The complainants say they took their dog to Guminski for a routine glucose check and the
level was around 70 (they give a normal range of 150 to 250). They were told to give honey
and water every 15 minutes and give no insulin until morning. They gave lesser amounts of
honey and water than directed and held off on the insulin but the next morning the dog was
very sick. The dog needed out to urinate frequently all night long and the complainants were
concerned of high blood sugar. The dog was not feeling well so they took the dog to Kern
and the blood sugar was 500. The dog had to be hospitalized. At this point they began getting
calls about a urinary tract infection, an intestinal infection, and so on, and were told that
they would need to do hundreds of dollars in additional tests. They went to visit their dog
and seeing the dog's condition they decided to euthanize their dog.
Kern's response largely tracks the complaint, also noting that the dog had diabetes, signs of
a urinary tract infection, and also thyroid issues. It appears that between cycles of feeding
and dosing insulin in hospital the dog's blood sugars would bounce between extreme high and
low blood sugars: 307, 485, 47, 89, 156, 92, 53, 69, 602, 460, 135, and finally 282 before the
complainants elected euthanasia. Kern suggests some of the episodes of hypoglycemia cannot
be explained by the insulin she was dosing and suggests an underlying problem.
The Investigative Committee found two minor records violations but otherwise had no concerns.
They said that a referral was not necessary because the clinic could provide 24-hour care. They
also said that the dog either had brittle diabetes or the infection was causing the blood sugar
problems. The board sentenced Kern to six hours of continuing education related to record keeping
and to pay a $500 fine.
ARS § 32-2232 (21) as it relates to AAC R3-11-502 (L) (4) failure to document the dog's general condition in the medical record on May 4, 2018; and (7) (a) failure to document in the medical record the concentration of Amoxicillin and Baytril administered to the dog.
A.R.S. § 32-2232 (21) as it relates to A.A.C. R3-11-502 (L) (4) for not documenting in the medical record the results of exam, including general condition of the animal on May 4, 2018.
A.R.S. § 32-2232 (21) as it relates fo A.A.C. R3-11-502 (L) (7) (a) for not documenting in the medical record the concentration of Amoxicillin and Baytril administered to the dog.
Penalties:
Probation (1 year)
Continuing education (6 hours in medical record keeping)
Civil penalty ($500)
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.