If you would like information on any of our products or services please feel free to contact us. Here is a summary of our services.
Housecalls
We also do housecalls/visits when essential. It is generally not possible for us to drop everything and attend, and housecalls are usually scheduled for the less busy times. In an emergency, it is invariably in the animals' best interest that they are brought to us, and not vica versa. We can recommend a veterinary ambulance if necessary.
Emergency Service
Outside normal hours there are the two Emergency Clinics. The numbers for these are given on our recorded messages when we are closed and details are in the Where We Are section. SLERC (South London Emergency Referral Clinic) is co-owned and funded by our practice and some 20 other local practices, and is open when we are not. The Elizabeth Street Veterinary Clinic is owned and run by 4 central London practices and provides 24 hour cover 365 days a year. As a client of my practice, you can use either service as and should the need arise.
Initial consultation fees are in the region of £100.00 and this may double after midnight. Although averages can be misleading, the average cost of a visit to the after hours clinic is about £300.00, with exceptional cases costing many thousands of pounds. All treatment must be paid for at the time. It is at these times that Pet Insurance comes into its own.
It will be the very rare case indeed that would justify a house call at night. In the vast majority of cases the hospitalised animals cannot be left, and in addition it is simply too dangerous for the staff.
In-Patients
The majority of patients are seen on an out-patient basis. This usually means that they are admitted in the morning and discharged the same day. On occasion, hospitalised animals stay in overnight. When it is a case of convenience - say for an operation the following day - or merely to allow further "quiet time" to ensure recovery from earlier procedures, the patients are fed and watered as appropriate and then bedded down for the night. They will then be undisturbed and not observed until 08.00 the next morning (although a qualified nurse lives on the premises). Sometimes an animal will require more regular monitoring, and the vet on duty will make a decision either to pop back several times over the evening or to refer the patient to one of the emergency services, assuming the patient can be moved.
The decision to move the patient is made in conjunction with you, the owner, and the transportation may be effected by you, or by Veterinary Ambulance arranged by us, or by the duty vet themselves. Patients at SLERC (see below) have to be returned to us in the morning. This is achieved using the veterinary ambulance.
What We Expect
We advise, and we take it as understood,
- That all dogs, cats, and rabbits are vaccinated as we advise. Generally for dogs and cats this is once a year, and for rabbits may be every 6 months.
- That all dogs and cats are wormed regularly. This depends on lifestyle, but will be monthly, quarterly, or biannually.
- That all dogs, cats, and rabbits that go outside are treated for fleas and other external parasites all year round on an on-going basis (using an effective and safe product).
- That all dogs and cats are microchipped.
Please let us know if in any way we are not meeting your expectations.