Best Vets in England

North Weald Veterinary Surgery is an RCVS-accredited small-animal practice with on-site surgical facilities and a stated 24-hour emergency service. Based on both the website and recent reviews, it appears set up for routine care (e.g., neutering, dental work, microchipping) as well as urgent stabilisation and referral when specialist care is needed. Reviewers repeatedly mention practical, decision-relevant touches such as an online booking system and the team helping during holiday periods when other practices were closed. One recent review describes the practice arranging urgent transfer for a critically unwell puppy and a vet accompanying the journey with a nurse to provide medication en route; there is also at least one very negative recent review (1 star) without written detail, so experiences may vary.

Robert Jones Vet Surgery is a small-animal practice established in the 1970s and operated as a trading name of CVS (UK) Limited. The clinic lists RCVS Core Standards accreditation and offers routine care plus procedures such as dentistry and surgery. From the latest reviews, owners most often describe: support during end-of-life care, getting appointments quickly in some cases, and helpful reception staff. A minority of reviews report the opposite—particularly concerns about being charged for a consultation when they felt no consult took place, and complaints about rudeness at reception and errors/omissions in pet records. Concrete examples mentioned include: - Reception arranging a visit “so quickly” for a first-time client with a sick cat. - Multiple owners describing staff support when a pet died or was euthanised. - A complaint about a £63 consultation fee where the reviewer says no examination/consultation happened. - A complaint about nail clipping causing bleeding, and issues with vaccination paperwork and microchip details not being recorded in emailed histories.

Castle Veterinary Group Limited is an independent practice that (per its website) has provided veterinary care for over 100 years and offers 24-hour veterinary care. From the latest reviews, owners most often mention being able to get help quickly—such as last‑minute emergency assistance for a cat and short‑notice appointments including over the Christmas period—as well as the team being patient with nervous dogs (including handling a dog that needed a muzzle). A small number of reviewers report concerns, including feeling pushed toward unnecessary treatments and finding the clinic “a little cold of emotion” during difficult visits.

Alma Veterinary Hospital offers routine and preventive care (including vaccinations and parasite protection) alongside procedures such as neutering (with keyhole surgery options) and dental care, and it treats a range of small pets including rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and hamsters as well as cats and dogs. The clinic also states it provides emergency vet services, and one review describes a dog being kept overnight under emergency care for acute pancreatitis after an almost-immediate appointment. Across the latest reviews, owners often mention clear explanations during consultations and a conservative approach in some cases (for example, rest and painkillers rather than moving straight to tests and x‑rays). Pricing and cost communication is a point of conflict: some reviewers say the practice doesn’t “rip you off,” while others describe not being informed of costs before additional procedures or being quoted a consultation fee higher than an RSPCA voucher.

Medivet 24 Hour Woodstock is part of the Medivet group and is set up for round-the-clock emergency and inpatient care, with 24-hour intensive care listed alongside on-site diagnostics (including an in-house laboratory, ultrasound and X‑rays). The practice is also an ISFM Silver Standard Cat‑Friendly Clinic, and it’s a veterinary nurse training facility. From the latest reviews available to us, owners repeatedly mention being seen quickly during out-of-hours periods (including on Christmas Day/Boxing Day), clear communication about costs and insurance during emergencies, and follow-up support after pets go home. One review describes a complex case involving a blood transfusion for IMHA (anaemia) in an older dog.

The Grove Veterinary Hospital & Clinics (MiNightVet) is part of CVS (cvsvets.com) and has been established since 1984. It operates as a veterinary hospital with on-site referral capabilities, including MRI and CT scanning, and runs a dedicated on-site emergency service (MiNightVet) with full-time night staff. Decision-relevant specifics owners mention include: - Being seen quickly for urgent problems (for example, an out-of-hours case seen within an hour; another urgent vomiting case seen within hours). - Clear discussions of treatment choices, including explaining options with costs attached (mentioned in an out-of-hours visit where a dog needed staples). - Managing significant medical cases with persistence (one owner describes vets being “thorough and determined” and “never gave up” in a serious illness case). - Some owners report the opposite experience: concerns about “massively inflated charges” and “unnecessary investigations” (including an X-ray under anaesthetic), and separate complaints about poor sensitivity around bereavement and handling of an anxious dog.

Clowne Vets4Pets Ltd is part of the Vets4Pets practice network (the website describes practices as “locally owned”). The clinic is set up for everyday pet care plus common procedures, with multiple reviews describing urgent same-day help, dental work, and support for nervous or reactive pets. It’s also listed as a Veterinary Nurse Training facility. Owners specifically mention: - Rapid triage for urgent ingestion: after a dog ate a whole panettone, the team advised coming straight in, involved a vet, and the dog was collected later the same day. - Dental care: teeth cleaning is explicitly mentioned, including looking after a nervous dog during the procedure. - Handling anxious/nervous pets: staff getting down on the floor, letting the dog approach in their own time, and offering to accommodate requests such as asking for a lady nurse/vet. - Continuity/recognition: reception remembering pets and previous visits, and knowing animals by name in the waiting area.

Hopwood Veterinary Centre offers routine care alongside in-house diagnostics and surgery, including radiography and ultrasound (per its website). It’s also listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. In the latest reviews available to us, owners most often describe supportive handling of difficult end‑of‑life visits (including helping families through euthanasia decisions) and being able to see urgent cases quickly (one review describes an emergency visit for a pet rat where they were “got… in right away”). The clinic’s out‑of‑hours emergency cover is provided by The Willows Veterinary Centre when the practice is closed (as stated on the website).

Lake View Veterinary Centre is a veterinary practice that offers emergency care (listed as 24/7 or extended-hours) and is a veterinary nurse training facility. Recent reviews describe the team handling urgent cases including diagnostics (X‑rays) and same-day surgery, with at least one owner saying their dog came home the same day and recovered well. Several reviews also mention practical, day-to-day touches such as online booking and a waiting area set up with pet items (toys/leads/collars) to help keep pets settled. Feedback is mixed for small mammals/exotics: one recent reviewer alleges poor handling and advice for a rabbit recovering from paralysis/stasis with a very serious outcome, and another review describes a difficult phone experience when trying to arrange a rat appointment and payment by phone.

Moy Vets Hambleton is part of the Moy Vets group (the website references multiple “our practices”) and is accredited as an RCVS Cat Friendly Clinic. Reviews suggest it handles everyday care (including vaccinations) as well as more serious situations: one owner describes an emergency appointment for a dog being arranged quickly, and another describes euthanasia with next‑day follow‑up and help dealing with pet insurance. Most recent feedback is strongly positive about being seen on time, clear explanations, and thorough examinations (including one case where a vet identified issues the owner “was not aware of”). However, one detailed 1‑star review alleges a cat was mistakenly given a dog vaccination, followed by poor communication at the time and a welfare check call only 7 days later—a sharp contrast to other reports of good communication and follow‑up.