| Complaint: | Complaint 22-06 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Monica Runge |
| Premises: | Bradshaw Mountain Animal Hospital |
| Related: | 22-07 |
The complainants stated that they brought their dog in for bad breath; the dog had a dental over a year ago out of state. While the dog was at the clinic getting an estimate on the dental from Runge, they also asked her to look at a growth on the left side of the dog's chest. Runge allegedly looked at it and also recommended removing it during the dental procedure. The complainants agreed but were surprised at the price compared to other veterinarians for their rescue dogs in the past.
The dog went in for the dental and tumor removal with the tumor being marked with an X and Walker as the veterinarian. When the dog was discharged no teeth had been pulled and the tumor was still there, though another tumor they had never heard of was removed instead. The complainants had significant difficulties in contacting Walker, who did not return their call; a woman at the vet clinic told them that he removed a different tumor they had found, and that the doctor said the other tumor should be removed in a separate surgery instead. Concerns are mentioned that, in effect, the clinic is running a scam. They end by stating that they never did hear from Walker and while they don't want any compensation, they would like the clinic to pay for them to see a better veterinarian.
Runge's response begins by stating that she examined the dog, recommended the dental, discovered a heart murmur (x-rays were declined), and states that she actually identified more than one mass on exam that day. She states that she clearly noted which mass was to be removed, yet there was confusion on the day Walker did the surgery because the complainants incorrectly marked the mass on the surgery intake form. Runge ends by offering up a list of could-haves suitable for a student attempting to impress a teacher, stating how she regrets not doing a full tumor map of "every single mass" or offering a follow-up visit specifically to scope out masses and recommend a fine needle aspirate of all the bumps. (How any of that would have had anything to do with the wrong mass getting chopped off in surgery is anyone's guess.)
The Investigative Committee found no violations and said the mass to be removed was clearly documented in Runge's notes.
| Source: | January 1, 2022 AM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Monica Runge | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Robert Kritsberg | Aye |
| Christina Tran | Aye |
| Carolyn Ratajack | Aye |
| Jarrod Butler | Aye |
| Steven Seiler | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | February 2, 2022 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jessica Creager |
| Roll Call: | |
| Craig Nausley | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Absent |
| J Greg Byrne | Absent |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Melissa Thompson | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | 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.