensees the necessity to practice in a manner that incorporates the Governor’s Executive Orders and Directives to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect Kentucky communities. To that end, the Board recommends the following:
- Continue to ensure that your protocols are following the Governor’s current Executive Orders and Directives to keep social distancing. You should not allow clients into the building of clinics and hospitals unless there is critical need; please endeavor to use curbside exchanges. Consider using this flow chart created by AVMA to help minimize exposures.
- Patient emergencies should always be treated.
- The Governor has deemed agriculture life-sustaining and essential; the practice of food animal veterinary medicine is consistent with supporting that directive.
- Equine providers should reference materials provided by the Office of the State Veterinarian (OSV), including the following. Check the Board’s COVID-19 website for the latest updates.
- Booster vaccines for animals one year or older, and well-patient exams should be delayed, possibly up to 30-days to reduce human exposure to SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19.
- Puppy/kitten/baby animal vaccinations and rabies vaccines for the previously unvaccinated are critical and should continue to be administered.
- NOTE: Rabies clinics are NOT allowable under current social distancing Orders.
- Routine monitoring of blood work and non-zoonotic vaccines should be postponed 30-days, unless they are of an emergent or urgent nature (where those terms are defined in the March 23 Directive from CHFS, Dept. of Public Health).
- Spays and neuters are recommended to be delayed, as doing so uses important medical equipment, for 30-days or until the medical supply stabilizes. If you feel you must continue with these surgeries, the Board encourages you to implement the use of reusable PPE.
- Pet groomers, unless grooming is medically necessary, it is recommended to postpone appointments for 30-days to reduce human exposure to SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19.
- Boarding or doggie daycares, should follow the Governor’s Orders on social distancing. Please consider how to handle fomite contamination.
- You can reference more information on COVID-19 response recommendations for the veterinary community at AVMA’s response page online: www.avma.org/resources- tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19. See the topics “Keeping Veterinary Teams Healthy” and “Caring for veterinary patients and interactions with clients”.
- The Board encourages the use of telehealth where possible, within the bounds of a current, valid VCPR. The Board considers a VCPR to be current if the patient has been seen within the last 12 months.
- For current information and recommendations, please continue to check the Board’s website at www.kybve.com/Kentucky-Veterinary-Covid-19-updates.html.
