A Miami-Dade couple says their Cane Corso, Apex, went in for what was supposed to be a routine orthopedic surgery and came home with stitches on the wrong shoulder, a mistake they allege set back his treatment, cost them thousands of dollars and left the dog with ongoing mobility problems. The owners have responded with a veterinary malpractice lawsuit in Miami-Dade County and complaints to state regulators, turning a quiet visit to the vet into a case that is now shining a spotlight on a mobile surgical practice that travels to dozens of clinics around South Florida.
How the error was discovered
Apex, just under two years old, first started limping as a puppy. A radiology report later showed a lesion on his right shoulder that was consistent with osteochondrosis, and veterinarians recommended surgery on that side. In April 2025, the couple took him to Good Care Animal Clinic in southwest Miami-Dade for what they say was a right-shoulder operation and were told he would be ready to go home that same day.
When they picked him up, they say, the surprise started as soon as they looked at the bandages. The left shoulder had been shaved and stitched instead of the right. “It was shocking. We were in disbelief,” the owner’s partner said, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
What the lawsuit says
The malpractice complaint, filed in Miami-Dade last November, names veterinarian Dr. Mario Cabrera and two businesses tied to his mobile surgical operation. The suit alleges that the wrong side was opened during Apex’s procedure and says defendants “admitted” the error in court filings.
Attorney Willard Shepard, who represents Apex’s owner, told reporters that the left shoulder was normal and said the explanation for operating there fell far short. “There was never any reason to cut open the left shoulder at all,” he said.
The lawsuit also claims the clinic delayed refunding roughly $5,200 and tried to make the return of that money conditional on a confidential settlement. According to court documents cited by NBC 6 South Florida, the money was eventually returned more than two months later.
Surgeon runs a mobile practice
Dr. Cabrera promotes himself through Cutting Edge Surgical Referrals as a mobile surgeon who partners with more than 100 veterinary practices across Miami-Dade, Broward and the Florida Keys. The business advertises a fully outfitted GMC Hummer EV as the vehicle he uses for his operating setup, bringing advanced orthopedic and soft-tissue procedures into general practices instead of having pets travel to a specialty hospital.
The practice’s website, Cutting Edge Surgical Referrals, lists a wide range of surgical services along with a Miami mailing address on its contact page.
Clinic background
Good Care Animal Clinic, where Apex’s April 2025 operation is alleged to have taken place, lists digital x-ray, in-house surgery and a team led by Dr. Adalberto Cotelo on its website and public business listings. Online directories and the clinic’s own site show routine surgical offerings, its southwest Miami-Dade location and posted business hours.
Basic details about the clinic, including its address and phone number, can be found on the Good Care Animal Clinic website and in local directory listings.
Why safety checklists matter
The case is also stirring conversation about one of the less glamorous parts of surgery, the checklist. Research in veterinary hospitals has found that surgical safety checklists and formal “time-out” protocols improve team communication and can cut down on complications, including helping to prevent wrong-site procedures in at least some reported situations.
Studies that adapted World Health Organization-style checklists for small-animal practices reported fewer postoperative complications and fewer unplanned returns to the operating room after the checklists were put in place. Details appear in the veterinary medical literature, including work published in Veterinary Surgery and implementation reports in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Legal context and next steps
Florida veterinarians are licensed and regulated under state law by the Board of Veterinary Medicine, which operates through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Wrong-site surgery is treated in statute as an “adverse incident” that state agencies can review in office settings.
In Apex’s case, the malpractice lawsuit will move forward in civil court at the same time that the owners’ complaints to state regulators prompt an administrative review. That process can lead to disciplinary action if officials find violations of professional standards or state rules.
Apex eventually received the intended right-shoulder surgery, but his owners say the detour has not been painless. They report that he still needs therapy and short walks while he recovers. Along with compensation for what they have spent, the couple says they want stronger safeguards in place so that other pet owners do not find themselves bringing home a dog with stitches on the wrong side.
