BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A Bakersfield woman is claiming that local veterinarian Mukand Sandhu, who owns and works at 4 Paws Pet Hospital in Southwest Bakersfield, is the reason her dog Adonis had to be euthanized on Tuesday night.
According to Yolanda Rodriguez, Sandhu administered two injections in her dog's leg that later caused him to experience seizures and ultimately have to be put down days later.
23ABC News obtained records from the California Veterinarian Medical Board that shows Sandhu has been under fire before for similar allegations surrounding another dog and was placed on probation in March of 2017.
Rodriguez, who is also a local cancer survivor, claims that on December 20th she took her dog Adonis to be seen by Sandhu because her dog was coughing. She said that Sandhu told her that her Adonis had a cough. Shortly after Rodriguez said Sandhu administered two injections into Adonis's hind right leg.
"There were instant lumps on his hip bone where he injected the medication into. They assured me that the bumps would both go down. Unfortunately, the antibiotic did not go down and it left a huge lump so I took him back January 2," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said Sandhu also sent her home with antibiotics that were too strong for her Adonis and she quit giving it to him within 36 hours. She said her dog also started limping and eventually couldn't stand on his own.
"As a result of that, he fell and hit his head on the wall and busted his lip," Rodriguez said.
According to Rodriguez, she took Adonis back to 4 Paws Pet Hospital on January 2nd where documentation shows she was told: "After Adonis had been given Baytril injection to the right hind leg, possibility of allergic reaction or injection site sarcoma. No more Baytril injections to be given to patient due to possibility of allergic reaction."
Rodriguez said during her second visit she was given pain meds for her dog and another set of antibiotic pills for the injection site sarcoma and her dog started experiencing seizures.
"I called 4 Paws back and they wanted me to pay almost $500 to put him asleep. This is my baby. This is my emotional support dog I have had for five years. I don't know what to do."
Rodriguez said she eventually went to the Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital Tuesday where she had to put Adonis to sleep.
"Adonis was my everything. I have had a strong health history. I've had cancer, went through chemo. I had a major hysterectomy. I've had a microvascular decompression done three months ago on my brain and he was what I came home to. He welcomed me every time I got there and he knew I was sick and he always took care of me and now he is gone. I had to put him to sleep because the seizures were too bad. I'm so hurt I don't know what to do."
According to state documents, after the initial claim was filed and found to be substantiated by investigators, Sandhu was suspended from practicing on any animals at the 4 Paws Animal Hospital for fourteen days. Documents also show he was not permitted to be on-site for seven days and he had to post the suspension notice on the business for seven days.
State officials told 23ABC News that among many other limitations spelled out by the board Sandhu was required to provide quarterly reports, interviews, cooperate with probation surveillance and had to be supervised while practicing for a duration of time.
State documents show that the board is now asking the court to revoke the probation that was initially granted by the Veterinary Medical Board in his case back in 2017 and the board is asking the court to suspend Samdhu's veterinarian and business premise license altogether.
The board is also asking the court to make Sandhu pay a fine of up to $5,000 and they are asking for him to be held accountable for the investigation and enforcement costs associated with his previous case. State officials are also asking the court to take further disciplinary action as deemed necessary and proper.
State documents show Sandhu failed to comply with the supervised practice requirements, failed to record the anesthesia records and anesthesia recovery records, failed to timely submit the quarterly reports and interviews, failed to pay probation monitoring costs, failed to notify employees about offenses for which he was disciplined for along with several other issues spelled out in the document below:
Cancer survivor claims Veterinarian on probation is responsible for the death of emotional support animal by Anthony Wright on Scribd
23ABC News reached out to Samduh and he said he had no comment on the matter.
If you have experienced something similar you can call (916) 515-5220 to file a claim with the California Veterinarian Medical Board click here.
