Bridge Veterinary Services

If I could give more stars I would. Dr. Scott Cox is a saint! We had to make the difficult decision to put our 19 year old kitty to sleep and working with Bridge Veterinary Services helped make an awful day a little bit better.
From the moment Dr. Scott Cox arrived we felt like we and our beloved kitty were in good hands. Scott took his time to explain the process and allow us to ask questions and we never ever felt rushed. He induldged us in talking about our kitty and most importantly treated our cat with the utmost respect both during and after the procedure.
Do not hesitate in calling Bridge Veterinary Services.

I probably checked their online schedule form five times in one day before finally booking a time. It was hard to accept what needed to be done for my 16 year old cat with a cancerous tumor. It was heartbreaking. I cried all day.
Kara arrived at our house with compassion and understanding from the moment she walked in the door. She explained everything to us and answered lots of questions.
We thought it would happen in the middle of the living room rug but our stormy decided to go lay in his bed in the corner. Kara crouched uncomfortably in the corner with us and administered the anesthesia. She waited in the other room while we waited for our little guy to fall asleep, and said our goodbyes. She came back to give the final dose and waited at distance for him to pass, watching his breathing.
She pressed a clay paw print as a remembrance and I carried him out to her car, still inside his bed. He rode in the passenger seat with her to his final destination. It’s subtle, but there is a level of respect and reverence in that small detail.
Looking back, this was the absolute best possible outcome to a very sad and difficult situation, and it was because of Kara and BVS that I can feel assured I did the best thing for a very close member of my family, saving him the stress of a vet visit and allowing me to grieve and say goodbye in our home.

My family had to make the tough decision of putting our 14 year old golden retriever to sleep, and called different a few different services to schedule a same day appointment for an at home euthanasia. None of them met us with the kindness that Bridge Vet Services did.
Bridge has an online scheduling system which made it easy for us to see what was available that afternoon. Dr. Kara arrived on time and was sweet and compassionate from the start. She took her time to explain the process to us and left room for questions at every step. She didn’t rush us and allowed us to tell her when we were ready so that we could say our proper goodbyes and give Casper some last hugs on his final day.
My brother and I were comfortable knowing that our sweet Casper was going to be in Dr. Kara’s care after leaving our home. The level of empathy and warmness she has shown our family is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I have been working with Bridge Veterinary Service through Dr. Shea Cox for around 9 mos as my cat is on hospice. She has kidney disease/​thyroid problems, possible tumor, arthritis and is just very old (likely age 20). When we first met with her we were told by another vet there was nothing that could be done. Perhaps out of desperate hope I booked an online «hospice» visit instead of euthansia. After our nearly 3 hour visit, Dr. Cox revolutionized the health of our kitty. It was the best money I ever spent, plus it was an in home evaluation. She changed up her pain management and added anti inflammatory meds for arthritis and saw her through a health crisis of not having pooped in days. In addition she referred us to an eye specialist who had a pioneering procedure that no other vet recommended. It gave us a cure that involves injecting a form of restalyn for cats for the condition «Entropion» and gave our cat her sight back. Dr. Cox has been a steady, supportive, educated vet who continues to help us with making this painful decision around when to let an amazing companion leave us. We have had one of the sweetest years of life with our cat, knowing it is likely her final year, due to Dr. Cox (Bridge Veterinary Services) AMAZING CARE!

I first became aware of Dr. Cox in mid-​August when I asked my dog’s rehab specialist to refer someone who was a mobility expert and could come to my house to help us learn exercises to help in my dog’s recovery and care following a procedure involving total anesthesia which left my dog unable to walk. She was 15 ½ when she underwent the procedure. From the moment I met Dr. Cox she exuded warmth, compassion, high competency, and a strong intuitiveness towards my dog. She gently guided me towards the understanding that despite what other specialists had told me, it was highly unlikely my dog would ever recover mobility and that I needed to prepare for her eventual departure. This, of course, was shocking news (!), but she turned out to be correct. Dr. Cox never lost her composure or empathy as I related to her the details of my dog’s treatment by the vet in charge of the procedure and its hideous aftermath (see my review on Sage Center, Concord). And, she did not get offended as I quite vehemently expressed my rage over other holes I came to recognize in my dog’s care in general by other vet care professionals. She did not offer a defense for the other vet (s) nor try to curtail my vocalization of my shock, anger, frustration, and grief. She let me be me. As she deftly turned my attention to the next steps of care for my beloved, she explained the various modalities she would recommend for treating the various pain sources my dog was experiencing. And, she assured me I was doing all the right things to care for my dog even as I expressed deep regret about things I’m sure I could have done much better. She was very patient with all of my questions (in person and by email) and didn’t mind when I needed additional details or if I asked her to repeat information she had already given. When my dear heart passed on September 4, 2015, Dr. Cox notified all of the vets who had provided care. She also remained a wonderful sounding board for my grief and loss. She is truly gifted at her work and I have already recommended her to others who will soon be faced with end-​of-​life decisions. I only wish I had become aware of her months if not at least a year earlier. I’m sure she could have alleviated some of the pain my dog, unfortunately experienced.

Dr. Scott Cox came to our house on a Sunday to put down our family dog. We had struggled with the decision for weeks because of our love for the dog. Scott was filled with compassion and understanding which helped us ease thru the process of saying good bye. He truly could not have said or done anything with a higher standard. I would recommend this humane service Scott provides when having to say good bye to a beloved dog. Dr. Shea Cox made the arrangements and was available for questions and concerns until Scott arrived. She also contributed to making this challenging time for our family more manageable with her kindness and understanding.

My vet in San Leandro diagnosed my poor baby with advanced stomach cancer, a failing kidney, and a heart murmur. She already had Cushing’s disease and pancreatitis. All of this was discovered in a span of about 6 – 7 weeks. We were devastated. My vet mentioned the in home service of Bridge Veterinary Services and I am so glad that he did. What a wonderful service. I wish I knew about this service the last time I went through this 13 years ago. My baby went to sleep in the comfort of our home. I could tell she was at peace and that she knew what was coming. Dr Scott was very compassionate and kind. There aren’t enough words to describe him. Thank you so much Scott. You are an angel sent from heaven.

Our beloved 17 year old dog Jack passed away 2 weeks ago. As hard as it is to lose our wonder dog, we feel comforted knowing from the moment we rescued Jack that he lived not only a love-​filled life — but also death. He truly «hit the jackpot.» Dr. Shea and Dr. Kara guided us through the hospice process with so much compassion and competency that we never doubted our decisions; we knew they were the right ones for Jack’s care and well being.
Our first meeting was a thorough in-​house assessment with Dr. Kara who got to know Jack and explained everything to us in great detail. She also shared helpful visual references and took the time to listen and answer all of our questions. Her accessibility, and Dr. Shea’s, continued even when we had to go out of town… via emails/​phone calls, addressing any concerns that cropped as Jack declined.
When the time came to say our goodbye at home, Dr. Kara showed up in the same way she had throughout. Her great heart, the gift that she and Dr. Shea both possess, made the farewell a loving experience rather than a painful one. Jack was made comfortable, at ease, and we were too. She somehow sensed what we needed and when: private time to hold Jack and whisper to him followed by a gentle process handled with great sensitivity.
We truly can’t imagine a better way to have bid farewell to our cherished furry friend. He provided so much love for many years and — with deepest thanks to these dear Drs. — we had the honor of doing the same for him until he parted this world. FOREVER GRATEFUL TO BRIDGE VETERINARY SERVICES.

Dr’s Shea and Scott Cox are amazing. They were able to accomodate us very quickly and made letting Spike go a lot less painful for us. Spike was in his own home and not some vet clinic when he passed. Scott was just awesome. I would highly recommend BVS when the time comes to say goodbye to pet. We owe them the best and BVS are the best.

What an extraordinarily difficult thing to do, to spend the last moments with a family as they say goodbye to a loved pet.
Dr. Kara Harpham came to our home to put our 15 year old dog to sleep and, as other reviews have noted, it was more than we could have hoped for. Kara combined professionalism with compassion in a way to that has to be seen to understand. She explained every medical detail to us and let us know everything we could expect, while at the same time shared a deep level of compassion for us and for our dog. She had a tranquility about her that helped us through the process and ameliorated a lot of the anxiety we felt so that we could experience the grief itself more purely. She was also mindful of so many small details — a clay paw print, a hand-​written note, the spacing and positioning of everyone in the room, a blanket to cover the dog on the passage outside — that we would have never thought of.
She clearly loves animals and she understands the gravity of the work she does, helping families make difficult decisions while preserving the dignity of the animals. We feel very lucky we had Kara at this particular time in our lives as we said goodbye to our Booboo. Thank you.

Dr. Scott Cox helped Maddie on her way in our home and left me with comforting memories of her passing. I am forever grateful. I could go on and on about the care and support he gave Maddie and I. Do not hesitate to let them help if you are ever in this situation. You will get so much more than you pay for. There is a kindness and understanding that cannot be measured. My kitty and myself were treated with great care and respect.
My sister had the same experience with Dr. Shea Cox. She took a devastating situation that was dreaded and changed into a positive memory for my sister which is no easy task.
I have a very tight budget and it is only a little more than an in vet procedure. So much warmer, kinder, and heartfelt. Obviously I cannot recommend them enough. My Maddie just died two days ago, I am still grieving but the memory of her passing is so much softer that she came to peace at home in her favorite spot.

It is incredibly gratifying to work with people who do difficult work that they seem ideally suited for. Our cat was deteriorating quickly. Dr. Scott was available on 3.5 hours notice. He arrived at our home precisely on time and completely prepared with everything that was necessary. As a company, they block out 3 hours to perform service. We knew we weren’t going to need that long but it was nice to know that we had the option to take our time. From the moment we made eye contact, he performed professionally, respectfully and with an exceptional amount authentic empathy and emotional presence. He listened to us, educated us with a mixture science and personal experience as a pet owner, put us at ease with our decision and performed the procedure expertly and compassionately. For that they have our eternal gratitude. Thank you!

I never thought I’d write a Unilocal review for this kind of service… but like others here have written… they made one of the hardest days, tolerable. Dr. Kara Harpham came to our house when it was time for our dog, Lefty, to pass. The level of compassion, and patience was palpable… We will forever be grateful to her that our Lefty was able to pass in our home, with us holding him, unafraid, and without pain.

I was referred to BridgeVS by a coworker whose wife is a Veterinary Dermatologist and knows the practice doctors personally and professionally. I knew that I would not bring my almost 18 yr old beloved dog to a veterinary office for this procedure… it had to be at home. Bridge Veterinary only sees the animals in the home setting where they can be observed and treated where they are most comfortable. Given all the driving this must entail for the doctors, the prices are competitive.
The hardest part was making the appointment. Picking the day was very difficult for me. Once I had the courage to schedule the appointment online and read their cancellation policy «there is never a fee for cancellations, we understand how difficult this decision is»…I knew I had chosen the right practice to assist in our beautiful Wonder’s end of life process. In fact I did cancel once when he appeared to have had more energy and seemed stronger. Ultimately though within about a month we realized he was suffering and wasting away and we made and kept the appointment with Dr Kara Harpham.
My thank you note to the practice sums up a lot:
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do for animals that are sick, in pain or facing end of life. The empathetic and gentle manner that Dr Kara had today with Wonder and my family made this difficult day tolerable for us and was a beautiful and peaceful end to Wonder’s beautiful life with us. I imagine there are some very challenging cases in your practice and appreciate your love of both people and animals to take on this specialty.
Dr Kara got to know all of our dogs (3) and Wonder had had his last stroller walk just before she arrived. He settled down on his dog bed while we chatted and petted him. I mentioned to her that he loves how I hum and sing to him and within a minute of being sung to, petted and loved by his family he fell sound asleep. She then very slowly gave him morphine which he never felt and his end of life process was beautiful and peaceful. We should all be so lucky when our time comes.
Anyone facing an end of life decision for your pet will find truly compassionate professionals that love animals.

My cat of 22 years started to have kidney failure and I went into a compete panic. I was not prepared for him to die. Every day he got worse and worse. I was taking him to the vet twice a week and finally they told me there was nothing more they could do. The thought of rushing him to the vet when he started to pass painfully… made me sick. I didn’t want his last minutes to be in a cold doctors office being put to sleep. I owed him more than that. We called Shea and she came to the house within 48 to help us. She sat with us for 4 hours… listening to how I felt about Kona and why it was so difficult for me to let him go. She coached us through how to support him in his last days and helped me start the process of letting go (which I really believe helped him pass more peacefully). Dr. Cox gave us some injectable relaxants which she told us to give Kona if he was in pain or started to pass and was in pain. A few nights later it happened… he was gasping for air and we gave him a tiny painless injection and he slowly fell asleep. It was the hardest night of my life… but I am SO glad we had some medication to help him pass peacefully. I couldn’t imagine trying to rush him to the emergency room at 3am. Way too traumatizing for both me and Kona. Shea was compassionate and an amazing listener. She is so incredibly knowledgeable and walked us through every step of the dying process. I couldn’t imagine losing a beloved pet any other way. Allowing Kona to pass at home and in peace, with his family around him was the greatest gift I could have given him and I was able to say goodbye without being in a cold doctors office. We can’t thank Shea enough for what she does in this world. It’s such a gift. I couldn’t imagine going through this without her. She even sent us a card a few days later offering her condolences.

Words just cannot describe how wonderful the Bridge Veterinary Service and Dr. Scott Cox were in helping us with our beloved cat Sky’s last moments on this earth. I would give their service 6 stars if I could.
Sky had become very ill with chronic renal failure and was hospitalized for 2 days. After several days of not getting better, we decided that we wanted her last days to be at home so she could be amongst family when her time comes.
Bridge Veterinary Service offers an at home euthanasia, so Sky could pass in the comfort of her home with family. On the day of her appointment Sky was getting worse and started to have frequent seizures. We called Dr. Cox to see if he could come in early to ease her suffering. He was completely understanding and flexible and came at 9 AM even though our appointment was at 3 PM.
Dr. Scott was one of the most kind and empathetic vets I have ever met. His personality was very warm and comforting, he spoke with a soft soothing voice and did not rush us at all. His bedside manner was above and beyond what up we could ever hope for. My wife and I are physicians and we were so impressed by his bedside demeanor which honestly was far superior to that of other physicians that we have interacted with in the past.
He made the process of euthanasia one that was kind, compassionate and gentle. He gave us all the time that we needed with Sky and did not run on the schedule at all. When it was time to say goodbye to her, he gently wrapped her in a warm blanket and carried her with the care as if she was his own cat.
He even helped us with after-​life planning and alleviated our fears and concerns about the individual cremation process.
We couldn’t be more impressed with the care that he delivered for us. To go through such a difficult time can be devastating, but Dr. Cox really helped us through it and helped Sky pass with dignity in a humane loving process.
We are so thankful for Dr. Cox and would highly recommend him to anyone going through the end of a life of a beloved pet.

Dr. Cox was wonderful. It is so painful to let a buddy go. I changed my mind on three separate days before I could have a doctor come over to put my cat to sleep. I called Drs. Cox at 11 on a Sunday. Dr. Scott Cox was there at 3. Dr. Shea Cox was so kind and supportive on the phone.
When Dr. Scott Cox came, I knew that this was going to be a procedure done by a kind, understanding man. He gave us plenty of time to hold my cat, Magic. We went through some spiritual readings, song, prayers. We cried as much as we wanted.
They give you a three hour slot in case you need the time. Our hour was all we needed without feeling the least bit rushed. Scott cared about my cat and cared about us. I could not have asked for a better person to send my Magic on his way.
When we were done, my girlfriend went out to Scott’s car. He had my cat’s body in the front seat with him, rather than in the back. She thanked him. She told me he had tears in his eyes at one point as we went through our process of saying goodbye.
I highly recommend this group of kind people when you have to say goodbye to your animal buddy.

I’m the owner of a cat sitting business and when I meet a new client we always talk about the importance of good veterinary care. In addition to the business cards I hand out for the vets I recommend, I always give Dr. (Shea) Cox’s card out as well.
People are so appreciate to have her contact information– they are are so touched and amazed (as am I) that a service like this exists.
A handful of my clients have needed to use Dr. Cox’s services and they can’t say enough good things about her. Compassionate, gracious, loving, gentle… those are a few of the words my clients have used to describe her.
We are all so fortunate to have the Bridges Veterinary team of professionals to help us during our pet’s final days.

My pet was diagnosed with renal lymphoma, which never ends well. It was the first time I’d gone to the e-​vet with any animal and had the vet go right to discussing hospice or euthanasia. Dr. Cox is associated with the clinic and was recommended for hospice veterinary care or euthanasia. I opted for the latter, rather than put my cat and me through six months (or less) of bargaining with the fates.
Dr. Cox arrived promptly, is very soft spoken and gentle and was willing to give me a lot of time. The appointment slot was three hours, which I did not need. I did not want to draw it out, having spent the weekend and today being with my ailing pet. I got the impression other pet owners take time to say goodbye at the various stages, so this is good if you are a pet lover who wants to say a prayer or something.
The procedure was gentle, the cat was never frightened, and we did not have to sit in a waiting room.
Note that a housecall costs a lot more than a visit, but this was worth it for me and my pet. Her prices are on her web page. There is also a fee for the disposition of the animal’s body. She uses the same service everyone else uses, and charges the same.
This is appointment-​based during work hours. Again, it was worth it to me to take a PTO day for my little friend of 11 years.
I recommend this doctor and her services highly.

Dr. Cox did not put my sweet old dog down (she died on her own), but I have very high praise for her. She called me first thing in the morning, after I left a message late the night before and spoke with such tenderness and sincerity. Without me even asking, she said a few things to me that were exactly what I needed to hear. Basically, even over the phone, she was super in touch with where I am emotionally. It says on her website that she had a moment where she knew she was meant to do this (end of life home care) and I just have to say, the rest of us benefit so much from someone doing what they are truly called to do. I don’t think I will have occasion to cross paths with her soon since my pet is gone, but I think that you would be in such good hands if you do.
On a side note. it’s so great that she gives prices and details on her website. Very helpful and not something you want to talk about when your pet is dying.