April 2026
April 29, 2026 Board Agenda to include PEMF discussion item:
“When does PEMF use become the practice of Veterinary Medicine, since the apparatus itself isn’t regulated?”
View full agenda: Link
AOPP Seeking Clear Legal Recognition for Supportive Animal PEMF in Nebraska
The Association of PEMF Professionals is actively seeking support in Nebraska for a statutory update that would bring greater clarity to supportive animal PEMF practice.
Under current Nebraska law, the definition of the practice of veterinary medicine is broad. It includes diagnosing, treating, correcting, relieving, or preventing animal conditions through drugs, apparatus, applications, or other therapeutic or diagnostic techniques, as well as giving advice about those acts or representing the ability to perform them. Because of that, supportive animal PEMF can be swept into the veterinary practice definition even when a practitioner is not diagnosing, prescribing, performing invasive procedures, or otherwise acting as a veterinarian.
AOPP’s position is straightforward: non-diagnostic, non-invasive supportive PEMF should not be treated as the practice of veterinary medicine solely because a pulsed electromagnetic field device is used. Nebraska law already shows that the Legislature can distinguish veterinary medicine from other animal-related services when it chooses to define those roles clearly. The state separately defines equine, cat, and dog massage practice, and it also recognizes an animal therapist framework.
At the same time, the current animal therapist pathway is not a practical fit for most non-veterinary PEMF practitioners. Nebraska’s statute requires an applicant to already hold another Nebraska health care license under the Uniform Credentialing Act, along with additional animal-specific qualifications. That may fit some rehabilitation-based professionals, but it does not create a workable pathway for a limited, non-diagnostic supportive PEMF role.
That is why AOPP is advocating for a better fit: a clear statutory pathway for a qualified non-veterinary animal PEMF professional operating within defined limits. This means preserving the veterinarian’s exclusive role in diagnosis, prognosis, prescription, surgery, and treatment of disease, while making clear that supportive PEMF can exist as a separate, limited service under Nebraska law.
AOPP supports reasonable guardrails that preserve the line between supportive services and veterinary care, including clear prohibited acts, truthful advertising standards, written disclosure that the practitioner is not a veterinarian, and referral obligations when an animal presents with red-flag issues or otherwise needs veterinary evaluation. This creates a clearer, more workable framework for animal owners, veterinarians, and qualified practitioners alike.
UPDATED 2/4/2025
The Nebraska Veterinary Board has determined the use of PEMF to be veterinary medicine and has sent animal practitioners cease and desist letters.
In an additional meeting on October 23, 2024, the board was again approached with practice questions regarding PEMF and the practice of veterinary medicine. You can read their responses below and the link to the full meeting minutes:
PRACTICE QUESTION(S) A. If a person is certified as a PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy) Practitioner, can a Veterinarian make a referral to the certified PEMF practitioner to work on an animal in the Veterinarian’s care? If so, would the referral need to be reestablished at different intervals?
The opinion of the Board is that Unlicensed Veterinary Assistants have no authority to perform this procedure. Please refer to the Nebraska Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Regulations, Title 172 Chapter 180 004.02 for full explanation of Unlicensed Veterinary Assistants authority: https://rules.nebraska.gov/rules?agencyId=37&titleId=101
B. If a PEMF machine is owned by an entity/person can they rent the machine to an individual who wants to do therapy on their own animal? The Board has no opinion, but rather suggests that you refer to your attorney.
Read the full minutes HERE
In a meeting on April 11, 2024 the board meeting minutes state the following:
PRACTICE QUESTION(S) A. What is the scope of practice regarding “Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy” for animals?It is the opinion of the Board that Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy would be within the scope of practice for Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in accordance with 38-3312-1 38-3312. Practice of veterinary medicine and surgery, defined. Practice of veterinary medicine and surgery means: (1) To diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve, or prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental conditions, including the prescription or administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, application, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or technique, and the use of any manual or mechanical procedure for testing for pregnancy or fertility or for correcting sterility or infertility. The acts described in this subdivision shall not be done without a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship;
STATE OF NEBRASKA STATUTES RELATING TO THE VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY PRACTICE ACT
38-3312. Practice of veterinary medicine and surgery, defined. Practice of veterinary medicine and surgery means: (1) To diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve, or prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental conditions, including the prescription or administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, application, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or technique, and the use of any manual or mechanical procedure for testing for pregnancy or fertility or for correcting sterility or infertility. The acts described in this subdivision shall not be done without a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship; (2) To render advice or recommendation with regard to any act described in subdivision (1) of this section; (3) To represent, directly or indirectly, publicly or privately, an ability and willingness to do any act described in subdivision (1) of this section; and (4) To use any title, words, abbreviation, or letters in a manner or under circumstances which induce the belief that the person using them is qualified to do any act described in subdivision (1) of this section.
Source: Laws 2007, LB463, § 1094.
LINK: https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/VeterinaryMedicineSurgery.pdf
Nebraska Veterinary Medicine Surgery
State of Nebraska Uniform Credentialing Act
Nebraska Licensure of Animal Therapists Chapter-182
