The original complaint against Dr. Sheridan contains the following allegations:

ANDE'S STORY

On August 4, 2000, Dr. Sheridan was to perform a routine tooth extraction on a straight-eared Scottish Fold cat named Ande.

Pamela Ruff, and Gina Pederson, who considered Ande a family member, owned Ande.

Prior to the procedure, other than needing the tooth extraction and having a healing corneal ulcer, Ande was in excellent health.

Despite having a working machine, Dr. Sheridan decided to use an anesthesia machine which had malfunctioned on the two previous occasions, causing incomplete anesthesia.

Due to the malfunctioning anesthesia machine, Ande did not fall completely asleep during the procedure.

During the procedure, Dr. Sheridan began to become rough with Ande, and he began bearing down on Ande’s body.

In the presence of veterinary assistant Toni Zotto, without warning, in a forceful manner, Dr. Sheridan slammed Ande’s head down on the stainless steel surgery table.

After slamming Ande’s head, Dr. Sheridan began to intubate Ande, and, while doing so, using excessive force, he yanked Ande’s tongue.

Dr. Sheridan could not intubate Ande, and he then again slammed Ande’s head down on the stainless steel surgery table.

Because Dr. Sheridan was unable to intubate Ande, he masked Ande with the anesthesia machine to perform an ear crop on a dog.

The malfunctioning anesthesia machine was potentially lethal to Ande, because its output of anesthesia was irregular and Ande was not being monitored.

Veterinary assistant Toni Zotto tried to go to Ande, but Dr. Sheridan said, “Leave him alone, I want him down!”

After some time, Dr. Sheridan allowed Toni zotto to check on Ande.

Toni Zotto removed Ande’s mask. When she opened Ande’s mouth, his lower canine tooth was pierced through his tongue. Toni Zotto detached Ande’s tongue from his tooth and successfully intubated him.

Dr. Sheridan then ordered Toni Zotto to connect Ande to the anesthesia machine.

Dr. Sheridan had cranked the anesthesia machine to its highest setting. He ordered Toni not to change the setting and, instead of watching Ande, to assist him with the ear crop on the dog, leaving Ande unmonitored.

After some time, Dr. Sheridan finally allowed Toni Zotto to check on Ande, and she discovered that Ande was dead.

Dr. Sheridan came over to Ande and unsuccessfully tried to revive him, but only for a minute.

Dr. Sheridan told Toni that Ande’s owners would be told that Ande had choked on mucus during recover, placing Toni in a distressing situation with regard to Ande’s owners so that Dr. Sheridan could avoid consequences for his actions.

Over the telephone, Dr. Sheridan’s girlfriend and employee, Ara Arrington, told Ande’s owner, Pamela Ruff, that the procedure was completed and that Ande could be picked up at 3:00 pm.

Over the telephone, Dr. Sheridan told Gina Pederson that Ande was anesthetized, and he was ready to begin surgery. Dr. Sheridan told Gina Pederson that he had discovered a healing ulcer on Ande’s eye, and asked what he should do about it.

Gina Pederson told Dr. Sheridan that it was being treated by another veterinarian, and Dr. Sheridan slammed down the telephone.

Over the telephone, Dr. Sheridan lied to Pam Ruff that the procedure had been completed, that Ande was recovering on the floor when he noticed that he was not breathing, and that Dr. Sheridan administered CPR for 20 to 30 minutes to try to revive Ande.

After learning that Ande was dead, Pam Ruff left work and went to Dr. Sheridan’s office, where Dr. Sheridan, in discussing Ande’s death, told her, “It was just one of those things. It sure put a damper on the day.”

Prior to Ande’s operation, Dr. Sheridan had accepted payment to perform the dental procedure, and Dr. Sheridan’s assistant/ girlfriend, Ara Arrington, had confirmed that during the procedure, Ande would be monitored with EKG and pulse oximetry; however, Dr. Sheridan never completed the dental procedure, never used EKG monitoring, and never used pulse oximetry monitoring.

Dr. Sheridan quickly offered to bury Ande’s body at the Folly Road Animal Hospital; however, Pam Ruff received a call from Charleston County Animal Control asking her to preserve the body for a necropsy, and she immediately recovered the body.

Robert Carlson, DVM performed a necropsy the next day, which showed lacerations to Ande’s liver, pooled blood in Ande’s abdomen, and a puncture through his tongue.

A second necropsy confirmed the lacerations to Ande’s liver. Despite Pam Ruff and Gina Pederson’s requests, after the second necropsy, Ande’s body was not returned.

SPCA Report for Ande the Cat