| Complaint: | Complaint 20-84 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Hugh Giffords |
| Premises: | Phoenix Dog Cat and Bird Hospital |
The complainant says his dog had a mass on his tail and bleeding ulcers around the anus. He says the vet (Giffords?) recommended be neutered and the mass removed. When he got the dog back from surgery there was some slight bleeding around the sutures, but he was told this was normal. The bleeding increased and the stitches seemed to be coming loose. He took the dog back to the vet and was told that it was normal. He says he was told to bring the dog back the next day so that the veterinarian who did the surgery could check. He says that he was up all night with his dog tending to him and taking care of the bleeding. He did so and was again told that it was normal and would take time to heal. He says that the next day the dog got worse, showed anxiety, and was bleeding significantly with the stitches apparently all being undone. He took videos to send to Giffords but accidentally sent it to the wrong number. He hurriedly took the dog to VetMed where he was told the prognosis was poor and treatment expensive, at which time he decided to euthanize the dog. He followed up with the clinic and sent the video to Giffords but says he never responded back to him to set up a call.
Giffords tells us that the complainant originally took his dog to VetMed for the bleeding but decided to see him instead. He states that when he examined the dog he was not bleeding. He also confirms that he recommended surgery and told the complainants that surgeries were performed by Kate Hamilton rather than by himself. He says that he then took a flight to New York City because his son was having a health problem and didn't return to Arizona until after the dog was dead. Upon returning to Arizona, he says that he worked at one of his other hospitals, Sun Valley Hope Animal Hospital, and didn't get back to the Phoenix Cat and Dog Hospital until days later. The remainder of his writeup largely casts the complainant as either ignorant or a liar. He states that his wife, Lara Sosnow, another veterinarian and clinic co-owner, examined the dog and that the sutures had not come undone as claimed. He also said that the complainant didn't even know that he spoke with a veterinarian instead of a veterinary technician. He also says that the complainant wouldn't tell him what happened at VetMed when asked but that he did say the veterinarian at VetMed told him euthanasia would be a good option.
The Investigative Committee said that communication could have been handled better in this regard. They said it was odd that the complainant said he only spoke with staff but the record shows that the dog was examined by veterinarians. They also discuss that Hamilton, the veterinarian who did the surgery, could have provided post-surgical care. No violation was found but the Board sent a letter of concern.
| Source: | August 8, 2020 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Hugh Giffords | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Steve Seiler | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | September 9, 2020 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Nikki Frost |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Nay |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| 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.