Veterinary Medical Board hears petition from suspended racetrack veterinarian seeking early probation termination

SACRAMENTO — The Veterinary Medical Board of California on Jan. 16 heard a petition from veterinarian Dr. Jeff Blea asking the board to end or modify the probation that was imposed under a stipulated settlement effective Sept. 21, 2022.

Administrative Law Judge Marcy Larson of the Office of Administrative Hearings presided over the petition hearing and explained procedures to board members and the petitioner. Deputy Attorney General Stephanie Alamo Latif presented the board’s evidence and explained she was “appearing on behalf of the attorney general” and that her role was “not adversarial, but intended to protect the public interest.” Larson repeatedly reminded the petitioner that he bore the burden of proof for early termination or modification of probation.

The petition concerns board case number 4602021001570 and OAH case number 2024120602. As recited into the record by the deputy attorney general, a first amended accusation was filed Feb. 11, 2022, and an ex parte interim suspension order was first granted Jan. 3, 2022 (followed by a noticed interim suspension order on Jan. 28, 2022). The board adopted a stipulated settlement effective Sept. 21, 2022, placing the license on three years’ probation; the projected probation end date written into the settlement is September 2025.

Board staff moved 13 documents into evidence without objection. The exhibits admitted included jurisdictional documents and proof of service (Exhibit 1); a license-history certification (Exhibit 2); the stipulated settlement and accusation (Exhibit 3); the petitioner’s formal petition and narrative statement (Exhibits 4 and 5); five letters of recommendation (Exhibit 6); the petitioner’s CV (Exhibit 7); cost-recovery payment records showing the board’s costs had been paid in full (Exhibit 8); continuing education certificates (Exhibit 9); performance evaluations and a job description (Exhibit 10); AAEP roundtable and conference materials (Exhibit 11); compounding/regulatory correspondence (Exhibit 12); and a probation compliance report showing the petitioner’s current compliance with terms and conditions (Exhibit 13).

Dr. Jeff Blea — who the record shows was issued veterinarian license VET11928 on Sept. 16, 1993 — testified on his own behalf after being sworn. Blea told the board he left private practice in July 2021 and served as an Equine Medical Director and liaison to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) and the Maddy Lab at UC Davis. He described a period of administrative leave and license suspension from January to September 2022 during which he reviewed records and the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. He said that since reinstatement under the stipulated settlement he had pursued continuing education, presented on record keeping at professional meetings and webinars, participated in roundtable research projects, and contributed to publications and research at UC Davis.

Blea told the board he had focused on improving record keeping among racetrack practitioners and on educating colleagues about compounding rules and reporting requirements under CHRB rules. He described multiple continuing-education activities and outreach efforts and said, “I respectfully request early termination of my probation.” He also summarized his view that examinations and ongoing daily clinical contact in a racetrack setting had occurred but were not always recorded, saying, “If it’s not in the record, it didn’t happen,” and describing his emphasis on SOAP-format notes (subjective, objective, assessment, plan).

Deputy Attorney General Alamo Latif questioned Blea about the underlying allegations in the first amended accusation, which the record describes as including prescribing, dispensing and administering controlled substances, dangerous drugs and non–FDA-approved drugs without an examination or medical necessity. Blea said he no longer treats animals in private practice, that he had a veterinarian–client–patient relationship with trainers on the backside of racetracks and that he accepted the admitted deficiencies in record keeping. He told the panel that he had paid the board’s cost-recovery amount and that a probation compliance report in evidence showed he was in compliance with probation terms.

After testimony and a brief period of questioning from board members, Administrative Law Judge Larson closed the evidentiary portion of the hearing. No decision was reached at the meeting. Larson stated the matter was “submitted to the board for consideration” and that the board would deliberate in closed session and issue a written decision. The record was closed and the board moved into closed session for deliberations on this petition and other disciplinary matters.

Ending — The board did not vote in open session on Blea’s petition. Board members heard documentary evidence and sworn testimony, admitted Exhibits 1–13 into the record, and submitted the matter for closed-session deliberation; a written decision will be issued later.