| Complaint: | Complaint 21-79 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Helen Ryan |
| Premises: | Buckeye Veterinary Services |
The complainant says that he took his dog to Ryan for an ear clipping. He says Ryan told him she'd done this many times and he even took a photo to her to show exactly how he wanted the ears done. He says that there was a total of five follow-up visits and was given a variety of different excuses, usually by the staff; he says he was told that the ears were just swollen, that they couldn't tape the ears because the dog wouldn't sit still, and finally that the cartilage in the ears refused to harden. A staff member allegedly told him they'd do a complementary reconstructive surgery to fix it; this would involve putting an implant in the dog's ear to make it look better. He then says on a follow up call the same staff member told him that he asked for a low-cut "battle crop" on the ears; he says that Ryan subsequently spoke with him and allegedly admitted cutting the ears incorrectly and told him an implant wouldn't help. He also says he contacted another veterinarian that does ear clippings, Saini at Animal Medical Clinic in Milpitas; he includes an email from Saini saying the ears were cut too short and there was nothing anyone could do. The complainant says he loves his dog but wants a refund.
Ryan tells us she discussed the ear clipping with the complainant, noting that there would be a long recovery process and that future results are not guaranteed. We're given a summary of the procedure and told that a rack was placed because the ears kept flopping forward. The dog was discharged with medications and instructions. It appears the dog was seen several times for rechecks as a result of the dog managing to remove the rack; Ryan also claims there was lack of compliance on the part of the complainant. She does state that she discussed additional surgery but not because of a problem with her technique; rather, she was offering additional options if the complainant was unhappy with the original outcome. She also says that one of the dog's owners came back with another dog, also wanting an ear cropping, and asked for it to be done at a discount because they were unhappy with the first one.
The Investigative Committee said that the outcome of ear crops "have a lot to do with the thickness and strength of the dog's cartilage." They point out the complainant signed a disclaimer. They say the dog's muscles may have been responsible for the ears falling forward.
| Source: | June 6, 2021 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Helen Ryan | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | July 7, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Darren Wright |
| Seconded By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Roll Call: | |
| 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.