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Q: What is a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR)? A: A Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship, or VCPR for short, exists when your veterinarian knows your pet well enough to be able to diagnose and treat any medical conditions your animal develops.

The Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) has been regulating veterinary medicine in the State of California since 1893. The VMB is a governmental agency whose mission is the protection of California consumers and their animals through the regulation of veterinary medicine.

Such a relationship can exist only when the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal(s) by virtue of examination of the animal(s), and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal(s) are kept.

The FDA and USDA have used the same regulatory definition to avoid such confusion. Veterinarians must comply with the federal VCPR requirements where they apply, regardless whether state laws are more lax. Activities where the federal VCPR applies are extremely common in day-to-day veterinary practice.

The VCPR is for the protection of the pet, the owner and the veterinarian (as Dr. Khuly's blog post demonstrates). The time-frame for a VCPR is generally 12 months, meaning particular treatments for known, ongoing conditions can be prescribed within 12 months of the patient's most recent physical examination.

The veterinary professional should be viewed as a caring health service provider who may be friendly but is not a friend. These boundaries allow both the client and clinician to speak freely and objectively without the clutter of friendship.

AAHA defines VCPR to require all of the following: The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the patient and the need for medical treatment, and the client (owner or caretaker) has agreed to comply with the veterinarian's instructions.