Dr. Cahoon grew up in Whittier and graduated high school as class valedictorian in 1976. He then attended the University of California, Davis for pre-veterinary studies, graduating in four years with a Bachelor’s in Animal Physiology. In 1987, he graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine with his DVM, then worked full-time as an emergency doctor until 1998. A year later he opened his own clinic, Lake Forest Pet Hospital, in El Dorado Hills, California.

Emergency medicine is Brad’s true passion; never knowing quite what to expect requires him to think quickly and use every ounce of skill he possesses to save a pet’s life. Dr. Cahoon also enjoys integrating eastern medical approaches into the more standard western medicine—he even received his certification as a Veterinary Acupuncturist in 2013! He’s seen fantastic results with this approach and plans on integrating it into his treatment courses for the rest of his career.

There are few things in life more important to Dr. Cahoon than veterinary medicine. Three of them are his wife, Pam, and two daughters, Cori and Holly. Cori is working on her Doctorate degree in genetics in Kansas City, Missouri, and Holly is following in her father’s footsteps; she recently started at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine!

The Cahoon family has a love for pugs and bulldogs! Belle is a sweet senior pug who lives at home with Brad and Pam; Jack is a pug that splits his time between the Cahoon home and Holly’s residence at vet school; Lucy the pug currently resides with Cori in Kansas City, occasionally traveling with Cori to visit the family for holidays.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Richards graduated summa cum laude from the University of California-San Diego in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cell biology, as well as an additional Bachelor’s degree in psychology. She then spent a year working at a small-animal hospital while also interning with an equine veterinarian and volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center. Next, Dr. Richards headed to veterinary school at the University of California-Davis, graduating with honors in 2011, before completing a rotating one-year internship at a Sacramento-based referral center. She launched her career in private practice shortly afterward, and has been tending to pets in the Sacramento and El Dorado Counties ever since.

Having graduated veterinary school alongside the hospital’s very own Dr. Erin McKerney, Dr. Richards jumped at the chance to practice in her own community with a close friend—she was thrilled to join the Veterinary Healing Center of El Dorado Hills family in September of 2017. She particularly enjoys dermatology cases, and also likes the challenge of internal medicine work.

Outside of the office, Dr. Richards is an avid runner and even competed in triathlons during her time in veterinary school. She lives with her husband, Adam, their two young children, and their dog Candy. Candy is a rescued Australian Kelpie mix who doesn’t let her advancing age slow her down in the least; she especially enjoys going hiking and camping with her family!