Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care

I would drive hours to have my dogs seen at this vet. I have been bringing my dogs to BRVC for the last few years and as long as I am in the Bay Area, BRVC will always be my first choice. The vets we have seen are: Dr. Utchen, Dr. Gilman, Dr. Easton, Dr. Peterson, and Dr. Williams. The only other vet I've ever had a problem with does not appear to be employed there any longer, so I feel comfortable suggesting any of the vets, even though there are a couple we've not seen. Dr. Utchen is our go-to-man. He knows my dogs well and will always ask how the others are. He is very patient and let's me question things I am unsure of and will talk me through anything. After Dr. Kerr left we had to work with Dr. Utchen to get ourmastiff adjusted to a new doc. He was very patient and knew exactly what to do to help make her feel comfortable with him. She's wary around strangers and needs as much consistency as possible. Dr. Utchen is supportive of our dogs being fed raw as well. He's commented on how our dogs are in such great condition and works well with Dr. Easton in regards to one of my dogs, who is on holistic meds for allergies. I find BRVC to be pricey. But I'd rather shell out the big bucks for BRVC because I know my dogs will get the best care possible. BRVC is the only place I have ever walked away from, knowing that my dog was in the best hands possible, with safe, content feelings. Most of the office staff is super friendly and if you have a few moments to chat with Patty (Patti?) you should do so! She is so kind and loves to get to know you and your dogs. If I bring one of my dogs in, she always wants to know how the other two are doing and can't wait to see us again (though sometimes we can definitely wait to have to go to BRVC again!). Emily is very kind as well. She was there when we first started going to BRVC and has seen our mastiff grow from a scared little pup to an outgoing, mature adult. It's nice to be remembered (or to have your dogs remembered!) and asked about. You get the feeling that everyone at BRVC just cares. Renee works in the back, with surgeries and stuff. I know she has a more official title, but I can't seem to think of it. She is so friendly and warm. She knows what it's like for a pet owner to have to leave their beloved pet for a surgery and she leaves you with this feeling that everything will be okay. Sometimes I see her and just want to hug her for loving my dogs almost as much as I do (or at least making it feel like she does!). Every vet center has their good and bad days. I've been to BRVC when they've been super busy and super slow. Sometimes the office staff can be a little cranky and maybe they won't smile as much as we think they should and sometimes their faces are bursting with sunshine. But what I do know is that they do a lot of good- all members of their staff!- and both myself and my husband are thankful for all they have done for our family. more

We would (and do) drive a million miles to make sure our cats get the very best vet care. The fact that I am talking about A LOT OF CATS (don't ask) underscores the importance we place on engaging a great veterinary practice. Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center is a full-service facility that's open 7 days a week (yay!). They not only handle their own labwork but offer services a lot of other vets don't (ultrasound, laparoscopy, etc.) which means getting reliable diagnostic info quickly. Patients can appreciate the spacious and sectioned waiting room--or would if they weren't freaked out by The Car Ride--and there are water bowls, snacks jars plus a "stretch the legs" area outside for dogs (cats sneer at these bribery attempts). Bishop Ranch Vet Center's personnel really shine: everyone is friendly, supportive and competent starting with the initial greeting and subsequent checkout by the office crew, vet techs who remain cheerful even through the temp check (if you know what I mean and I think that you do), pharmacy techs who make sure we understand dosages and possible side effects and, of course, the compassionate and knowledgeable vets. "Our vet" is Dr Ikezawa who completely rocks; she really really cares about every one of our kitties (her fav is Marvin....shhhhhhh) and they're (usually) on their best behavior in response to her calm demeanor. I find the discussion of price to be a relative one: Bishop Ranch's focus is always on the goal of the visit, be it checkup or emergency, and the quality of care is uniformly excellent. Taking our cats to Bishop Ranch Vet Center means peace of mind = priceless. Seriously. more

Dr. Janice Cain at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center is hands down the best vet I've ever seen... and I've seen a lot! She is extremely knowledgeable... a reproductive specialist as well as a board certified internal medicine specialist. She has been practicing for about 25 years. She is extremely personable, easy to talk to, and answers all my questions without making me feel like I'm an idiot or that I'm taking up precious time or doubting her judgment. Her grasp of veterinary medicine is outstanding... during our first visit, she recognized and addressed medical issues that my dog was having. (Before her, I had spent months of traveling to other general veterinarians who couldn't find out what were the problems.) Her assistant Kristen (sp?) is outstanding as well. The staff at the hospital is very friendly. Although this hospital is an hour drive from where I live on the western end of the peninsula in the Bay Area, it is worth every second of my time and every penny of my money. more

Clean facility, friendly staff, and great customer service! Went to see Dr. Dodd because of my lab's chronic ear infections. He and Bishop Ranch came highly recommended at our local dog park. My lab (a pup at the time) was quite rambunctious and in 5 minutes, he taught him the command ""don't touch"". Till this day, we are still using this helpful command that he taught him (and us)! Other small (albeit thoughtful) things at the office such as water bowls and leash hooks at the counter made the experience even more pleasant (especially helpful when you are signing invoices and have a 80 pound lab excited at every person/pet passing by!) The neighboring food/toy depot also was well stocked and carried a variety of ""premium"" foods (eg Innova, Wellness, Orijen) that I'd probably have to drive out from San Ramon to Danville or Castro Valley otherwise. There was also abundant amounts of free pet food samples of the different pet foods lines they carried (which we always chose our Evo) Oh! My pup's ear infection cleared up too :D more

After reading all the other 5 star reviews I almost wasn't going to add another...except they have earned it. We have been bringing our pets to Bishop Ranch since it was Norris Canyon Vet. Center across the highway, at their old location. We had a huge oversized lab mix (170+lb) that almost died when 3, until he was diagnosed with Addison's disease, and eight years of care at Bishop ranch ensued. Daily pills...and every 28 days a visit to the vet for a shot. Those of you famiiar with giant dogs know their life expectancy is limited...yet our big buddy lived to be over 11. We have had three dogs since then under their care...not only do they render excellent care, but they also show extreme compassion and help one through the trauma when our short-lived buddies come to the end of the line. I could go on, but the overwhelming number of other 5 star ratings make anything else I could add redundant. Needless to say, this is the ONLY place I consider bringing our pets. more

My friend recommended me to come here since the drive to Fremont, our previous vet, was too far. I was completely amazed at how clean and big this veterinary center was. The service is really nice and the doctors are friendly too. My shih-tzu who always whines and defecate all over our previous vet was perfectly normal here. He still whines, but never left his droppings on the floor. Another time I found a stray, very old, Brittany spaniel and brought him to my previous vet in Fremont. The doctor there said there's nothing else to do but euthanize him. I was devastated and amazed at how simply she said it. So I left and brought him to Bishop Ranch and the difference between the two vets were amazing. The doctor checked him up and provided the right antibiotics. Also since he's been limping she asked if we wanted to do an x-ray. The cost was building up so we hesitated but accepted. She then told us that she threw it in for free. That made me realize the doctors are not working for the money, but to help the sick animals. more

I appreciate that BRVC is open later hours on the weekend. We had been watching for signs of our 16 year old kitty being done fighting his cancer and had to schedule an appointment right away yesterday. If you have to euthanize a pet, and are looking on Yelp as I was yesterday, feel confident that they will treat you very respectfully and handle your pet with great care. more

"( 5 stars) This is a fancy schmantzy vet office that sees every kind of animal. They have a supply store attached (food, toys), offer boarding services and are open 7 days a week with extended hours. Our dog has been coming here since he was first adopted. The vets are very nice and the technicians are great. Last April, we boarded him here, and it was fine, but we like boarding him elsewhere better. Our dog has a genetic back and neck condition and they are great at making sure he is well cared for. We even get follow up calls to make sure he is okay. more

I take all of my pets here and have since way back when it was Norris Canyon Veterinary Center. I even worked there in High School when it was just Dr. Utchen and Dr. Delano. I highly recommend them as Dr. Pogrell is amazing for treating my golden retriever when he has pancreatitis and Dr. Taylor when my cavalier was sick in January and I was a nervous wreck. more

I've been going to Bishop Ranch for years and have always received the highest level of service. I brought my Rottweiler Wally to Dr. Pogrel a few years ago when he was just 10 weeks old. Dr. Pogrel stated, "By the next time I see Wally, I want him to meet 100 new people." Today, Wally is a loving 125 lbs. gentle giant who loves people--even strangers; he sleeps everynight with my twin two-year olds. Wally recently was diagnosed with epilepsy and is under the care of three different vets. None, have shown the level of commitment and dedication as Dr. Pogrel. He is very busy and I'm not sure if he is accpting new patients; however, if he will see you, I would highly recommend him without reservation. more

Right off the bat I would rate them at least 3 stars for their extended hours! So reassuring to know that we can get vet care late in the evening and on Sundays. With a labrador retriever that has been known to "ingest foreign objects" this is the perfect place for us. I have had Dr Easton and Dr Peterson and both times I felt well taken care of. Once a year we end up there with a need for x-rays, anti vomiting meds, and fluid support. The price is appx $400. I'm not able to compare that to our regular vet or even our back up vet in Livermore because we always need care at odd hours such as Sundays or after 7 PM. more

I have only had great experiences with Dr. Weaver and the rest of the staff at Bishop Ranch. They are a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. I have seen a some poor reviews of this business but am puzzled as to why. Everyone there is kind, courteous, and professional. Often when I read such reviews it occurs to me that many of the people writing them are taking their animals to the vet for the first time and in emergency situations no less. Otherwise, why wouldn't they be taking them to their regular vet which gave them such great service? I'm not trying to be insensitive and I'm sure vets make mistakes from time to time much like the doctors that work on people, but when you have a long standing relationship with a vet and take your animal for checkups regularly it takes more than a couple of weeks for cancer to develop and kill an animal, or a human for that matter. Dr. Weaver has done an excellent with out 5 month old golden retriever. She asks plenty of questions and has taken the time to answer any of my concerns. When we took Honey in for her spay I was called immediately after the procedure to let me know that it was successful and that Honey was recovering nicely. They were even willing to let her stay as long as needed until I could pick her up and trimmed her nails at no extra charge. Another example of their great service is when I called b/c Honey had a ticks head embedded in her ear (shame on he for not noticing it earlier) and the tech on the phone gave me step by step instructions for removing it at no charge. They were even willing to have Honey come in and pop it out if needed. Bishop Ranch is a great place to take your dog and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a vet. more

This is not my regular vet - I've always taken my dog to Bollinger Canyon Veterinary before. Tonight my dog decided it would be good to eat two boxes of Sees chocolates, so I took her to Bishop Ranch since it was closest and I knew their emergency would be open. The two people at the front desk were extremely calm and very professional, and the vet herself (Dr. Leanne Taylor specifically) was super nice. They explained the costs up front and gave me options, and everything was done in about a half hour My dog is home and resting now, thank you to the staff for being so nice! more

This place means business, and the business they do is providing you and your pets with the utmost level of care. I brought my cat into here after leaving another vets office as she didnt have time to treat me cat. I walked in sobbing my cat almost dead in my arms. Dr Gilman took me cat, was quick on running down options and tests, what to rule out first before running more tests. My cat was saved by Dr Gilman and the staff that looked after hiim at night while he stayed there. This was a year ago, I had to take my same cat, and but him down to sleep 2 days ago. This is not an easy thing to do, very emotional and I was scared. Dr Gilman explained what would happen, and my cat went very peacefully and with dignity. I would never go anywhere else to have my pets treated. more

My dog Aussie has had chronic ear infections since we moved to California from North Carolina 2 1/2 years ago. He's apparently allergic to something airborne. Our previous vet never seemed to take it seriously and gave the same medication over and over again that never did anything but give him a few minutes of relief. We noticed he was in really bad shape with his ears and was also licking his paws to the point where there was hair loss! My mom has been going to BRVC with her ""zoo"" for years now. I looked online on Sunday and noticed they were open 7 days a week so I called and they were able to fit Aussie in that afternoon. Everyone there was very friendly and was very good with Aussie. Dr. Taylor was very informative and told us she could do a blood test to find out exactly what he was allergic to but that would cost an extra $250 on top of the medication I needed to take home. She took a quick sample of his ears and came back stating my baby had 3 different types of infections in his ear including one that was causing calcium to build up (which if untreated, could cause permanent damage). She prescribed 5 medications for my boy and answered any questions I had with a very calm and patient demenor. I am very happy with Dr. Taylor and BRVC. The only negative is that they are pricey. Within a day, Aussie seemed sooooo much better. He hasn't licked his paws once since we got back from the vet and now almost 4 days later, Aussie acts like he never had an ear infection. So even though it was expensive, my dog finally seems to be getting better. We go back in a few days for a re-check to make sure the infection is gone. I strongly recommend BRVC... or at least Dr. Taylor. I just wish they were a tad cheaper on everything they charged for. But you pay for quality. more

Adjoining Pet Care Depot has an extensive variety of Hill's Prescription Diet cat food that the chains don't carry. more

Our dog Riley injured his hind leg chasing an animal in our yard last night. We have used BR for boarding twice but never for vet services. so glad we decided to today. The desk and technicians were so caring and friendly. The doctor was awesome. He really took his time examining with his hands and found the injury; it was a simple sprained ankle. The Dr gave us the option of x-rays or waiting 5 days to see if it improves which if it does will save us the cost of the x-rays. Our dog is home resting and on his way to recovery. We have decided to change our vet to BR. more