Family Claims Dog Died After Surgery at Unlicensed Nashville Clinic

Wunjo, a 10-year-old Husky mix, was scheduled for surgery on September 8 at Caudle Veterinary Clinic to address a fast-growing fatty tissue bump, or lipoma. His owner, Nicole Maxwell, described Wunjo as a cherished member of the family who had been rescued from a shelter.

After the surgery, the clinic informed the family that it went well and offered to keep Wunjo overnight due to post-surgical drainage, but they stated no staff would be present to monitor him. The family chose to take him home. Maxwell recounted that Wunjo appeared limp and unresponsive upon his return.

"When I got home from work, he was still asleep or under the effects of anesthesia. Wunjo never recovered. He was at home on his dog bed just the same exact position he was carried in from his surgery. He was breathing and then he wasn't," she said.

The family later discovered that the individual who treated Wunjo, Prashant Pandya, is not licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Tennessee. Maxwell noted that all their interactions were with the younger Pandya at the clinic, where both a father and son work.

Maxwell expressed her emotional distress over the situation and called for the clinic's immediate closure. "It's very emotional, extremely emotional. I think the clinic needs to be shut down immediately. That's what is right," she stated.

When contacted, a representative at the clinic forwarded inquiries to Pandya, who refused to comment on the matter.

Maxwell added, "We want to bring awareness to this because it's not legal to operate without a license." The Tennessee Department of Health has stated that it cannot comment on complaints or investigations until formal charges are filed.

Reflecting on her loss, Maxwell questioned how someone could engage in such deceptive practices, saying, "How can a person with a soul be so deceptive? Just blatantly deceptive, I just don't understand that."