California ends its exam-for-every-problem rule for vets on Jan. 1
Say your dog had a checkup in March. In August, one ear turns red. Under California law today, your vet is supposed to examine the dog for that ear before treating it, even if the vet has known your dog for years.
That changes Jan. 1, 2027, when Assembly Bill 1999 takes effect. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill, by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, on Sept. 14.
California Veterinary Medical Board staff wrote in a July memo that state law “currently requires a veterinarian to examine an animal for each condition treated.” The California Veterinary Medical Association says California is one of two states with that rule. A fact sheet from Kalra’s office says it applies “even if they already know the animal and its medical history well enough to provide effective guidance for minor issues over the phone or through a messaging platform.”
An exam good for a year, or 6 months by video
State law generally bars a vet from treating an animal without a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. You authorize the vet to make medical decisions, the vet knows the animal well enough, and the vet takes responsibility for those decisions…