A former Lowell veterinarian who lost his license in 2015 for negligence, incompetence and “lack of good moral character’’ has lost a bid to have it reinstated.
Bruce Phillip Langlois ran the Animal Hospital of Lowell and a mobile business called Spay Neuter Express.
A panel of the Michigan Board of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 revoked his license and fined Langlois $25,000 for myriad problems ranging from poor record keeping to inadequate follow-up care.
Langlois took his case to the Michigan Court of Appeals, saying his license revocation was not supported by “competent, material and substantial evidence.’’
In a three-page ruling released Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Appeals Court disagreed. It upheld the revocation and a $25,000 fine.
“With regard to inadequate recordkeeping in general, there was adequate evidence (Langlois) kept inadequate records,’’ justices wrote.
In a 17-page administrative complaint, the state accused Langlois of negligence, incompetence, lack of good moral character, failure to maintain medical records and failure to arrange for emergency coverage or provide follow-up evaluation on animals he treated.
At a hearing before a panel of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Langlois testified that he ran a full-service animal clinic and two mobile clinics called the ‘Spay Neuter Express,’ which Langlois described as “a complete hospital on wheels.’’
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The mobile clinics offered low-cost spays, neuters, vaccinations and parasite control. “We’ve got everything, basically, that we have in our brick-and-mortar clinic,’’ he said, adding that he does “at least a thousand surgeries a month,’’ according to court records.
The state said Langlois provided substandard care to multiple animals. Witnesses at the earlier hearing including veterinarian Suzanne Laskaska, who testified that the owner of a dog named Pepper was unable to reach Langlois with follow-up issues after Langlois performed surgery on the dog in early 2012, court records show.
The dog developed a 'targerine-sized knot' under the incision made by Langlois. Laskaska said the knot was indicative of a blood clot, which eventually burst, leading to "extensive and costly treatment.''
Langlois "failed to adequately document the care and treatment provided to Pepper,'' the state said, noting that the spaying procedure was performed, despite Pepper having a "deep-seated bacterial skin infection.''
Another veterinarian, Joseph Kline, testified that a veterinarian who initiates care is responsible for that care.
“No exception to that,'' Kline testified. "You don’t have to pick up new care from them. You don’t have to do additional work for them. But if you’ve initiated something; you’re responsible for that. No exception.’’
Langlois had his license suspended in Feb. 1996 after he was convicted the previous year in Kent County Circuit Court for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. He also has a 1988 conviction for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Kent County and is on Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry, state records show.
He came under scrutiny in Oct. 2008 for failing to maintain proper records of animal treatments, failing to maintain proper records on controlled substance usage and failing to adequately sterilize surgical equipment.
Three years later, Langlois was accused of using a non-FDA approved solution to arouse animals after surgery and performing multiple spays and neuters of animals without changing gloves or washing hands between procedures. He was also accused of failing to diagnose kidney failure of a dog, resulting in the animal being euthanized.
Langlois, 57, received his veterinary license in Aug. 1985.
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