Emergency Vet Service

[White Bryony]

I have just read a comment on our local newspapers website by someone who had cause to use an out of hours/emergency vet service.  They were extremely uncomplimentary, said the care was poor and very expensive.

There were a few other comments saying that they have had experience of this company's uncaring attitude and extortionate rates.

I have checked and this is the company my vets use for their out of hours service which has now worried me greatly.

Is there anything I can do except for changing Vets and I wouldn't want to do that as I like them?

[Helen]

it's a tricky one - the care will always be more expensive anyway out of hours as they are on contract to your vets.

I would call your vets during the day and explain your concern - they'll be interested to know that they're potentially going to lose clients because of their out of hours service 

[Goggins]

I can understand your concerns...I had cause to complain to the out of hours company my vets use. It is a large company of many chains...

Paige cut her ear (they bleed loads for small cuts) and they told me the vet could see me in an hours time. I said I would go straight there and sit and wait. We waited and eventually I had to ask the people please could a nurse put a bandage on her ear? The blood was going everywhere esp as she kept shaking her head!!! Anyway, to cut a long story short, vet sutured ear with me helping as he "didnt want to dirty the prep or op room"    Once the op was done she was put in the waiting room on the cold floor with no blanket...the nurse came and gave her the sedation reversal. They then complained she was taking too long to wake up    and ended up giving her some more stuff...

Lots of complaints later...nothing happened not even an apology.

I have had to use them since and the vet failed to notice a pneumothorax...thankfully my vet did the next day and put in a chest drain and Thor was fine. I was less than happy and this time moaned at my vet who sheepishly said the vet on call was his friend and he would have a word...needless to say when we dropped Thor off for over night care of the drain the oncall vet was Very nice....

As Helen said I would def have a word with your vets if you feel uneasy about it...

[jennyspin]

We nearly lost our Angel at three months old due to our vets using a certain out of hours company attached to out local pdsa (they are no longer there). We now use a vets with 24 hours cover but I know that it is difficult for people in certain areas with no 24 hours cover. 

[Lily Freya]

On the positive side, I have to say that the outside hours vet practise have saved two of my dogs from near to death situations, when my own vet has been unavailable.

One of my old girls had a pyometra (sorry probably not correct spelling), then when I brought my puppy Ollie home from the breeder, we had to rush him in with what seemed to be something similar to parvovirus.

I am really sorry that people have experienced this though..............when your pet is very sick, the last thing you want is an unsympathetic vet.

 

[Loudon]

The thing is we can use any emergency vet we want. Just look up Yellow Pages.

Unfortunately, I didn't. My vets, who I have used for over 20 years, are a big practise and but don't do 24 hrs service.

When Lucy had problems with her delivery it was as usual in the dead of night, at the weekend. So a quick call to my vets and a message directed me to an emergency vets.

So a bitch in labour, 5 two hour old pups, a very anxious me and daughter into the centre of Glasgow to what appeared to be an industrial estate. To see them it's £100 up front. The cesarean was another £650. I must say the vets and staff were very nice and mum was saved, one pup was was dead as she had been stuck in the the birth canal and had not enough oxygen. A further two girls were delivered alive. Unfortunately, despite every effort day and night they died together 72 hours later. AARGH!!

In addition it was further bills from my normal vet for follow up.

Me, I am happy with my vets and the emergency vets were fine so I won't change. All emergency vets by their very nature will be expensive but I expect competitive against others in their specialisation.

Only thing I can  comment on is that it's a very brave person to publicly name any organisation to their detriment and possible future financial loss without having very deep pockets.

[Sharon]

Luckily our vet is the out of hours vet, it's a veterinary hospital but still costs an arm and a leg out of hours, there is a vet on site 24/7, but still costs £150 to walk through the door after midnight.

But have to say they are worth every penny and to see a friendly face, normally a vet we've seen during surgery hours,  when we get there is even better

[Lily Freya]

It is a difficult situation all-round isn't it?  When we have to call on these services, we are usually in a highly emotional state because it usually means our pet is in a serious condition, and can't wait until the normal vet hours.

The fact that these 'out of hours vets' are unfamiliar to us, doesn't help.  There doesn't seem to be much empathy.

But..........we just pray and hope that they can do enough to help with the emergency until we can go to our usual vet.

As I said earlier..............I didn't get the same reassurances and personal treatment I would have had from my own vet practise...........BUT two of my dogs were saved.  They honestly would not have lived had the emergency vet practise not been there.

I hope you manage to find the reassurances you need.   

[*Jay*]

The thing is we can use any emergency vet we want. Just look up Yellow Pages.

Vet practices only have to provide out of hours cover for their own clients. That being said, they do have a duty of care so would have to see you if you said you weren't registered with a vet.

[White Bryony]

Thank you all for your replies. The money aspect obviously isn't the most important but the care the dogs would receive is of paramount importance.

I will give my vets a ring and discuss my concerns and see what they have to say before I make any decisions.

On another note my insurance company asks that we ring them before taking the dogs for emergency treatment but tbh the fact that it is emergency treatment would mean the last thing I wanted to do would be ring the insurance company! Does anyone else have to do this?

[Lily Freya]

Thank you all for your replies. The money aspect obviously isn't the most important but the care the dogs would receive is of paramount importance.

I will give my vets a ring and discuss my concerns and see what they have to say before I make any decisions.

On another note my insurance company asks that we ring them before taking the dogs for emergency treatment but tbh the fact that it is emergency treatment would mean the last thing I wanted to do would be ring the insurance company! Does anyone else have to do this?

No............that's a bit ridiculous isn't it?  And, I wonder how many insurance companies have someone manning the phone 24/7.  If we need out of hours vet help, it is going to be at some odd hour of the night isn't it?

I hope you get it all sorted.  It is a worry, because you never know when you are going to need it. 

[Loudon]

The thing is we can use any emergency vet we want. Just look up Yellow Pages.

Vet practices only have to provide out of hours cover for their own clients. That being said, they do have a duty of care so would have to see you if you said you weren't registered with a vet.

Hi Jay, didn't know that.  As some advertise 24 hour service assumed if you got the cash then they will see you especially if emergency. Cheers. 

[supergirl]

Luckily our vet is the out of hours vet, it's a veterinary hospital but still costs an arm and a leg out of hours, there is a vet on site 24/7, but still costs £150 to walk through the door after midnight.

But have to say they are worth every penny and to see a friendly face, normally a vet we've seen during surgery hours,  when we get there is even better

I always complain about the prices my vet charges sometimes just for normal in-hours consultations, but when it comes to emergency service they are very reasonable.  They are a large practice and have 24/7 veterinary hospital - recently when I had to take Lexi to the emergency vet I called ahead and was told that the vet had just left but that they would call him back and that the charge for out of hours service would £40 - reading all the other posts it sounds positively cheap.  I know that they had to anaesthetise her after I left to look at her eye  properly and the vet gave me a call at about 12.45am to let me know how they had got on.  All seems very reasonable reading the other posts here.

[sands]

Got to say that when Coda dislocated her shoulder on 3rd Jan the emergency vet in Glasgow(possibly the same place as Louden was sent)  was super.  We were seen as soon as we arrived and they phoned us on 2 or 3 occasions through the evening with an update.   

When she dislocated the other one 3 weeks later it was out of hours again and once more we received excellent treatment.

It was very expensive but I think they probably are all on the dear side.

 I think perhaps it's just like all services and some are not as good as others but with emergency vets you don't have the option to 'shop' around.

[Loudon]

Got to say that when Coda dislocated her shoulder on 3rd Jan the emergency vet in Glasgow(possibly the same place as Louden was sent)  was super.  We were seen as soon as we arrived and they phoned us on 2 or 3 occasions through the evening with an update.   ;

Yep, that sounds familar. I was very grateful. Only thing missing was when the bill was to be paid they should have given me a coffee and a valium. 

What is about cockers and trouble though? When I was at emergency vets there was another two.