When ringing for results, it is best if you ring in the afternoon after 3:00pm. In most cases, the receptionists can not give you the results over the telephone, this is because your vet usually needs to discuss not only the results, but also their significance, with you personally.

In most cases, your vet will give you an indication of when the results will be available when the samples are collected.

We can arrange home visits where necessary and if a veterinary surgeon is available. Usually, however, treatment is more easily and effectively carried out at the clinic - where the correct equipment and staff are on hand. This is especially true in emergencies such as road accidents, when prompt hospitalisation is essential and could be life saving.

Most drugs used for the treatment of animals are covered by strict legal controls over their use and can only be prescribed following a clinical examination.

In some cases, repeat prescriptions may be given but only with the consent of a veterinary surgeon within the practice who has sufficient knowledge of the animal's clinical history. In all cases, we must examine the patient at least every six months. Some conditions may require more regular examinations. The purpose of these re-examinations is to ensure that the medication is working properly, that the animal being treated is not suffering any side effects and that the animal's health is not deteriorating unnoticed.

In order to avoid unnecessary journeys and possible long waits when you arrive, we strongly advise clients to order repeat prescriptions at least 24 hours in advance.

It is also possible to request a written prescription, which will enable you to purchase your pet's medication elsewhere, i.e. from an internet pharmacy. The production of a written prescription is a professional service, for which a fee is charged.

Fees can mount up for complex surgery or long periods of treatment. We strongly recommend that all our clients take out pet insurance, which will help to pay for veterinary fees if your pet is injured or becomes ill. Many pet insurance policies also offer other related cover, for example third party insurance, loss or theft etc. The cost per week is far less than the cost of feeding your pet and, ideally, insurance should be taken out early in your pet's life. Cover is usually possible throughout a pet's life but insurance companies are reluctant to take on elderly pets that were previously uninsured. If you have to make a claim, the insurance company will usually expect you to pay for some of the veterinary fees, this is known as the excess charge and will vary from policy to policy. Some companies now offer reductions for multi-pet households.

Our endeavour is to provide the best possible standard of care for all our patients, insured or not. Realistically, however, we appreciate that this can be expensive and that it can be traumatic for all concerned when a pet's health is compromised by financial considerations. We sincerely believe that pet health insurance makes very good sense and does offer value for money.

Although we are not directly involved in the selling of insurance, proposal leaflets are available at reception. We are not allowed to offer specific advice about choice of policy, we may only promote the principle of pet insurance. We are not allowed to fill in proposal documents on behalf of clients, or fill in the client's part of a claim form, or to intercede with the insurance company on a client’s behalf. We are allowed to provide further information if it is requested by the insurance company.

Health care for animals requires a similar level of training, skill and hygiene as for humans. In addition to the normal costs of running a business, the costs of training and new equipment, as well as drugs, are extremely high. The diagnostic procedures and treatments available today are far more advanced than they were even a few years ago, but they are not cheap.

The level of service we provide can only be maintained by charging realistic fees.

In order to keep administrative costs under control, we must insist that all fees are paid at the time of consultations or visits or, in the case of a pet requiring in-patient treatment, at the time it is collected. Before expensive surgery is undertaken, you may be asked for a deposit when your pet is admitted.

Please feel free to ask for an estimate of the costs for any procedure we have recommended for your pet. We are very happy to do this for you, but please remember that it is not always possible to foresee the exact nature and extent of the treatment required before it has been completed. All our estimates include VAT, which is chargeable on all services and drugs.

We are happy to accept cash, most debit cards and most types of credit card.

See a list of some of our prices here.