This is yet another botched spay case.
In July of 2003 The Connecticut Veterinary Board issued Findings of Fact in a complaint against veterinarian Stephen Tobin.
In 2001, Tobin performed a spay on "H.S.", a West Highland White Terrier. The Board Findings of Fact state:
" . . . [Tobin] failed to secure the uterine stump with the necessary two ligatures. The only ligature that was used became loose shortly after the surgery. H.S. lost a significant amount of blood through the uterine stump and the pedical that was left after the mass was removed."
When Tobin released H.S. to her owner, she was "unresponsive." 15 to 20 minutes after arriving home, she stopped breathing, and was oozing blood through the incision. Her owner rushed her to another vets, but she was dead on arrival, her death attributed to abdominal bleeding.
The Board found that Tobin's conduct was "negligent, unskillful, and showed poor judgment."
The Board fined Tobin $1,000 and put his license on a 2-year probation, requiring himn to attend classes in anesthesia and surgery.
Links:
http://www.dir.ct.gov/dph/hcquality/Physician/047-VETERINARIAN/047-001935/20010919047027.pdf
