Complaint to be filed against Frank Liguori, DVM. - Babylon Animal Hospital Veterinarian License # 005825

I first met Dr. Frank Liguori at Cherry Grove Fire Island. Over this past summer as I was playing ball with my 2 dogs, Dr. Liguori commented that my dogs were too fat and needed to lose weight. I told him Storm has been obsessed with food ever since he was prescribed Phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide for his epilepsy two years ago. He stated he could get the epilepsy under control with a more modern medication and put him on a raw diet to help him get the weight off.
11/29/2006 - I made an official appointment with Dr. Frank Liguori at Babylon Animal Hospital. Storm, my Weimeraner, had a seizure earlier that morning. He prescribed 2 tablets - 250 mg each tablet of Valproic Acid, 2 times per day.
12/4/2006 - I filled the prescription from Dr. Liguori (2 tablets of 250 mg Valproic Acid 2 times per day – (500 mg in the am, 500 mg in the pm) and began treatment.
12/18/06 - 2:55 am -Storm had a grand mal seizure and I left message to report the seizure to Dr. Liguori at 9am that morning. I was told he would return my call that day.
12/19/06 – Dr. Liguori returned my call and instructed me to increase the Valproic Acid to 3- 250 mg tablets – (750 mg in the am and 750 mg in the pm). He also instructed me to give this same dosage after each seizure.
12/25/2006 - 3:00 am and 9:05pm Storm has two Grand Mal Seizures in one day.
12/26/06 - I call to report the 2 seizures on 12/25/06 to Dr. Liguori. He advised me to increase the Valproic Acid again now to 4 tablets of 250mg each tablet to 2 times a day (1000 mgs 2 times per day)
12/27/06 – Storm began vomiting, had diarrhea, and was bleeding from his rectum. I called first thing in the morning to Babylon Animal Hospital and I was told that Dr. Frank Liguori would not be until noon. I scheduled an appointment for 12:30pm. I voiced my concern to the staff that Storm’s anti-seizure medication had not been digested because of the vomiting, and I again let them know that he had been vomiting and bleeding from the rectum for the past 15 hours. Dr. Jones advised me to bring him in if he continued to vomit so they could inject the anti-seizure medications.
12/27/06 12:30 Dr.Jones injected Storm with five medications: 1) Valium inj, 2) Sulfadimethoxine injectable 40%, 3) Centrine Injection, 4) Phenobarbital Injection, 5) Valproic Acid He also drew blood for 2 lab tests. When I tried to question the nature of the charges ($501.00), Babylon Animal Hospital’s office manager, Cindy, insisted Dr. Frank Liguori instructed her that he had no time to discuss the charges. I was never given an estimate of charges prior to administering any medication or treatment to my dog Storm. After the office manger realized I was not going to leave without the discussion she then credited back my Amex for the $501.00
12/28/2006 – I went back to my primary care Veterinarian- Massapequa Pet Vet – because of Storm’s deterioration under Dr. Liguori’s care. Dr. Stephanie Ulrich had no experience prescribing Valproic Acid, but let me know he had the side effects listed in her physician’s reference book. She had an x-ray taken and immediately called the critical care unit of Long Island Veterinarian Specialists (L.I.V.S.) of Plainview, NY. Both Dr. Ulrich and Dr. Barone- Neurologist from L.I.V.S. concurred over the phone that Storm’s liver and pancrease were in severe danger and he needed to get to the intensive care unit of L.I.V.S. hospital immediately.
12/28/06 - L.I.V.S. Storm is checked him into their ICU unit. Upon arrival I was advised that the next 48 hours Storm’s condition was going to be considered a “Code Blue”. I was told the levels of medications that were prescribed were toxic, and as a result, Storm’s liver was enlarged, he had pancreatitis, and it was uncertain whether other organs were affected or whether or not the damage would be permanent.
12/30/06 – Storm is released from the ICU unit of L.I.V.S. in guarded condition. (See “Discharge Instructions” and medication therapy attached)
1/12/07 - I took Storm to L.I.V.S. for a follow-up examination by both the Neurology department and Internal Medicine to check for progress in his recovery. I was advised that he should still be on a special prescription diet Hills WD 3-4 cans per day.
2/2/07 - I checked Storm into L.I.V.S. for a few hours for the bile test requested on 1/12/07.
2/5/07. I was notified by Dr. Guinan from L.I.V.S. that his liver functions looked good. He advised me to contact as necessary post seizure.

Charges incurred post Dr. Liguori’s treatment thus far:
12/27/06 Babylon Animal Hospital: $501.00 – credit after debate.
12/28/06 Massapequa Pet Vet: $387
12/28/06 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $975 (deposit for ICU)
12/28/06 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $600 (deposit towards care)
12/30/06 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $399 -aka Animal Emergency & Critical Care Center
12/30/06 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $459.06
12/31/06 CVS Pharmacy: $ 195.99 (10 days supply of new medication Keppra)
1/7/07 Suffolk Veterinary Specialists: $39.00 (for special Science Diet w/d food)
1/5/07 Canada Drugs.com $201.02 (30 day supply of Keppra)
1/12/07 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $272.90
1/30/07 Costco Pharmacy: $200.78 (for new medication in lieu of Keppra.)
2/2/07 06 Long Island Veterinary Specialists: $143.68

Babylon Animal Hospital, veterinarian, boarding, animal boarding, grooming, pet grooming, animal hospital, LIndenhurst, NY
http://babylonanimalhospital.com/home/

Beware of Frank Liguori - he is not to be trusted with your pet!

Storm is now out of ICU and critical condition. I have spent thus far a little over $3,000 which does not include the additional food and tests he will need this week - his follow up visit 1/12/07.

I am still trying to come to terms with this whole nightmare. Frank Liguori, DVM had increased the level of medication to extremly dangerous levels - to the pancrease and liver. Why would he not look into the obvious side effects? I had shared that Storm he had been vomitting/direahea and was bleeding from his rectum for over 15 hours. He wanted to charge me $501 for injections of medications/ blood test -yet he never took and exray or looked at the obvious signs Storm was demonstrating. Dr. Frank Ligouri's attitude from the onsight of that nightmare day 12/26/06 was arrogant and firey. Looks like back in March of 2004 he might have had his license suspended- see: http://www.op.nysed.gov/mar04.htm#ligu.

Please beware- updates will be listed as found and provided.