Report shows euthanasia drugs found in dog that died at Edmond kennel

A Guthrie woman whose dog died at an Edmond kennel has released the results of an autopsy.

Lindsey Walton wanted to find out why her dog Sawyer had suddenly died and had the examination done at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at OSU in Stillwater.

“I was shocked,” Walton said when she received the final report.

According to the autopsy report, toxicology tests at an outside lab found pentobarbital in Sawyer's liver, a drug commonly used in euthanasia. “Pentobarbital is euthanasia, and he was not euthanized,” she said.

However, the report also showed that the test was repeated on the same sample at a second lab and the drug was not detected. “The veterinarian who did this told me that pentobarbital is a very strong compound, so if it was detected, it was there, we just don't know why it was there,” Walton said.

The report noted that contamination at the first lab cannot be ruled out. “I really don't know because I can't say for sure that it was administered to him there, but he was dead when he got to Blue Pearl and OSU talked to them at length to make sure it wasn't administered there, and it wasn't,” she said.

The report also shows that evidence was found that could indicate cardiac arrhythmias that led to cardiac arrest and is considered a possible cause of death.

“There are just a lot of unanswered questions now,” Walton said.

Walton was hoping for answers after her six-year-old boxer/bloodhound died at the Puppy Paws Hotel and Spa earlier this summer.

The owners said in a statement that “following Sawyer's medical incident, a certified veterinary technician was present and was able to respond immediately, care for Sawyer and transport him to a local veterinarian.”

“I just think there's more to it, especially the toxicology, it just doesn't make sense, it's super frustrating and sad,” she said. “I guess at this point I may never know for sure.”

Walton said she was unsure of her next step but may consider legal action.

Stephanie Cramer, the owner of Puppy Paws, issued the following statement in response to the results of Sawyer's autopsy:

“Puppy Paws has not yet had an opportunity to review the report as Puppy Paws has not received a copy of it from the pet's owners. The results were inconsistent and inconclusive compared to what we were told about the results, suggesting that the cause of death was unrelated to the pet's brief stay at Puppy Paws.”