| Complaint: | Complaint 20-25 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Megan Tommet |
| Premises: | Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson |
The complainant's dog started feeling unwell and got worse, so the complainant took the dog to Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson. Tommet saw the dog there. The complainant states that he shared the dog's history including x-rays and blood tests showing only an elevated white blood cell count. Tommet allegedly said that she suspected liver failure, then Addison's disease, and finally suggested that a recent spay operation could have been botched by the family veterinarian. When asked to do more chest x-rays and blood tests the complainant took the dog home and went to the family veterinarian the next day. The family veterinarian ran x-rays that came back negative, blood tests that showed no liver problems. Tests for tick-borne diseases and Addison's also came back negative. The dog was treated for dehydration and nausea. The complainant states that the family veterinarian said "that's incredibly alarming" regarding the experience at VSCOT. The complainant says that what VSCOT was doing was "unconscionable."
Tommet's response details her initial evaluation of the complainant's dog. She says that after doing so she explained that the dog's "quiet demeanor and exaggerated swallowing" could be the result of a liver shunt, Addison's disease, or adhesions from a recent spay (organs may have healed in a funny position). She says she also discussed excessive stomach acid production, foreign body obstruction, or some other kind of systemic disease. She says that she highly recommended blood work as a first line of diagnostics. After she learned that the complainant just wanted to take the dog home, she went to ask if they would at least let her give the dog a shot. She then found the complainant and the dog had left.
The Investigative Committee said that there may have been a communications issue. They also suggest that perhaps the complainants were too stupid to understand the difference between a differential diagnosis and a real diagnosis. The Committee also said they had no concerns with Tommet's care.
| Source: | December 12, 2019 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Megan Tommet | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Steve Seiler | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | January 1, 2020 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Nikki Frost |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| 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 | 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.