Looking for recommendations for a vet in the San Francisco Bay/Northern Californ area

[ricemutt]

Hi Everyone,

Our Lola started limping out of the blue one day when we took her to the park. She's already been brought to two vets here that I found who got good reviews on online rating sites, but neither X-rayed her, nor even asked to see her gait, and after feeling around, each came up with opposing opinions and nothing serious. She's gotten better over time, but recently her running gait seems to have changed yet again, so we'd like to take her to a vet or orthopedic specialist and ask X-rays to be taken of her hip and leg areas, at the very least.

The reason I'm writing is that we just moved to this area, and we want to find a vet that specializes or understands French bulldogs, especially given that Lola will have to be put under anesthesia in order to get the X-rays, if I understand correctly. It seems that the online review sites just aren't serving us well.

It would really make me feel better to go to someone that the Frenchie owners on this board can recommend. In the cities we lived in previously, we always took Lola to vets that were recommended by respectable Frenchie breeders in the area, and you could tell they knew the breed and their problem tendencies very well. The one breeder I found here locally recommended someone (a Dr. Catharine Tonn), who unfortunately is no longer practicing.

Any recommendations anyone can send our way? Distance to the vet office is of less concern than just having a reliable, good vet. We've even heard that UC Davis's small animal hospital might be a good choice, if anyone has experience with them...?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!

[joycegil]

When I lived in the East Bay I took my frenchie to see Dr. Linda Bloomfield
Dr. Linda Bloomfield received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly Pomona in 1982, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from U.C. Davis in 1989.
You can see her at Livermore Veterinary Hospital
2494 Railroad Avenue
Livermore, CA 94550-3125
Phone: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not fancy but very sincere. My french had a loose patella (knee cap) from being TOO active at the dog park.
Good luck and hope your pup feels better.
Joyce


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[ricemutt]

Thanks so much, Joyce! By the way, did your frenchie recover from the loose patella, or did you end up having to have surgery?

One of the two vets we saw eariler when her limp was more pronounced said that that was what Lola was suffering from, and he recommended surgery for her. He's supposed to be a Frenchie expert, but the whole thing was a little off-putting for us because it was our first time everbeing at his office, he had to manipulate and move her leg around quite a bit before getting the patella to move out of place, and he seemed to have come to the conclusion that she had patellar luxation almost immediately. Not to mention that the surgery is major and would have confined her with4 no movement for 30 days. The second vet we saw said her knees felt strong, he saw no patellar luxation (which was consistent what previous vets we've seen have said) and it was probably just tendonitis.

So confusing. We just want the best for her.

[Haus]

Hi ricemutt. Our Lola is having problems with her legs too and is going to the vet for x-rays on Friday. Our vet said that she will likely need to be sedated, but this is different from a general anesthesia. She said that they always try to x-ray without sedating the dog first, as some dogs will lay still and allow their legs to be stretched out for the x-rays. I'm doubting Lola will lay still enough, but we'll see. I hope you find some resolution soon. It's terrible not knowing, and if you're like me, anticipating the worst!

[joycegil]

Thanks so much, Joyce! By the way, did your frenchie recover from the loose patella, or did you end up having to have surgery?

One of the two vets we saw eariler when her limp was more pronounced said that that was what Lola was suffering from, and he recommended surgery for her. He's supposed to be a Frenchie expert, but the whole thing was a little off-putting for us because it was our first time everbeing at his office, he had to manipulate and move her leg around quite a bit before getting the patella to move out of place, and he seemed to have come to the conclusion that she had patellar luxation almost immediately. Not to mention that the surgery is major and would have confined her with4 no movement for 30 days. The second vet we saw said her knees felt strong, he saw no patellar luxation (which was consistent what previous vets we've seen have said) and it was probably just tendonitis.

So confusing. We just want the best for her.

Bleu was suppose to have surgery last fall BUT since the dog park closes up in winter my dog started walking normal again. His xray shows the loose patella and bowed bones. He runs hard and keeps up with the biggest dogs, but now this Spring with the reopening of the dog park I limit him to 1/2 hour and pull him out. The drug I was given for joint swelling, Deramaxx, seemed to help and I keep it on hand in case Bleu gets knocked from the side or starts to limp. Put the word Patella in the search on this site and you will see what others have wriiten about it.

[kathnwes]

Hi,

I would also like to recommend Livermore Veterinary Hospital in Livermore. All of the vets there are great - Dr. Bird is wonderful, Dr. Tisher, everyone. They are very friendly and so is the staff. They have been the vet practice for our family for at least 30 years.

I just had my Margeaux spayed last Tuesday, and everything went very well. She was back to her wiley ways in short order.

They have several English Bulldog patients and a couple of Frenchies.

Good Luck,

Kathy

[ricemutt]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

Kathy, while I was looking up anesthesia protocols on the forum, I happened to find an old thread a few months back from someone else looking for a frenchie vet in the SF area. You mentioned then that you were also going to check if a Dr. Ikezawa at Bishop Ranch would also be good, especially since she was supposed to specialize in frenchies. Did you decide in the end that Livermore was better?

Thanks again!

[kathnwes]

I was really nervous about finding a vet familiar with frenchies, so I looked into Bishop Ranch - I did that even before discussing it with our vets. That doctor in Bishop Ranch does have a good reputation, and the facility is very, very nice.

But, after talking to our vets, and knowing that they treat several bulldogs and other flat-faced species, I felt very comfortable taking Margeaux to them. I had a Brussels Griffon at one time, and I never had a problem with his surgeries. So..., since I was already very happy with my vet hospital and it is only about a mile-and-a-half from my house, I decided to take Margeaux to them. They are great people, always willing to listen.

Considering the location of the the Bishop Ranch hospital, it is probably more expensive as well, although that would never, and did not figure into my decision.

Hope this helps,

Kathy