The NC Veterinary Medical Boards slogan says “Protecting the People and Animals of North Carolina“. In my opinion and others, it should read:
Protecting the Vets, Not our Pets
After my experience with this board, I believe that is a more accurate statement.
The AVMA says, “A veterinarian shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and report veterinarians who are deficient in character or competence to the appropriate entities.”
Things I discovered about the NC Veterinary Medical Board after filing a complaint:
- A veterinarian can be dishonest to them and say anything they want in a response, and even if it is later proven to be incorrect by their own words in writing, this board takes no action. They clearly do not follow ethical principles either. They try to give the impression that they do, but they ignore the general NC statutes and their own board rules that they are supposed to enforce. Despite knowing the facts, their inaction speaks volumes.
- They will send everything you send them in a complaint directly to the veterinarian you are filing a complaint against BEFORE they are sent the medical records, giving them time to amend anything relating to your complaint if they wish. In my case, the board only received a quarter of the medical records, and some information was missing. They didn’t seem to mind.
- When the veterinarian responds to your complaint, you may NOT be sent everything that the veterinarian sends to the board, only what the board wants you to see. I had to request additional information, which was then sent to me. Where are the morals on this board? There do not appear to be any.
- Your complaint goes to a committee, apparently made up of 3 board members.
- This committee is supposed to investigate the complaint and render a decision based on their rules.
- Almost every member of the board is a veterinarian. Is there any surprise there?
- It is unclear whether that committee or the board receives the entire complaint response or if a board employee or director only sends them a summary of the information they want them to see.
- The only investigation appeared to be reading the responses and then writing a dismissal letter to back up the veterinarian’s response while ignoring all facts, demonstrating their disregard for their own rules. I’m sure they would care if it were their own pet.
- The executive director received his degree from Ohio State. Surprisingly, this veterinarian did as well. Prior to being presented to the board, all complaints are directed to his office. The other complaint was also dismissed. One of the board meetings demonstrated the board’s pride in interacting with other students who attended the same college as one of them. Is there a potential conflict of interest here?
- Dr. William Dean, DVM, a member of the board, has faced at least two complaints and disciplinary action. Wasn’t he supposed to be replaced this year right after the last complaint was filed? He was one of the three members who dismissed my case without even conducting a thorough investigation, writing only four small paragraphs about the entire investigation, or lack thereof. Then you quote the deceptions from the veterinarian in your own letter, written in her own words? What a disgrace. Do you think it’s fair that someone with multiple complaints is presiding over your case?
- Did you interview the other nurses in the room who she claimed were present during Kenobe’s surgery? No. Did you interview the other doctors she claimed she spoke with that day? No. Did you conduct any kind of investigation? I’m assuming all you did was read a letter.
Who is the board really protecting?
No veterinarians appear to be concerned about disciplinary actions by this board. Based on my own experience, it’s easy to see why. This board is supposed to enforce general state statutes in addition to their own board rules, but they are completely self-regulated, and no one holds them accountable if they do not follow the law, just as they do not hold veterinarians accountable for their actions. Apparently, they believe this board is looking out for them. In my case, it has been proven in writing by the board members, this investigating committee, and the veterinarian. That is not only my opinion but also the opinion of others who have dealt with this board.
Even if it is determined that there was “actual discipline” as they call it, and the veterinarian does not agree, they can appeal the decision, but the public cannot. Another example of who this board truly protects.
The following are rules that the NCVMB is SUPPOSED to enforce:
NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES (Applying to my case that this board ignored – Complete List Here) Chapter 90, Article 11
- G.S. 90-187.8. Discipline of licensees.
- (1) The degree and extent of harm to the public health or to the health of the animal under the licensee’s care.
- (3) Whether the violation was committed willfully or intentionally or reflects a continuing pattern.
- (4) Whether the violation involved elements of fraud or deception either to the client or to the Board, or both.
(c) Grounds for disciplinary action shall include but not be limited to the following:
- (6) Incompetence, gross negligence, or other malpractice in the practice of veterinary medicine.
- (19) Acts or behavior constituting fraud, dishonesty, or misrepresentation in dealing with the Board or in the veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
Board Rule 21 NCAC 66 .0205 DISCIPLINE OF LICENSEES; PERMITTEES; REGISTRANTS: MANDATORY STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
Grounds for disciplinary action shall include those as stated in G.S. 90-187.8, in addition to (but not limited to), the following:
(1) making untrue and deceitful statements in any application or representation to the Board, or in any professional relationship, or in a veterinarian-client-patient relationship as that relationship is defined in G.S. 90-181(7a);
(4) defrauding or willfully misleading the Board or any person with whom he or she has a professional association, or has a veterinarian-client-patient relationship as defined in G.S. 90-181(7a), or to whom the person holding the license renders or offers to render professional services to the extent allowed under the license;
Why did Special Committee #8 (Dr. Susan Bull, DVM, Dr. Allen Cannedy, DVM, and Dr. William Dean, DVM) disregard every false and deceptive statement made by this veterinarian, both verbally and in writing, that violated the above rules? This demonstrates your unwavering commitment to defending an unethical veterinarian at any cost, rather than protecting the public and animals.
According to the AVMA, the best policy is complete honesty. Perhaps this board and this veterinarian should read the AVMA Ethics Guidelines because if they actually followed them instead of just trying to say they do, there would be far fewer incidents. When a veterinarian is dishonest with a client, it only makes the situation worse. Even worse is when they are dishonest with a medical board that is supposed to regulate them and protect the public from this happening and the board does nothing. They lose credibility. Not just to the general public, but to the veterinarians they are supposed to regulate. Apparently, no one is worried at all about this board disciplining them. That tells you exactly what they think of them, no concerns.
Most veterinarians appear to be good and caring for animals, at least until something happens, at which point things can quickly change. Unfortunately, many people have discovered this the hard way. I’ve spoken with a few people who have been open and honest. One veterinarian even advised me to file a complaint. They could see there was a problem. However, they told me it would probably get dismissed because most are (even they know the board is looking out for them), but to file it anyway. Occasionally they do a slap on the wrist with a letter of caution, but that really does nothing. Even a reprimand does not do anything. There is no discipline; all that exists is a letter. On occasion, there is a very small fine, but very rarely, and that would usually be for repeat offenders, nothing to even make them think about doing whatever they did again.
If a veterinarian has multiple complaints filed against them and they are dismissed, as in my case, the public may never know. But the board knows, they just choose not to share all complaints. If they did, it would probably protect a lot of animals because repeat offenders would think twice about it if the public knew. Isn’t that what they claim they do? So who is the board really protecting? If the board did their job when a complaint was filed last year, my boy may still be here because I checked for complaints, I only found out there were others after the fact, and the board did nothing about the other one either. How much do you want to bet that it was also valid? How many deaths have to happen before this board even slaps someone on the wrist?
Best Friends
Bottom line:
Pet owners, exercise caution. Too many pets are lost as a result of negligence, and many pet owners are not even told what really happened. I’m still waiting to find out the truth. Most veterinarians are honest, but keep this in mind. According to the DVM360 website, Most lawyers and insurers will tell veterinarians to never admit that they made a mistake. That is unethical and simply wrong. However, ethics appear to be only spoken words. The AVMA’s position is exactly the opposite: always tell the truth. Why does the NCDVM not enforce this?
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a veterinarian’s negligence, malpractice, or being misled or lied to, Formally file a complaint. You have three years from the date it happened. First, get a copy of your pet’s medical records from that veterinarian as soon as possible, and gather as much information as you can. If you file a complaint using the portal link above, attach a pdf or formatted copy of it as well as any additional information you have. Their online form will reformat your complaint without any spacing, making everything jumbled and difficult to read. How convenient. You should be aware that your complaint will most likely be dismissed, no matter how valid it is. But go ahead and do it. Every now and then someone gets that slap on the wrist because it would not look good if 100 percent of the cases were dismissed. A letter of caution or reprimand is not considered discipline by most people because it does nothing. How many people have actually received real discipline for their bad behavior under this board?
As for the good and honest veterinarians, I wish there were more of you. We all do. I met one with 30 years of experience who told me that in their entire career, they had only lost one patient due to an anesthesia reaction. To this day, they can still remember that patient’s name and the pet. They still feel bad about that one incident and said one is too many. That is a caring veterinarian that loves animals if you ask me. Do you believe those who cause so many deaths in a year are as caring and genuine as you believe? I do not. Is this becoming standard practice? I would hate to see this industry 10 years from now if so. Other veterinarians have expressed similar concerns as well. This board appears to be creating the environment for this to happen due to their lack of action.
Maybe one day this industry will get its act together and the good vets will stand up to the bad ones.
The Veterinary industry was once one of the most respected professions, ranking third only to nurses and pharmacists. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case due to unethical veterinarians and ineffective boards like the NCVMB. Being truthful does not imply twisting the truth to make yourself look better; rather, it means telling the whole truth. This is difficult for some people, and in the end, it only makes matters worse. I want to know the truth. You have no idea how much pain you cause pet parents when you lie to cover up the truth, especially after you have caused the death of their pet.
Everything I’ve said so far is based on my own experience and that of others I’ve spoken with. If you wish to clarify or make corrections, email us. After my experience with this medical board, I’m left wondering who actually investigates complaints and how much is actually done. As I discovered, it is not a fair process for the public.
I hope you find a good veterinarian who genuinely cares about you and your companion. They are out there, but be cautious. Most reviews are based on general visits. Everyone should be able to administer a vaccine, perform a wellness check, and try to impress you with their social skills. However, if something does not go as planned, they can turn on you in an instant and, in many cases, will not tell you the truth, as I discovered. Sort by negative reviews first, and then contact those negative reviews if possible. You might be surprised by what you find. Many people have seen what happens when something goes wrong and how you as a pet parent are treated. The NCVMB is no different; they couldn’t care less if you lost your pet and the veterinarian lied, as I discovered. If you have a bad experience, share it with others. And Kenobe, I will always love you. This board may not care, but I do. Cat Dad.
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