| Complaint: | Complaint 21-38 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Randy Aronson |
| Premises: | Paws Veterinary Center |
The complainant states Aronson performed surgery to remove a mass on her dog's right jaw. She includes pictures that apparently how the mass was not removed (we don't get to see the pictures). She relates that she spent $2246.37 for the mass removal, $659.00 for a consultation, and $448.16 for supplements that the dog was allergic to. She says that she took the dog to Arizona Animal Hospital where Roberts removed a mass. We're also told she took the dog to a two-week recheck with Aronson who allegedly claimed the mass returned; she says that she knows she was duped because the swelling never went down. (The Findings of Fact have some additional detail; the had oral cancer and the complainant opted for palliative care after taking the tour of Midwestern, Arizona Veterinary Dental Specialists, and VetMed.)
Aronson says that the complainant came to him after speaking with Midwestern and Arizona Dental Specialists and being given a quote in the thousands of dollars. She instead went the route of palliative care and elected to see him; it was also suggested she set up an appointment "for a follow-up end-of-life discussion." Aronson said the dog's mouth was horrible; he went on to go over the "PAWS integrative recommendation sheet" including food and supplements. He says that he explained he would only debulk the tumors and the surgery would not be curative; we're then told the dog started to go hypoxic during surgery so he had to cut it short with one remaining tumor left in. He also prescribed Yunan Baiyao, turkey tail, poly-MVA ("designed to support cellular energy" according to a Google search), MRM (Maximum Recovery Matrix providing Organic Mushroom), and bloodroot or neoplascene. He claims that the complainant was initially happy with the care and thought there was a "new swelling" but then became angry the third mass had not been removed; he says that she understood when he explained it to her before. We're also told that she had second thoughts and scheduled a visit to Arizona Animal Hospital; he reminded her that no other veterinarians would deal with the dog in his condition aside from Midwestern and Arizona Veterinary Dental Specialists, and they both wanted to do a lot of work and expected a lot of money for it. After what he describes as a "very vulgar and nasty" phone call he broke off further communication.
The Investigative Committee said that it would have been very difficult to perform a complete removal given the aggressiveness of mouth melanomas. They also stand by Aronson's decision to stop the operation given the anesthetia-related issues encountered (which might actually be reasonable considering how many dogs drop dead during anesthesia). The Committee also believed that he told the respondent it wasn't a cure but merely a debulking. (Reading the rather short complaint one's left with the impression the complainant believes there was intentional concealment on Aronson's part when it comes to not removing the third mass; she also claims Aronson told her the mass returned whereas he claimed she thought there was a "new swelling.")
Aronson's an interesting fellow judging by the PAWS website. His bio tells us that he's very certified in alternative modalities including Chinese food therapy, Chinese herbal therapy, and acupuncture; when he's not taking care of people's pets he's busy giving speeches, seminars, consulting for pet companies, and formerly hosting a call-in radio show, "Radio Pet Vet with Dr. Randy." He also comes up at Pawsitivity for Pets, going by "PAWS RADIO PET VET Dr. Randy Unleashed" where you can purchase various blends of medicinal herbs and spices including a high-RNA superfood powder. It also looks like (as of 2023) you can book one-hour doctor consultancies on the site for $250.
| Source: | April 4, 2021 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Randy Aronson | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Steve Seiler | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | May 5, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Darren Wright |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| 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.