POCATELLO — Gil Guevara still gets emotional when he talks about losing his beloved dog, Noka, last week.
The 2-year-old pit bull cross died Friday at the Hawthorne Animal Clinic where she had undergone a simple spaying procedure.
Guevara believes negligence by the animal clinic caused his pet’s death.
Noka was checked into Hawthorne Animal Clinic Wednesday morning. Guevara took advantage of a $99 deal from the Bannock Humane Society to have the dog spayed and vaccinated for rabies – she was also pregnant at the time. Noka was spayed on Thursday.
Guevara, who works as a mechanic in American Falls, did not make it back to Pocatello in time to pick her up before the clinic closed Thursday, so Noka spent the night at the clinic. Sometime during the night the dog chewed her sutures out exposing her intestines.
A vet found her the next morning and surgery was performed to save her life.
Guevara said a cone should have been placed around the dog’s neck to keep her from licking or chewing the stitches.
But veterinarian Lonna Gurstner said the dog was not licking or scratching the wound following the surgery and the staff did not believe the device was necessary According to the veterinarian at 10 pm Thursday night, Noka’s incision was intact and she was calm.
“There was no indication that a cone or collar was needed,” Gurstner said.
Gurstner said in her 33 years as a vet, it was only the third time she had seen a case like Noka’s and it was the first time it had happened at the clinic.
“The other two times this happened, it happened after they took the dogs home,” she said.
Guevara’s partner, Roberta Ware, said Noka was prone to kennel anxiety, which most likely kicked in when she was left alone that night. Ware said they did not inform the staff at Hawthorne Animal Clinic about the condition.
Ware and Guevara have two other pit bull dogs, Chip, a 2-year-old male was rescued after he was found wandering in Fort Hall in the dead of winter, and Dream, a 1-year-old female they inherited from Ware’s son.
“I was going to take Dream in to be spayed as well, but now I’m not sure I want to,” Ware said.
When Guevara got Noka, she had been kenneled for most of her life.
“They fed her, but she didn’t get any exercise and rarely got out of the (dog run),” Guevara said. “I walked her and even built a kennel for my truck so I could take her and Chip with me.”
Dream and Noka had gotten into a fight the weekend before and Noka’s face was still healing from those minor wounds when she was admitted to Hawthorne.
Guevara said the clinic called him at his job Friday morning and told him about Noka’s condition. He immediately left work and headed to Pocatello to be with his dog — on the way, the clinic called back to say Noka had died.
But when he arrived at Hawthorne Animal Clinic, Guevara was told Noka was still alive.
“The vet said, ‘It’s like a miracle, she started breathing again,’” Guevara said.
He stayed with his pet for the next six hours. Noka died at about 2 p.m. Guevara and Ware brought the dog home and buried her in their front yard.
“(Guevara) took it really hard, it was like he lost his child,” Ware said. “I hear him crying in the morning.”
Guevara said he hopes telling his story will alert other pet owners about what could happen without the protective cone.
“I think it was negligence,” he said. “I think putting the cone on should be standard procedure,” he said.
Both Guevara and Ware said they have no intention of getting another dog.
Sharon Angle, a volunteer with the Bannock Humane Society, said the group has helped spay and neuter about 1,500 dogs and a majority of those procedures were done at Hawthorne Animal Clinic. Angle said she also takes her own pets to the clinic.
“They have sent my pets home without a cone and occasionally with (the cone),” Angle said.
(8) comments
Took my cat in to Hawthorne Animal Clinic on Monday for a spay, also through the Bannock Humane spay and neuter program. I chose this vet because they are very close to my home. When I came in to pick her up the next morning she had kitty litter and feces stuck in her fur and around her incision. They have you leave your pet overnight so they can be monitored after surgery, but she very clearly was not taken care of. They could have at least cleaned around her incision before they brought her out to us. I had an appointment for Thursday for my dog to get shots and have cancelled and moved to another vet. This place will never get my business again and I will tell everyone I know my experience.
The vet should have used a cone. The dog was left alone all night with no one checking. Common sense! I would be angry if that happened to my dog when I left her in their care and she is now dead and put the blame where it belongs. On the Hawthorne Animal Hospital.
I have been a customer of Hawthorne Animal Hospital for many years. I have the greatest respect for Dr. Gerstner and her staff. The have given our dogs great care and love. I would not take my dog anywhere else.
The staff at Hawthorne Animal Clinic are the most caring, helpful people that I have seen. Their love and concern for animals is obvious. They go above and beyond what would be expected at a vet's office. Dr. Oats has been taking care of our rescues for many years. including numerous surgeries. The care is always superb. Our oldest one is about 14 now and her liver is failing. It is thanks to Dr. Oats that our friends live long, happy lives. Her care and compassion for the older ones is unbelievable. I would never consider going any place else.
I have been taking my pets to hawthorne Animal clinic for nearly 30 years, and I have recommended them to everyone I know. I have never seen them show anything but kindness and concern for the pets in their care. Most of my family and friends also take their animals there as the Dr's come to American Falls daily, and I have never heard a bad word about the Dr's or the care they have provided. We feel blessed that we have these two wonderful people to look after our pets
Recently I took a stray cat my husband had been feeding and sheltering who was attacked and severely injured, (someone clubbed him in the face) I thought beyond saving, to be put down. Dr. Gurstner and Dr. Oats decided he could be saved and spend two weeks nursing him back to health. They could have decided to just put him down, but they care about the animals who come in and did everything they could to save him. You can see the concern and compassion these two women have for the animals they treat.
Happily that cat is now quite healthy and is enjoying his new life in the middle of my sofa being spoiled rotten.
My entire family have been clients of Hawthorne Animal Hospital since they opened their doors. I have NEVER known them to be negligent in any way. Their love of animals is apparent every time I have been in there or made a phone call asking for advice or help.
Dr. Gerstner has my deepest respect and admiration for not only what she does, but how she does it. Its not just an owners heart that breaks when an animal is lost, its her too, and I am speaking from experience.
I worked for the veterinarians for several years and I agree, a cone collar should have been on the dog. You never know when it quiets down and the dog is alone how they will react and especially while the dog is alone it should have a cone collar to prevent this. .So sorry. I use the Blackfoot animal health clinic
Unfortunately I am hearing more stories like this about Hawthorne. I used to go to Hawthorne Animal Hospital but quit after last month when, after both Dr. Gerstner and Dr. Oats refused my request to have my pregnant dog checked because the deemed it unnecessary, I lost the whole litter and ended up paying for an emergency C-section.
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