| Complaint: | Complaint 21-51 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Shantibhushan Jha |
| Premises: | Prescott Area Pet Emergency Hospital |
| Related: | 20-93 |
This case is a follow-on from 20-93. In that case the complainant brought his dog to Jha's emergency clinic not once, not twice, but three times before the dog was eventually seen; the dog started out with a bit of anal bleeding, ended up with more anal bleeding, and finally was diagnosed with severe hemorrhagic diarrhea. The complainant finally took the dog to another hospital where there were concerns for bloat and found the dog to no longer be a surgical candidate; the dog was euthanized. The Board's concern was limited to the initial encounter at Jha's hospital where a staff member rather than a veterinarian triaged the dog.
Jha's response states he wasn't at the office that day. He claims that the complainant was warned by staff to bring the dog in right away (the complainant says he was initially told to hold off because staff thought it might be caused by the dog eating a burrito). He says that the first time the complainant came by, he was told the dog was stable and would be seen in the next couple of hours. Jha appears to ignore the second time the complainant tried to bring the dog to the clinic (the complainant was so concerned he started driving to the clinic and was told on the phone there was still a long wait, so he just went home). The third time they did see the dog; Jha regrets the complainant didn't let them do the things they needed to do in order to help the dog. (The complainant actually decided to take the dog to Prescott Animal Hospital because it was now the next morning.)
The Board sent a letter of concern stating the need for a proper triage process at his emergency hospital. (You might think that this would merit more than a letter of concern.)
Jha was also the responsible veterinarian at another emergency and referral facility, the Animal Medical and Surgical Center in Scottsdale. He was also very involved in the Arizona Animal Welfare League's An Evening to Paws, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars that are spent at…Animal Medical and Surgical Center.
| Source: | October 10, 2020 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Absent |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Recused |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Sarah Heinrich | Absent |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | February 2, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Absent |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Recused |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Sarah Heinrich | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | March 3, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Shantibhushan Jha | Respondent |
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Darren Wright | Absent |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Recused |
| 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.