Hon Andrew Hoggard
Associate Minister of Agriculture

Veterinary nurses will soon be able to carry out dental procedures on cats and dogs, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.

“Prior to 2021 subgingival procedures were performed by skilled vet nurses, the last government introduced criteria that meant it could only be carried out by vets – Now we are changing it back to make it sensible and efficient.

As with humans, the health of an animal’s teeth and gums is a marker for overall health. Having tartar removed from their teeth is essential for good health.”

Changes to current rules will deliver better access to procedures like scaling beneath the gumline. The rule will allow approved non-veterinarians to carry out subgingival dental procedures on cats and dogs using general anaesthesia, as authorised by a vet.

“Vets will be freed up to focus on their other patients, meaning those animals can be seen and treated faster.

This regulation confirms the important role that vet nurses perform as part of the team of professionals supporting animal health”.

The change was supported by industry groups, which worked closely with the Ministry for Primary Industries to prepare the new regulation and will come into effect on 10 April.

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