| Complaint: | Complaint 21-31 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Cynthia Gordon |
| Premises: | Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center |
The complainant tells us he took his dog to Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center for gagging, sneezing, coughing and panting. The dog spent all day at the center being examined by Grady; we're told the dog was x-rayed and checked for Valley Fever. Allegedly he was diagnosed as allergic with bronchi and trachea problems and sent home with steroids. The dog apparently improved somewhat but within a few days the old symptoms returned; the complainant relates that by the very early morning hours of the following day the dog was in so much distress that he took the dog back to the clinic. They told him it would be a four hour wait so he came home and brought the dog back first thing in the morning. On this visit Gordon diagnosed pneumonia after she examined the dog and performed x-rays. The dog again spent the day there but, according to the complainant, the dog was only there for observation and received no medication; the dog was discharged with antibiotics but was so lethargic the dog couldn't even urinate. The dog was still coughing and struggling to breathe. He called back to the clinic to say he was bringing the dog back and was told by staff that the antibiotics can take about four hours to work. The complainant's 81-year-old blind wife was petting the dog and she commented the dog had calmed down some; the complainant checked and felt the dog's breathing stop and felt no heartbeat. He told his wife that he thought their dog had died and she broke down crying and sobbing. He took the dog back to the clinic for necropsy and cremation. He also says he spoke with Gordon who was surprised the dog died as she didn't think he was doing that bad. When asked why no medication had been given, she allegedly told him she was worried the dog might throw it up on the way home. He wonders why nothing was done for their pet; he believes his dog was neglected despite spending $2000 to help him.
Gordon states that she examined the dog and noted a heart murmur, but that otherwise he was breaking, energetic, and friendly. She says that the dog was in stable condition, "bright, alert, responsive, not dyspneic, not coughing, energetic in cage, interactive, wagging his tail, standing up, interested in everything going on around him." (Note that this is the same dog the complainant says he initially brought to the emergency clinic in the middle of the night out of concern.) She says the x-rays came back and indicated that the dog's problem did not appear cardiac-related; instead she suggested trying antibiotic therapy for possible pneumonia. She claims she told the complainant that if the pet were sick she would consider hospitalizing him, but as he's stable, eating, and drinking normally, she would recommend sending the dog home with antibiotics. (The complainant, on the other hand, said this day was too lethargic to pee by the time he was released.) She came to work the next day to learn the dog had died overnight and the complainant wanted a necropsy. She also spoke with the complainant on the phone and suggested perhaps the dog had died of a heart problem after all (despite her earlier mention that a heart problem didn't appear likely). During the call the complainant's wife allegedly got upset and asked why they didn't give the dog any medication during the day while at the hospital; Gordon told her that she doesn't give oral medications during hospitalization because if the dog vomits in the car people call up and want a refund for the medication. (It actually says this.) She says the complainant's wife then screamed at her about neglect and that they would file a complaint with the veterinary board. After that was mentioned, Gordon tells us she let another veterinarian handle all conversations relating to the subsequent necropsy.
The Investigative Committee said that there was no clue that more intervention or treatment was necessary as the dog was "bright, alert, and happy." (One wonders how that could be without the complainants being blatant liars. The dog was said to be so stressed they initially tried taking the dog to the emergency clinic in the middle of the night, and on discharge was too weak to take a leak by himself; indeed, he was apparently so sick that the complainant called to suggest bringing the dog right back.) The Committee, on the other hand, chalks it up to the dog decompensating suddenly at home and dropping dead of acute respiratory distress syndrome; they also found it acceptable that Gordon administered no treatments to the dog while he was in the clinic all day. (That's particularly disturbing considering Rai, Dow, and Sidaway all run their own veterinary practices.)
| Source: | March 3, 2021 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Cynthia Gordon | Respondent |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Brian Sidaway | Aye |
| Cameron Dow | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | April 4, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Nikki Frost |
| Seconded By: | Jessica Creager |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Absent |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| 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.