| Complaint: | Complaint 22-82 |
|---|---|
| Respondent: | Jess Darmofal |
| Premises: | 43rd Avenue Animal Hospital |
| Related: | 22-56, 22-81 |
This complaint follows from 22-81 and relates to Darmofal's involvement. The same three pages are missing from this complaint as in 22-81, so perhaps for some reason they're not considered part of the public record (unusual).
Darmofal's response is written as a timeline. Much of the initial information is similar to that from Striyle's response in 22-81. We're told that when Darmofal began seeing the dog for mobility issues she was concerned for a neurological cause, stating that she felt the dog's stage B2 heart disease and liver disease put the dog at higher risk with additional workup. She says that she mentioned the financial and physical challenges of doing further neurology workup, whereas the complainant (a doctor) seemed more concerned about the dog's age and the possibility of a good outcome. She listed a variety of differential diagnoses at which point he said that he would pursue palliative care.
The dog came back a few months later with a sudden onset of pain and lameness in the front legs; she could no longer walk and it was difficult to obtain x-rays because of the dog's condition and poor previous reaction to sedation. She diagnosed a fracture of the humerus, stating that without any known trauma it was likely a pathologic fracture (caused by an underlying disease process). Apparently she said that she had concerns such a fracture couldn't be repaired and recommended euthanasia; the complainant asked for a second opinion and VetMed was recommended to stabilize and hospitalize the dog.The Investigative Committee said they didn't see a cover-up or any issues with the care of the dog. They also note she offered euthanasia.
| Source: | April 4, 2022 PM Investigative Committee Meeting |
|---|---|
| People: | |
| Jess Darmofal | Respondent |
| David Stoll | 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: | |
| David Stoll | Respondent Attorney |
| Proposed By: | Robyn Jaynes |
| Seconded By: | Jessica Creager |
| 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.