Sometimes distressed pet owners can take out their frustrations on their attending Veterinarian. Such was the case with a DVM client of S&A who could not properly diagnose the illness of a canine patient because the pet owner was concerned about the cost of testing and treatment. Unable to do the lab work needed for the patient, our DVM client was unable to diagnose the dog with end stage kidney disease, and incapable of prescribing the correct course of treatment. When the dog passed away a few days later, the angry pet owner filed a complaint with the Veterinary Medical Board, arguing that our client failed to properly treat the dog.
This DVM reached out to Simas & Associates, Ltd., and provided us with a copy of the initial letter of inquiry from the Board. We worked with our client to assemble the requested records, obtain statements from persons involved with the care of the dog, and mount a convincing defense of our client. After months of considering the evidence we provided, the Board elected to close their investigation, officially stating “there was no evidence to indicate that a violation of the California Veterinary Practice Act occurred”. This was the best possible outcome in this case, and we are glad to have achieved it.