| Complaint: | Complaint 19-73 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Sherry Wynn |
| Premises: | Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson |
The complainant's 10 pound dog was attacked by a 100 pound dog during a walk. Flesh was falling off and the dog was taken to VSCOT. The complainant says that the dog was "whisked away" and she did not get to see her dog for three days. She was told that the dog had what she describes as "extensive damage" and needed to splint an elbow, torn tendons, broken ribs, a large torn flap of skin, torn tissue between her ribs, and one of her legs may end up needing amputated. She says that eventually they repaired the leg with a splint under anesthesia. On the third day when she was able to visit, she says her dog couldn't even lift her head, was whimpering, and heavily sedated. The complainant was subsequently called and told her dog had necrotic wounds that could be fixed for $6000. This was followed by another call saying there was nothing they could do and the dog had a hole in her chest. She was also told her dog's blood pressure was dropping rapidly and that she had better get over there. On arrival she was told the dog needed to be euthanized immediately and only had ten minutes to say goodbye. After reviewing the photos, she was shocked at the condition of her dog and asks why euthanasia was not suggested earlier. She goes on to state that friends of hers found it similarly shocking. She believes VSCOT allowed her dog to suffer so they could make more money. She particularly blames Wynn and Therio.
Wynn's response begins with the dog coming into VSCOT and the initial treatments applied. She also discusses how she consulted with other specialists, Walker and Roy, at VSCOT. They decided based on their own experiences at VSCOT that it would be best to wait on surgery as their patients sometimes decompensated in such situations. They also had concerns about anesthesia to work on the elbow. She says that she spoke with the complainant and said that many people in such situations would choose to "let them go" but believes she didn't understand because she was too distraught. She says that they were able to perform anesthesia and a brief surgery for the elbow but the dog's hypotension made it impossible to do anything else. They also began to notice necrosis. Wynn also shared the case with Therio as the hospital was expected to be quite busy. Wynn says that early signs of sepsis began to appear and she had a conversation about euthanasia and told her it would be a long road to recovery and cost a lot of money, also saying that perhaps if the dog decompensated she would be telling us that it's time to let her go. She also says that at no point was the complainant ever prevented from visiting the dog. At this point she handed the case to Therio because it was her day off.
The Investigative Committee appears to have used this opportunity to talk about the grisly details of getting mauled by a dog. They said communication could have been better but that the medical record says euthanasia was offered. They also felt that there were no concerns about the dog's suffering because she was getting adequate pain medication. They also note that it's normal to take a lot of grisly photos in such situations because of the potential for litigation.
| Source: | July 7, 2019 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Sherry Wynn | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Brian Sidaway | Aye |
| Christine Butkiewicz | Aye |
| William Hamilton | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | August 8, 2019 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Sarah Heinrich |
| 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 | 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.