| Complaint: | Complaint 21-82 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Elsa Swenson |
| Premises: | Dove Mountain Veterinary |
The complainants say they were in Arizona for the winter with their dog when their dog developed a limp. They weren't initially concerned but the dog refused to eat and appeared to be in distress. Swenson saw the dog and allegedly diagnosed an ACL tear and prescribed carprofen and gabapentin. Swenson also allegedly called them later that day and noted the dog's leg swelling, her diagnosis, and the potential for surgery later on. The dog continued to deteriorate and wouldn't even drink much; the complainants called back and said that they didn't know what to expect with an ACL tear but they had concerns. The next day another vet, Horton, saw the dog (who was now too weak to walk and had to be carried into the hospital) and diagnosed liver failure. The dog was transferred to Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson where he had a heart attack and died. They relate that Horton suspected the carprofen may have precipitated the liver failure. The complainants do not appear happy at this outcome and suggest they were at a disadvantage as they were only winter visitors without a regular veterinarian; they don't want to hurt anyone, but they have serious concerns about the care provided by the clinic. There are other enclosed documents including letters and reviews, along with another review from someone else that was very similar to the experience the complainants had.
Swenson's reply states that the complainants brought their dog in for an urgent care visit as a result of left hind lameness and lethargy. The dog wouldn't put any weight on his left hind leg, but otherwise there wasn't much to write home about; aside from some swelling there were no major abnormalities noted. She was suspicious of a CCL tear and informed the complainants that treatment could involve medical management followed by surgery. She also notes that they have a "mobile board certified veterinary surgeon" that comes to their hospital for procedures; they were also told that there were other boarded surgeons in the area. The complainants allegedly told her they'd feel more comfortable waiting until they were back home in Maine to get a second opinion. She says that the dog was sent home with carprofen and gabapentin. She also says the x-ray report came in the next day and that she reviewed it before telling her staff to relay the results; she refers to herself in the third person here, relay the findings on the radiology report were similar to Dr. Swenson's initial findings." She says she was out of the office the next two days but that she received a text at home stating the dog had stopped by again and was sent to VSCOT. She also says that she spoke with the complainant after the dog died but told him a necropsy wouldn't be useful because VSCOT had frozen rather than refrigerated the body (this seems to happen a lot).
The Investigative Committee said the main complaint was that Swenson's office didn't get back to them in a timely manner. They said it was reasonable to assume a tear at the time the dog was brought in; they note "it would be hard to determine if there was an underlying issue." They also said you can't blame Swenson for the staff not getting back to the complainants (you'd think you could blame the responsible veterinarian for the premises, assuming that wasn't Swenson in this case), but that the premises has made changes to keep this from ever happening again. They conclude by stating that it's possible the dog had a reaction to the carprofen (which, again, was prescribed by none other than Swenson).
| Source: | July 7, 2021 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Elsa Swenson | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Steve Seiler | Absent |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | August 8, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| 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 |
| Source: | August 8, 2021 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Jane Soloman |
| Result: | Failed (no second) |
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.