| Complaint: | Complaint 19-31 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Katherine Bratcher |
| Premises: | Alta Sierra Veterinary Hospital |
The complainant brought his dog to Bratcher because the dog was in a lot of pain and bleeding from his foot. On the first visit the dog was sedated and Bratcher found nothing and sent them home with antibiotics. It did not improve and he could not even put his foot down. On the second visit to Bratcher she found a sliver of wood said to be about the size of a toothpick and sent the dog home with more antibiotics. The complainant says this still didn't help and the foot was now oozing pus. On the third visit (and another sedation) Bratcher found a piece of wood allegedly measuring 2 3/4 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, and 3/16 of an inch thick. The complainant says they kept the piece of wood. He relates that the dog recovered after another 30 days but questions why it took three appointments and surgeries to find it.
Bratcher's response largely follows the same pattern as the complainant. She states that nothing was found on the first visit and antibiotics were prescribed. She states that on the second visit sedation was not required and she was able to flush a splinter out of the wound. She says that she made the complainant aware it could take multiple probings to find the cause and that if the dog did not improve he would need sedation again. She relates that the complainant was "understanding at that time." She states that on the third visit she was able to probe the wound with instruments and identify a piece she had not found previously. She was then able to remove what she describes as a "large stick" after several attempts. She states that she received a call from a doctor at Banfield who told her that the dog was doing fine as though nothing had ever happened.
The Investigative Committee said that Bratcher likely didn't think that a large stick was shoved up in the dog's paw. They also said that while it would have been nice if she had found it the first time, she did find it eventually.
| Source: | March 3, 2019 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Katherine Bratcher | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Mary Williams | Absent |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | April 4, 2019 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Darren Wright |
| Seconded By: | Christina Bertch-Mumaw |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Bertch-Mumaw | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Absent |
| Sarah Heinrich | Absent |
| 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.