Tuesday, April 8, 2008

"Cooper" Died As a Result of Colorado Vet Amy Weeden's Failure to Monitor Him

In October, 2007, the Colorado Veterinary Board issued a letter of admonition to Amy Weeden, a vet practising at Denver, Colorado's Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital.

The Board stated that:

"On June 20, 2007, your patient Cooper Bails was not properly monitored while under anesthetic, which resulted in his unexpected demise."

" . . . the Board hereby admonishes you for violation of C.R.S. 12-64-111 (bb) since the veterinarian is responsible for the animal under his or her care."

So we have a dead pet -- likely a dead beloved pet. And the Board itself has said that the vet's failure to adequately monitor Cooper, or failure to ensure that Cooper was adequately monitored, RESULTED IN his death. I think in legal terms, that is called "CAUSALITY", i.e., the actions (or inactions) of the vet LED to the death of the animal.

However, all the vet board did was "admonish" her in a letter. No fine. No suspension. No requirement to take classes in anesthetic monitoring. NOTHING. JUST A LETTER.

Dead pet. Actions of vet RESULTED IN the pets demise. Yet, nothing but a letter.

So, why in the world would Colorado's vets be careful with their patients under anesthesia when screwups or oversights that actually RESULT IN the death of pets are met with nothing more serious than a letter?