Topic: Emergency Vets (Read 4521 times)

Mark · « **Reply #26 on:** July 16, 2007, 23:49:54 PM »

Thats good. I know regular vets don't charge to treat wildlife but pleased to hear the emergency ones don't either.

alisonandarchie · « **Reply #25 on:** July 16, 2007, 23:36:02 PM »

After slagging off the emergency vets I was glad of their services tonight. Archie suddenly appeared at about 10.30 with his mouth full of what I thought was tissue but turned out to be a white finch. The poor bird must have escaped and landed up in our garden as Archie does not go far. Thankfully the bird was not really injured. We phoned the local wildlife rescue centre who did not answer, so as a last resort I phoned the emergency vets. They told me to bring the bird down much to Archie's disgust

No charge either, must be a first!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2007, 21:45:45 PM »

I am so sorry to hear this story Kris, its so sad

That is another problem with the Vets Now situation, its so far to go for most.......50 miles round trip here.

kris · « **Reply #23 on:** July 11, 2007, 17:39:42 PM »

I was very let down by our emergency vets, sadly the two places available through our local vet were situated in Glasgow or Edinburgh, 40 and 50 miles away respectively and I don't drive so when my old girl went into heart failure a few weeks after her bladder stones operation at midnight I couldn't get her to anyone, finally I got a family member with a car and we were going to use the out of hours service for a vet that I didn't use but at least was only 10 miles away, by then she had been extremely distressed and ill for over an hour, in the end I don't know how much it would have cost because minutes after arranging to take her there she finally passed. It was a horrendous night, she put up a massive fight and if there had been anything in the house I could have given her to make the passing more quickly I would have. As my current cat is younger and fitter and although also hates the box (peeing and pooing each time he is taken) I use the vet 10 miles away for everything, they are cheaper, have great experience and an on-call vet, okay I would still have to get transport to get him there but at least they would know his history.

Ralph's mum (angie) · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2007, 14:38:13 PM »

same here and Bob was on oxygen, it was a wonder we never got speeding tickets going from place to place

ps it would cost £90 + VAT if it was poss for ambulance

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2007, 20:27:27 PM »

Sorry did not explain well. The vets could collect them but wont!!

Kocka need emergency treatment and to go on an IV but there was no time to do it and although Vets Now emailed my vets to say we would be there at 0830 when they opened and gave chapter and verse on her treatment, they may as well talked to a space!!

I hate the Vets Now situation cos its no good for animals and I would never ever use that vet again.

I now travel 25miles to see a vet, so 50 miles round trip but sadly although the vet is wonderful they also use Vets Now.

Ela · « **Reply #20 on:** July 09, 2007, 09:15:12 AM »

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It seems Ela that in your area you just get better treament , or is it because you are CP?

was told that as Vets Now had to vacate the premises I can only say what happens to all the pets of clients who use my vets and need to go to VetsNow in an emergency. I have no idea what happens to the pets registered with the other vets in our area who use VetsNow.

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no animal could stay there and the vets would not collect them.

I can understand why VetsNow cannot keep the pets, however, not to allow a vet to collect would in my opinion would be ridiculous, what if a cat was on Oxygen for instance it couldn't come off while it was being transported to its own vet. If indeed that is a rule of VetsNow perhaps some of the managers have heard if the saying Rules are for the obedience of fools and guidence of wise men.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2007, 23:12:35 PM »

It seems Ela that in your area you just get better treament , or is it because you are CP?

I was told that as Vets Now had to vacate the premises no animal could stay there and the vets would not collect them. I was also told that if the animals were still in vet care by the weekend cos this was early hours of Thursday morning, then the I would have to take Kocka back for the weekend........my vets said that was ridiculous!

Ela · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2007, 18:17:44 PM »

Perhaps if your own vet gets more cases like this he may reconsider using VetsNow as his emergency cover.

Hippykitty · « **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2007, 16:14:53 PM »

When I recently rang my vet as I was concerned about Polly's condition, I was given a number which I assumed to be the on-call vet. It wasn't, it was vets now. The woman on the phone, who may have been a receptionist or nurse, asked me to describe Polly's condition. I did. Then she virtually emotionally blackmailed me into taking Polly in, saying "if you don't, I can't guarantee she will last till the morning." This was around midnight. She then told me it would cost £130 just to walk through the door!! And again told me that the cat may not survive the night, as I was considering waiting till my regular vet opened. Naturally, I felt a duty to Polly to do all I could, so I took her. This involved taxi fares as well as the vet cost.

When I arrived, it took ages for the door to be opened (are they all asleep, thinks me). The vet I saw was very off-hand, sayiing that he thought she'd had a stroke (she may have done). He asked me how old she was; when I told him she was about 19/20, he said, at that age the kindest thing would be to pts!!!

I can't help thinking that if he'd been my regular vet, he would have had her history, and known me and my determined nursing skills. I'll only have a cat pts when I've done everything, but they're determined to go.

He gave her a steroid and painkiller injection (the steroid was my suggestion). I had a bill of about £144 plus £14 taxi fares.

He upset me more than he helped Polly.

My own vet thought she more likely has an ear infection. He thought an adverse reaction to a wormer I'd given her was unlikely considering her weight. He put stroke - probably due to a tumour - low on the list of possibles, but something to keep in mind. And he's now taking good care of her, alongside myself.
He's had lots of experience with various cats I've had and has seen me nurse one back from the brink of death, and nurse others until they'd run out of fight.
If he had seen her that night, it would have saved a great deal of upset. She may still die from this, but at least I'll know everything possible has been done for her.

I hated the cavalier "oh, she's showing signs of a stroke and she's an old cat; let's put her to sleep" attitude of the vets now vet. (Just made a typing error: vets not - probably more appropriate!)

Ela · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2007, 10:26:14 AM »

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Sorry if you thought I was being a bit ungrateful,

I personally did not think you seemed ungreatful, just peeeeeeeed off with the service and rightly so it would seem.

Ralph's mum (angie) · « **Reply #15 on:** July 08, 2007, 10:22:41 AM »

I think I was annoyed more about his attitude as if was wasting his time, he looked Bob over said we will put him on oxygen, the looked over his shoulder and told the nurse to deal with me and left the room.

Sorry if you thought I was being a bit ungrateful, but I think these people forget that our pets mean a awful lot to us, and if it was not for our sick babes they wouldnt have a job.

Ela · « **Reply #14 on:** July 08, 2007, 09:57:34 AM »

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EG: You have to pay £30 for the install even though is just plugging i the box, and connecting to the phone line.... which you can do yourself but then it invalidates the warranty

Although our vets use VetsNow, if a pet is in when they are closing they keep the pet and continue its treatments.

If a pet was taken direct to VetsNow by an owner our vet would pick it via the animal ambulance up first thing next morning.

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ot Bob and a big bill, they had gave Bob the same injections and stuff our normal vet gave and charged us nearly £150 (normal vet bill was £60).

To be honest if Bob did have oxygen therapy I don't think that is bad as at out vet that alone is about £20 an hour plus VAT

Ralph's mum (angie) · « **Reply #13 on:** July 08, 2007, 09:48:04 AM »

Had to use VetsNow when Bob suddenly took ill.

Rushed him to our own vets on a Sat morning with laboured breathing she did not know what was wrong with him after checking him over but had to put him in oxygen tent to help him breath gave injections (steroid, anti inflam,something for worms thought it might be Lung Worms) any way they closed at 12.30 lunchtime. Has to go pick up Bob take him to VN remember Bob was just of oxygen, so arrived with panting cat, vet looked at Bob asked me what was wrong with him (our vet had called to let them no we were on our way) shook his head and said I dont know whats up with him but i'll put him back on oxygen, blah blah call us at 5pm

When i called them at 5 they told me to come pick Bob up as he was breathing ok now and he would prob be better at home. Got Bob and a big bill, they had gave Bob the same injections and stuff our normal vet gave and charged us nearly £150 (normal vet bill was £60).

End result was after going to vets back and forward like a yoyo for 3 days Bob passed away and we still dont know what was wrong with him.

Sorry about the rant.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2007, 07:47:40 AM »

REading Gills post makes me feel a bit glad about my emergency vets - they dont send your cat home at 8am!! It is a vets in its own right, and other vets pay to use their out of hours service, so there is at least a vet and a VN there 24/7, they will keep your cat there as long as needed (when I had to pick Pebbles up, I Was told I Could turn up whatever time was best for me, if I wanted to leave it till 9pm I Could) and they take calls anytime of the day.

alisonandarchie · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2007, 22:59:47 PM »

I agree with your sentiments about out of hours service. After Archie's first op. in April his breathing was erratic and we had to wisk him off to the out of hours vet at 11'oclock at night. It cost us £125 when really he should have been seen by the vet from our practise for a lot less as it was a post op problem. It also seems that Saturday morning surery has ceased another thing that makes me really cross.

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2007, 22:48:31 PM »

My vet uses MediVet and I am dreading ever having to use them out of hours again.

I want to speak to Caroline about possibly using the the surgery she does one day a week clinic out of (she does home vists the rest of the time) as they have Lexy's medical records there as its same place where Caroline had Lexy's surgeries done. They have an all night nurse at the clinic and an emergency on call vet from the practice.

It may not be perfect but I really would prefer to take Lexy there first if I have to. I refuse to have her treated by anyone other than the vets who know her. There is nothing to say they would refuse to treat Lexy, but which vet in their right mind will refuse to treat an animal in need?

All I know is when Lexy had her surgeries and I was unsure how she was doing as she kept getting to her wound even with the collar, my vet went on a long weekend away and I had to call MediVet. The chap was very nice but all he said was "we're here until 5pm so if you want to bring her round we can have a look"... this was at 4:45pm... I was not impressed. Surely if they are on call they are on call for the emergencies? In the end I called the clinic where the surgery was done and the nurse talked me through what was needed and reassured me that if things got too much I could bring her in for a dressing change (as Lexy kept eating hers!)

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2007, 22:22:11 PM »

That seems to me to be the worst aspect of emergency vets - having to transfer your pet to the normal vet the next morning no matter how sick they are. And what happens then? If the animal needs to stay at the vets there will be no out of hours care at the regular vets - do you have to take them back to the emergency vet? Or leave them with the regular vet but with no-one keeping an eye on them? I feel so lucky that my emergency and regular vets are one and the same.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2007, 21:26:14 PM »

Well except for the farm animal vets who are useless with cats, all others are using Vets Now and the nearest one is in Swansea so 25 miles there and back and they cannot keep animals in past 0800 so drips and treatment then has top be stopped and you have to move your very sick cat to normal vets........I know the horriffic drill cos it killed Kocka

I have a great vet now but he also uses this service and maybe would take more care when the cat is transferred back to him.

However Vets Now seem to use PDSA premises and have to vacate them and all animals have to move at 0800 and this in my opinion is not proper care for very sick animals.

One is also at the mercy of the vets they are using, I was lucky in the vet was very good but she could not take on Kockas care cos it was 0400 in the morning and we had an hour trip each way. Also when I originally rang at about 2230 the night before I could not talk to the vet , who after meeting her would have said bring Kocka now, the VN was completely useless and convinced me to leave it and after 3 phone calls I decided that I would have to wake someone to drive me there cos I didnt have transport then.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2007, 20:43:50 PM »

I dislike having to use emergency vets, mine are about a 20-30 min drive away, and charge £70.50 just for seeing them - if you are referred from your own vet cos it is say, a Saturday and they can't do what they need, you pay half of that - but have already paid the £15-£20 (depending on what level of consultation charge you are at) at your own vets, as I found out the hard way last year, I ended up paying £55 in consultation fees for PEbbles!! It is a different vet, I dont know how much access to your records they have, as I have been twice but due to my vet not being able to do things on a Sat, so they had faxed over her records first. And they only have one vet on at night too, so no home visits. I didn't really rate them when Pebbles was there both times last year, the first time he told me she would have no more probs with that leg, she was back hours later, and weeks later had that leg amputated, I could clearly see the issues on the last x-ray done, and I had never seen a leg x-ray before. Asking at vets would make no difference in my area, the emergency vets cover about 10 in more than one town, there is only one vet in my area who dont use them, and apparently they use one even further away. Advice over the phone wise, they are good, and you ring the clinic directly, there has always been either a vet or a vet nurse available when I have had to ring up.

Dawn (DiddyDawn) · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2007, 20:15:33 PM »

I'm so glad I don't have this problem with either of the surgeries I use........mine charge pretty much the same as they do in the day, in my own experience anyway. I would rather see a vet that I know and who knows my animals than one I've never met before. I do think the prices that are charged for emergency call outs need to be addressed as it does put owners off calling them when it's really necessary, and in a lot of cases, waiting til morning can be too late

Millys Mum · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2007, 20:07:05 PM »

I think its good to have different vets at night, you could imagine the state of your regular vet if hes done a week of 14 hour days and been oncall all night.

But the coverage is poor for many, no probs for me as only the other side of town, 15 mins at night when no traffic.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2007, 18:26:23 PM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on July 05, 2007, 18:09:05 PM

Oh yes, £110 just to be seen!

Blimey - that's a lot! It's about £70 to be seen at my vets. I do think it's inevitable that it will cost a fair bit more to be seen out of hours, but I don't mind because my out of hours vet care is excellent. I've only used it once (apart from a couple of phone calls when the vet has been very helpful over the phone and set my mind at rest without seeing me) but the care given was second to none. I really don't know whether my vets provide their own out of hours care or whether they provide emergency care for other practices in the area too. When you ring you do get through to what sounds like a call centre (not the vet) who takes details and gets the vet to ring you back. But the service is provided at my own vets and by my own vets. I didn't ask about any of this when I joined the practice so guess I've been very lucky. One of the reasons I stay where I am, despite the fact that I never have my own regular vet due to general practice being carried out by a series of interns, is the great emergency care and the fact that specialists and specialist equipment are on the premises. One of the things that made me feel a bit better about Magpie dying is that he was seen by 3 different vets that evening (the vet who was on duty, a colleague and then the senior partner who came in especially to see him at the request of the first vet) and I know that everything possible was done for him.

I do agree that it's best if vets can provide their own out of hours care for a whole load of reason, but I guess that's not practical for small practices as they don't have the staff. I'm not sure what the proportion of practices that provide their own care is - anyone any ideas? It does seem to be the large, national emergency vet services that get the most critisisms. I suppose one thing to do is to ask about this sort of thing when you look for a vet (don't know about anyone else but that kind of thing didn't occur to me. I didn't have a car then either so travelling to a different emergency vet might have been difficult) and vote with our feet thereby making it clear to vets we prefer emergency cover to be provided by our own vets. Also, although it sounds obvious, it's important to let your vet know that you're not happy with the out of hours cover they are providing. If enough people complain they might change who they use or start providing their own cover.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2007, 18:09:05 PM »

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do u think they hear cash registar chinging when they see us

Oh yes, £110 just to be seen!

Ralph's mum (angie) · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2007, 16:26:08 PM »

ditto makes u angry dont it

do u think they hear cash registar chinging when they see us

u off doesnt it

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2007, 16:21:20 PM »

This is a subject dear to my heart, well it makes me very angry

We are being forced to pay a fortune and often travel a long way to see an emergency vet and we only do it cos our furry friends are in big trouble.

Having just read about Polly and the reaction from the emergency vet, reinforces my view that normal vets need to start running their own emergency service again cos how many of these expensive emergency vets actually help our cats?

Sorrry rant over but this makes me so angry cos we need someone to help not say PTS cos its easiest for them.

Author Topic: Emergency Vets (Read 4521 times)