Animal Chiropractors

B. A chiropractic physician may engage in the practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment if certified to do so by the Board. A licensed chiropractic physician may provide chiropractic treatment to an animal without being certified in animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment by the Board if an animal has been referred to the chiropractic physician by a licensed veterinarian.

• (a) A chiropractic physician may engage in practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment if certified to do so by the Board. A licensed chiropractic physician may provide chiropractic treatment to an animal without being certified in animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment if the animal has been referred to the chiropractic physician by a licensed veterinarian.
• (b) “Animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment” means treatment that includes vertebral subluxation complex (vcs) and spinal manipulation of nonhuman vertebrates. The term “animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment” shall not be construed to allow the:
  1. use of x-rays
  2. performing surgery
  3. dispensing or administering of medications, or
  4. performance of tradition veterinary care.
• (c) The Board is charged by statute to establish educational criteria for certification standards in animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment. According, the Board states that the following educational criteria will be applied to any licensed chiropractic physician who requests certification in animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment, The criteria shall include education and training in:
  1. Anatomy, including sacropelvic, thoracolumbar, cervical and extremity;
  2. Equine and canine adjustments;
  3. Topographical laboratory;
     
  4. Chiropractic basis, including history and systems review, subluxation, and vertebral subluxation complex;
     
  5. Veterinary basics, including anatomy as it relates to restraint and positioning, physiology, and
     pharmacology, metabolic and contagious diseases and lameness;
  6. Chiropractic and neurological diagnosis;
  7. Radiology and biomechanics;
  8. Proficiency in basic technique;
  9. Pathology;
  10. Podiatry, including lower limb dissection;
  11. Chiropractic and veterinary philosophy;
  12. Professional ethics and legalities; and
  13. Identification of animals.
• (d) Any licensed chiropractic physician requesting certification in animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment shall have completed no less than 210 hours of education and training education as set forth above.
• (e) Any chiropractic physician engaged in the practice of animal chiropractic shall maintain complete and accurate records and/or patient files in their office for a minimum of three years.

• (a) Each doctor of chiropractic in the State of Oklahoma who is registered with the Board pronouncing that said chiropractic physician is engaged in the practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment must submit their hours of continuing education completed with an AVCA (American Veterinarian Chiropractic Association) certified course during the concluding licensing period. Every three (3) years after original registration, each applicant shall submit documentation of completion of a total of 20 hours of continuing education during the three (3) year period. These hours are in addition to the annually required 16 hours to renew a license as a chiropractic physician.
• (b) Upon successful demonstration of these requirements, the Board shall continue the applicant’s name on the registry of chiropractic physicians who are certified to engage in the practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment.

• (a) Effective November 1, 2011 all chiropractic physicians certified by the Board in the practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment shall be issued a certification card by the Board. Each certification card must contain:
  1. the original license number of the chiropractic physicians certified in animal chiropractic diagnosis and
     treatment;
  2. the chiropractic physicians animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment certification number; and
  3.  a passport style photo
• (b) Each animal chiropractic physician shall carry the certification card with them at all times.
• (c) The certification card is valid only as long as the chiropractic physician remains certified by the Board to engage in the practice of animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment. If for any reason the chiropractic physician's certification is removed by the Board, the animal chiropractic certification card is to be returned to the Board within five (5) calendar days of receipt of notification that the chiropractic physician is no longer certified to practice animal chiropractic.