| Complaint: | Complaint 22-134 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Linnae Warlick |
| Premises: | Aspen Veterinary Clinic |
The complainant relates that her horse became sick and could barely walk due to severe swelling in his left leg. She called Aspen Vet as she'd been a customer for 10 years. Warlick said to bring him in that afternoon, but as the complainant was unsure the horse would be mobile by then, Warlick finally agreed to have the horse brought on site early. The complainant pointed out an open wound that appeared to be infected but says Warlick diagnosed the horse with cellulitis.
Warlick said the horse was much better the next day so the complainant brought the horse home. By the following morning, however, the horse was swelling and in severe pain. She called the clinic but it was Warlick's day off; a tech said that someone would be in touch, but nobody ever got back to her despite another follow up attempt. An equine vet (Bleak) an hour away was willing to see the horse, diagnosed Pigeon Fever, and suggested Epsom salts and compresses. She continued in touch with Bleak through the weekend and they agreed the horse needed to be hospitalized. The horse ended up at Chaparral for 19 days and was on antibiotics for six months.
The complainant goes on to say that when a shipment of antibiotic failed to arrive from Kentucky, she turned to Warlick to fill the prescription. She picked it up and received a call from Warlick the next day that the wrong dosage had been dispensed; it should have been 35 mL rather than 3.5 mL. At this point the complainant had reached a breaking point and called up Warlick; Warlick allegedly said that the complainant had turned down her recommendations for the horse and her lack of follow-up was a "miscommunication." When the complainant asked for a refund on the incorrectly-dosed medication, she received a call telling her that she was no longer welcome at the clinic.
Warlick's response covers the same topics. The initial difficulty in getting the horse in is mentioned in both accounts, along with the last-minute attempt to get him in that afternoon. The accounts differ as Warlick says she offered a variety of diagnostics that were declined, also stating that she only reluctantly let the horse go home rather than remain hospitalized. We're also told that the complainant failed to follow up about her subsequent call regarding the horse's deteriorating condition, didn't send the requested photos for evaluation by a vet, and didn't even bother to cancel her appointment. We're also told that Warlick couldn't take the medication back when the complainant asked for a refund as it's against policy (one would assume a refund could still be granted if it was dispensed incorrectly?). We're told that for many reasons, including the complainant's hostile behavior and failure to pay her bill, she was terminated as a client.
The Investigative Committee discussion tends to skip over the entire matter regarding the medication refund; they just say it was a miscommunication issue trying to follow another provider's instructions and they tried to correct it. They discuss that Pigeon Fever can develop quickly and that there are different schools of thought on how to best treat it. No violations were found.
| Source: | October 10, 2022 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Linnae Warlick | Respondent |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Gregg Maura | Aye |
| Justin McCormick | Aye |
| Steven Dow | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | November 11, 2022 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | J Greg Byrne |
| Seconded By: | Jim Loughead |
| Roll Call: | |
| Craig Nausley | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Aye |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Melissa Thompson | Absent |
| 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.