Board of Veterinary Medicine public meetings in 2025

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Board of Veterinary Medicine will review the proposed FY 2027 budget and a request to purchase a $20,000 CD. Members will discuss rule updates regarding license renewals, registered equine dentists, and zoo personnel reporting requirements. The meeting also includes reviews of NAVLE retake waiver requests for six individuals.

• Proposed Budget for FY 2027
• Request to purchase $20,000 CD
• Rule updates for license renewals and Registered Equine Dentists
• NAVLE retake waiver requests for Maura St. John, Jeremy Caseltine, David Love, Ellen Wiedner, Leslie Harper, and Carolyn Benedetto
• Proposed Consent Order for Case #25-0327

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will hold a regular meeting on October 2, 2025, to discuss rulemaking updates on license renewals and a proposed chapter on registered equine dentists. The board will also consider several waiver requests for the NAVLE and VTNE retake exams, and review zoo personnel reports from facilities including the Alexandria Zoo and Audubon Zoo. Executive session items include updates on civil litigation and legal strategy discussions.

• Discussion of LAC 46LXXXV. Chapter 15 on Registered Equine Dentist
• Waiver requests for NAVLE retake from five DVM applicants
• Waiver requests for VTNE retake from three RVT applicants
• Review of Chapter 13 (Zoo Personnel) reports for seven facilities
• Executive session updates on civil litigation cases (LBVM vs. O. Nyzhnyk and Pelican Institute vs. LBVM)

The Board approved a proposal for DezinsInteractive, LLC to redesign the agency website to meet US Department of Justice ADA requirements. Members also ratified several professional opinions regarding lab fee disclosures, veterinary advertising, and animal ownership. Additionally, the Board approved a 7% maximum employee wage increase for the FY2027 budget.

• Approved website redesign proposal for ADA compliance (unanimous)
• Approved FY2025 Annual Fiscal Report and amended budget (unanimous)
• Ratified 17 new licenses and certificates issued between 07/24/25 and 09/11/25 (unanimous)
• Approved Consent Order for Case #25-0617 involving surgical negligence (unanimous)
• Approved NAVLE/VTNE retake waivers for 8 applicants (unanimous)
• Set maximum employee wage increase at 7% for FY2027 budget (unanimous)
• Accepted Zoo Personnel Reports for Alexandria, Audubon, and Global Wildlife centers (unanimous)
• Approved 2026 meeting dates (unanimous)

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Board will discuss updates to licensing procedures and rules regarding the renewal of licenses and certificates. Members will also review waiver requests for exam retakes and a proposed consent order for an administrative hearing.

• Review of FY2025 Year-End Budget Review Amendment
• Waiver requests for NAVLE and VTNE retakes for six applicants
• Proposed Consent Order for Case #24-0416
• Rulemaking updates for LAC 46LXXXV regarding licensing and renewals
• Discussion on whether a Faculty License is required for Junior Surgery & Clinical Skills Lab

The Board approved the final amended FY2025 budget and finalized amendments to several rules regarding license and certificate renewals. The Board also ratified multiple practice opinions and approved six national exam retake waivers.

• Approved final amended FY2025 budget (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved amendments to rules 305, 407, 811, 1213, and 1215 (unanimous voice vote)
• Ratified all reported declaratory statements and practice opinions (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved 24 new licenses, registrations, and certificates (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved NAVLE/VTNE retake waivers for G. Flottmann, E. Heskett, M. Turbeville, D. Mahoney, J. Commander, and J. Hansel (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved consent order and issued reprimand for Case #24-0416
• Moved December 2025 board meeting to December 5th (unanimous voice vote)
• Accepted June 5, 2025 minutes and May/June 2025 financial reports (unanimous voice vote)

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Board of Veterinary Medicine will discuss updates to licensing and zoo personnel rules and review financial reports. The body will also consider NAVLE retake waiver requests for four DVM applicants.

• Review of contract for legal counsel Thibaut, Thibaut, & Vogt
• Rulemaking updates for LAC 46LXXXV.301, 801, 1201 (Licensing) and Chapter 13 (Zoo Personnel)
• NAVLE retake waiver requests for Angela Butler, Michelle Schisa, Susanna Charland, and Rachel Pool
• Request to purchase additional CDs for FY 2025
• Discussion on equine massage therapy certification requirements for non-veterinarians

The Board elected new officers for FY2026 and approved the purchase of a $50,000 certificate of deposit. It also ratified 24 new licenses and granted NAVLE retake waivers to four applicants. The Board provided guidance on the legality of equine massage therapy and telemedicine practices.

• Approved purchase of $50,000 CD (unanimous voice vote)
• Elected Dr. Christine Barr as President, Dr. Jessee Brandon as Vice-President, and Dr. Christopher Morris as Secretary-Treasurer for FY2026 (unanimous)
• Approved FY2026 contract for legal counsel Thibaut, Thibaut, & Vogt (unanimous voice vote)
• Ratified 24 new licenses and certificates issued between 03/25/25 and 05/13/25 (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved NAVLE retake waivers for Angela Butler, Michelle Schisa, Susanna Charland, and Rachel Pool (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved attendance of Executive Director Jared Granier and a new board member at the 2025 AAVSB Annual Conference (unanimous voice vote)
• Approved merit increases for Administrative Assistant Mackenzie Mayers and Executive Director Jared Granier effective July 1, 2025

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will consider updates to licensing procedures and fee rules, and discuss what services a Registered Veterinary Technician can offer as an independent business. The board will also vote on proposed consent orders in two disciplinary cases and consider waiver requests for licensing exams.

• Rulemaking projects to update licensing procedures (LAC 46LXXXV.301, 801, & 1201) and review fee rules (LAC 46LXXXV.Chapter 5)
• Discussion of what services an RVT can provide as an independent business
• Proposed consent orders in disciplinary cases #25-1205 and #25-1211
• Waiver requests for NAVLE retake (Laura Boyd, DVM; Alexandre Nascimento Rocha Filho, DVM) and VTNE retake (Tamara Cole, RVT)
• Executive session updates on civil litigation cases (LBVM vs. O. Nyzhnyk; Pelican Institute vs. LBVM)

The Board approved a transitional return to work policy and a contract renewal for the Department of Justice's Occupational Licensing Review Program. Two disciplinary consent orders were approved involving malpractice and licensing fraud. The Board also granted three waivers for national exam retakes.

• Approved Transitional Return to Work (RTW) Plan Policy 4.17 (Unanimous)
• Approved FY2026 contract for DOJ Occupational Licensing Review Program (Unanimous)
• Approved consent order for malpractice: $500 fine and $1,750 administrative costs
• Approved consent order for licensing fraud: $500 fine, $1,000 investigation cost, and 6 hours of ethics CE
• Approved NAVLE retake waiver for Laura Boyd, DVM (Unanimous)
• Approved NAVLE retake waiver for Alexandre Nascimento Rocha Filho, DVM (Unanimous)
• Approved VTNE retake waiver for Tamara Cole, RVT (Unanimous)
• Ratified 23 new licenses and certificates issued between 01/29 and 03/24 (Unanimous)

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Board will discuss updates to veterinary practice and licensing procedure rules. Members will also consider waiver requests for several applicants to retake professional exams and review the LDAF lease contract renewal.

• LDAF Lease Contract Renewal
• Rulemaking updates for Veterinary Practice (LAC 46LXXXV.700, 701, 702, 704, 707, & 712)
• Licensing Procedure reviews (LAC 46LXXXV.301, 801, & 1201)
• NAVLE and VTNE retake waiver requests for 7 applicants
• Welcome Home Act Report due March 2025

The Board decided that non-veterinarians may present anesthesia consent forms to clients if a licensed veterinarian is on-site for questions. The Board also approved national exam retake waivers for seven applicants and ratified 23 new licenses.

• Approved anesthesia consent forms may be presented by non-veterinarians if a DVM is on premises
• Approved NAVLE retake waivers for Wesley Burnside, Matthew Patterson, Benjamin Larson, Christopher Brown, Ashley Wiese, and Sara Lyle
• Approved VTNE retake waiver for Anita Russell
• Ratified 23 new licenses and certificates issued between 11/20/24 and 01/28/25
• Approved December 5, 2024 meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Approved November and December 2024 financial reports (unanimous)
• Approved training attendance for Administrative Assistant Mackenzie Mayers (unanimous)
• Ruled that patient records cannot be released to animal control officers without owner consent or a valid subpoena