Veterinary technician reprimanded

Shelton woman barred from surgeries after complaints

JIM CARLILE, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Saturday, March 30, 2002

SHELTON -- A veterinary technician has been reprimanded for performing surgery on animals brought to the Shelton clinic where she works.

The Washington State Veterinary Board and the state Department of Health have taken immediate action to limit the registration of technician Jeananne Gallent.

The action means Gallent must immediately stop performing the unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine, specifically surgery and assisting in any surgical procedures.

"We also have a pending complaint against the veterinarian, but no action has been taken so far," said Karen Kelley, the veterinary program manager for the Department of Health.

Gallent is employed by the Shelton Veterinary Hospital, according to Sharon Gelderman of Lacey, who brought the situation to the attention of the health department.

Surgical procedures

The technician was reportedly spaying, neutering and declawing cats and not documenting treatment, Kelley said.

The Shelton Veterinary Hospital did not return calls Friday.

Calls to Gallent's Shelton home also were not returned.

"We received a complaint from a member of the public alleging that there was a technician doing surgery, so we opened up a complaint and sent an investigator out," Kelley said.

"In fact, she was performing surgery without a veterinarian present.

"She was performing outside her scope. Technicians don't receive training to do surgery," Kelley said.

"In the human world, this would be like a nurse doing surgery without a doctor being on the premises."

Gelderman said a friend brought a 5-month-old kitten to the clinic to be spayed, and it died during surgery.

When her friend asked what happened, the people working at the clinic said the senior technician was doing the surgery and the cat died, Gelderman said.

Letter of complaint

"I couldn't believe they would let that happen, and I got pretty angry," she said.

Gelderman, who has nine cats, said she and her husband wrote a letter of complaint to the health department, and an investigator got in touch with her shortly after.

Gelderman said she is not a customer of the Shelton Veterinary Hospital, but she felt compelled to do something about what she had heard.

"It makes me feel good that I've done something for these animals," she said.

Jim Carlile covers crime and public safety for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or jcarlile@olympia.gannett.com.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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