Story last updated at 7:25 a.m. Saturday, July 24, 2004 

Pet owner pushed for license to be revoked after cat’s near-fatal surgery

BY JASON HARDIN
Of The Post and Courier Staff

A Mount Pleasant veterinarian whose license was previously suspended by the S.C. Veterinary Medical Examiners board voluntarily agreed this week to permanently cease practicing in the state.

Dr. Stanley Gorlitsky, whose license was suspended for one year in 2002, signed a formal agreement with the board to give up veterinary medicine.

In 2002, the board had found that Gorlitsky was incompetent and negligent in his care of animals.

Marcia Rosenberg, a Mount Pleasant resident, complained about Gorlitsky after he spayed her cat, Pumpkin.

The operation went badly and nearly killed the cat, she said. A second vet had to perform a follow-up operation to save Pumpkin’s life, said Rosenberg.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” Rosenberg said Friday. “She would have died.”

Since then, Rosenberg has pushed to have Gorlitsky’s license revoked.

The agreement states that Gorlitsky said that he has sold his practice and retired from practicing veterinary medicine.

Gorlitsky’s wife, Suzanne, confirmed Friday that he had retired and said that he had no further comment on the matter.

The agreement calls for Gorlitsky to give up his right to practice forever and states that he will not be eligible to reapply for a South Carolina license.

The document does not restrict his ability to practice in other states.

Rosenberg said her experience made her want to fight to protect other animals.

As for Pumpkin, the cat eventually recovered.

“She is fine,” said Rosenberg. “She’s beautiful. She’s healthy.”

Jason Hardin covers the city of Charleston. Contact him at 937-5549 or at jhardin@postandcourier.com.