| Complaint: | Complaint 19-94 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Raegan Wells |
| Premises: | Phoenix Veterinary Referral and Emergency |
| Related: | 19-95 |
The complainant begins by recounting how their dog started falling over and initially suspected a scorpion bite. Wells saw the dog on an emergency basis and told the complainant that she suspected fainting from underlying pulmonary hypertension. Wells came up with an estimate for testing and prescribed medications including sildenafil. The complainant says she was very concerned as her son died from medication and didn't want the same for her dog. She says the dog's condition worsened so she was told to discontinue the medication. She was unable to arrange further follow-up as she was told that Wells was on vacation. She also says the medical records she later received are inaccurate as she did not decline testing and did not want the sildenafil. She took the dog to two other veterinarians who found the dog to have a grade 3 heart murmur. She was referred to VetMed (see complaint 19-95). The complainant blames the sildenafil for eventually killing her dog.
Wells states that she examined the dog and determined that the dog likely had a combination of issues including primary lung disease and cardiac disease. She recommended x-rays and a cardiology referral but claims that the complainant said they couldn't afford anything, "then went on and on about a car accident that was not their fault and how awful people are, etc." She also tells us that she prescribed sildenafil at that time but told the complainant to take the dog for follow-up. She also tells us that the complainant and her daughter said she was very nice but that they were so not-nice that other people in the waiting room asked to be moved away from them. She also includes (not included in the public record) NextDoor postings allegedly "besmirching my professional reputation and hospital." She says she's sorry the dog died but it was the complainant's fault for not paying for more testing and care.
The Investigative Committee said that it's important to know that the side effects of drugs in dogs are different than the side effects in humans. They state that Wells came up with the diagnosis without even performing diagnostics because it's so obvious what was wrong with the dog. They did not have an issue with the use of sildenafil in this case, and in fact, they literally say that sildenafil "does not have side effects." The very statement makes one question the medical competence of the investigators as it appears to run contrary to the actual recommendations from the ACVIM regarding sildenafil and similar drugs. We'll talk about that more in 19-95 which is the follow-on to this complaint.
| Source: | September 9, 2019 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Raegan Wells | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Brian Sidaway | Aye |
| Christine Butkiewicz | Aye |
| William Hamilton | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | October 10, 2019 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jessica Creager |
| Roll Call: | |
| Christina Bertch-Mumaw | Absent |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Absent |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Sarah Heinrich | Recused |
| 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.