| Complaint: | Complaint 18-61 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Betsy Hershey |
| Premises: | Integrative Veterinary Oncology |
The complainant lived with her dog in Los Angeles where the dog was receiving holistic vitamin C therapy and acupuncture for cancer. The complainant traveled to visit family in Phoenix and selected Hershey to handle the care while in Arizona. The dog came back from the vitamin C treatment and ended up very sick, going back the next day for a shot and acupuncture. The complainant eventually took the dog to BluePearl where she was in renal failure; the dog eventually died and a necropsy diagnosed ethylene glycol poisoning as the cause.
Hershey's response states that she attributed the initial illness to the high dose vitamin C treatment as it is a frequent side-effect. She notes that she did see the dog again once the problems began to develop. She also says that she offered to see the dog again as her condition deteriorated but was declined because the complainant had a funeral to go to. She also says that she implored the complainant to take the dog to an emergency facility if she wouldn't bring the dog to her clinic. She also states that she did send records to BluePearl and was not aware that BluePearl apparently did not receive them. She says that there was no way for the dog to have come into contact with ethylene glycol at the practice.
The Investigative Committee sums it up in their own words: "The Committee discussed that this case was a mystery. However, they did not feel that Respondent was responsible for getting into ethylene glycol."
| Source: | May 5, 2018 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Betsy Hershey | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Mary Williams | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Ryan Ainsworth | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | June 6, 2018 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Nikki Frost |
| Seconded By: | Julie Young |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Bertch-Mumaw | Absent |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Absent |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Julie Young | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Sarah Heinrich | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
The primary source for the above summary was obtained as a public record from the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. You are welcome to review the original records and board meeting minutes by clicking the relevant links. While we endeavor to provide an accurate summary of the complaint, response, investigative reports and board actions, we encourage you to review the primary sources and come to your own conclusions. In some cases we have also been able to reach out to individuals with knowledge of specific complaints, and where possible that information will be included here.