| Complaint: | Complaint 22-46 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Carie Bikson |
| Premises: | Banfield Paradise Valley 0131 |
| Related: | 22-131, 22-132 |
The complainant relates that she took her dog to Banfield to treat an ear infection. A "one-and-done" shot treatment was requested and provided. Te dog later became very ill; Bikson diagnosed the dog with a ruptured eardrum. Six months later the dog went in for an exam and teeth cleaning performed by Bikson; they were advised the dog would be groggy but the dog became very sick. They went back to the Banfield and were sent home with only anti-nausea medication and no evaluation. At another visit to the Banfield the dog presented with jaundice and was diagnosed with acute liver trauma, yet apparently no treatment was provided to the dog during the day. The dog was susequently taken to an emergency hospital on the complainant's own initative where he spent two nights in the ICU. The complainant states many concerns with the treatment of the dog as well as overbooking of the facility.
Bikson states that there is no reason to believe the sedation medication caused any problem with the dog; she also states that the dog's vitals were normal during the dental cleaning. She also states that she did not treat the dog for the initial ear infection, only the follow-up visit when the eardum had burst. Much of the remainder of the response is copied directly from the medical notes. She also reiterates that there was no reason to conclude the dog's liver problems were a result of the sedation for the dental, and that many of the other problems the complainant has actually occurred with other veterinarians.
The Investigative Committee stated that they had no concerns with Bikson but did have concerns with Munhall and Duthrie, two other Banfield veterinarians. They also had concerns with Banfield's medical records for the dog, also noting that Banfield tends to schedule vaccination and dental cleanings but lacks time slots for sick patients. They stated that it's a "systemic issue and a repeated problem" with the organization as a whole. Bikson, despite being the responsible veterinarian for the premises, wasn't cited for any of it. The board had somewhat other ideas and sent her a letter of concern. They also opened up an investigation into Munhall and Duthrie.
(It's curious they went after Banfield at all considering that in many other situations, clinics get a pass for being overbooked or overworked, including sometimes Banfield itself. One wonders if there's at least some antipathy in the veterinary-owner community toward Banfield as strip-mall competition to locally-sourced owner-operators.)
| Source: | April 4, 2022 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Carie Bikson | Respondent |
| T. Scott King | Respondent Attorney |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Gregg Maura | Aye |
| Justin McCormick | Aye |
| Steven Dow | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | April 4, 2022 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Carie Bikson | Respondent |
| T. Scott King | Respondent Attorney |
| Roll Call: | |
| Adam Almaraz | Aye |
| Amrit Rai | Aye |
| Gregg Maura | Aye |
| Justin McCormick | Aye |
| Steven Dow | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | May 5, 2022 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| T Scott King | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Melissa Thompson |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Craig Nausley | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Absent |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| Jane Soloman | Aye |
| Jessica Creager | Aye |
| Jim Loughead | Aye |
| Melissa Thompson | Aye |
| Nikki Frost | Aye |
| Robyn Jaynes | Aye |
| Result: | Passed |
| Source: | May 5, 2022 Board Meeting |
|---|---|
| Proposed By: | Melissa Thompson |
| Seconded By: | Jane Soloman |
| Roll Call: | |
| Craig Nausley | Aye |
| Darren Wright | Absent |
| J Greg Byrne | Aye |
| 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.