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Allergies are, no doubt, one of the more frustrating things we see – for the pets, who are constantly itching and uncomfortable, for the owners, who are kept awake by the itching/chewing and find themselves visiting the veterinarian over and over again, and for veterinarians – because it’s not a simple fix.

Max is a typical Labrador retriever—sweet, lovable, and very active. One day he was so excited to get started on his daily jog he just hit the ground running (on the asphalt)! Pretty standard behavior for most dogs! But he may have been a little too eager that morning or maybe the asphalt was a little rougher than usual because this time he injured himself. After his jog he started walking on his tip toes and Max’s owner knew something was wrong.

Did you know that just like people, some dogs are allergic to bees? Whether it’s because they stepped on one, were investigating a bush too closely or were thinking that the bee was a fun toy to play with, dogs will frequently get stung. Their reaction can vary from mild (treated with Benadryl and then at home monitoring) scaling all the way up to severe (requiring IV fluids and hospitalization).

Kenji, a sweet faced 5 year old kitty, came to Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center one night in late August. His front left paw was swollen and he was limping.  Swelling on any part of the body is cause for concern so Kenji’s owners brought him into BRVC Urgent Care.  

Who needs television when you have a cat? They are as unique as we are and endlessly entertaining. Some of the strange behaviors we see in our domestic cats are related to wild felid behaviors.

“I treasure the opportunity to affect the lives of others in both large and small ways. Whether it is a puppy or a kitten coming in for a first exam, an owner whose pet has a complicated medical problem, or difficult end of life decisions, veterinary medicine gives me many opportunities to touch the lives of both people and pets on various levels. It is the most satisfying work I can imagine.” –Dr. Sagy

Vaccines--something all pet owners are familiar with. Vaccines are important because they protect our beloved best friends form some brutal, debilitating and sometimes fatal diseases such as distemper, parvo, feline leukemia, and of course rabies. Not only do vaccines help protect your pet’s life but in a sense, they save you money too. If an unvaccinated pet becomes infected treatment usually involves aggressive therapies and prolonged hospitalization and costs add up quickly. When it is time to vaccinate your pet you have a choice.

Thanks to San Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson a family has been reunited with their cat at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care after two years apart.

A number of things can cause cats to strain to urinate, however the most common cause is a disease called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (also known as feline interstitial cystitis or FIC). FIC can be life-threatening (and if not caught early enough, fatal).

Do you love taking your dog with you hiking and camping? Well then this tip is for you! Poison Oak is widespread in Northern California and not only is it possible for you to get Poison Oak from your dog, it is pretty common too!