| Complaint: | Complaint 18-73 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Sheryl Babyak |
| Premises: | 1st Pet Veterinary Centers Chandler |
| Related: | 18-74 |
The complainant took her dog to 1st Pet Mesa because it wasn't very active and turning yellow. Butler saw the dog at the Mesa location. Butler allegedly said that their ultrasound machine wasn't good enough to see much. The complaintant was told to go to the Chandler location and have tests done there or the dog would die from his liver. The complainant says they took the dog to Babyak at the Chandler location. There, Babyak was unable to complete the ultrasound because, unlike the earlier appointment, the dog was said to have put up a bit of a struggle. Babyak also allegedly said they tried to sedate the dog and it didn't work, but that the wrong sedative was given and if they gave any more the dog could be in a coma for days. The dog was shaven and had some injuries from the shaving, and when the dog came home, the dog was no longer walking well. The complainant associated this with an IV catheter placed into a leg.
Babyak's report states that the dog had improved somewhat as a result of the medications dispensed by the Mesa location. She also states that the ultrasound results were eventually obtained once the dog was sedated but that an abnormality was found by the pancreas. Babyak challenges the complainant's recollections about her treatment of the dog, stating that the dog had to be shaved for the ultrasound procedure, that the dog yelped from surprise rather than pain, and that the correct sedation was in fact used.
The Investigative Committee found no violations and noted that the shaving was required to perform the ultrasound. They also found that the sedative administered was acceptable. They noted that there was no formal diagnosis made but that there were various things that could have caused it; they note that a valley fever test was performed and came back negative. Based on the official findings of fact, the dog was also taken to VCA ARECA for further workup. It is unclear if a diagnosis was ever found.
| Source: | June 6, 2018 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Sheryl Babyak | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Tran | Absent |
| Mary Williams | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Ryan Ainsworth | Aye |
| William Hamilton | Abstained |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | August 8, 2018 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Sarah Heinrich |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Bertch-Mumaw | Aye |
| 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.