Dog & Cat Vets in Heanor

## Summary Heanor Vets4Pets Ltd is part of the Vets4Pets group (the website describes practices as “locally owned”). Reviews and the limited website information available suggest a general small‑animal practice geared to routine care as well as urgent same‑day problems. Clinic-specific details owners mention include: - Same-day urgent appointments being offered when needed, with short waits to be called in. - Handling nervous or fearful pets gently (including a shy cat and a nervous rescue dog during “social visits” and a booster). - An injured cat being treated as an immediate emergency, with staff “dropping everything” and giving pain relief promptly. - Consultations described as thorough and unrushed, with multiple treatment options discussed (including options aligned to a budget). ## Services Services and capabilities referenced in the website snippet and/or reviews include: - General veterinary consultations (described as thorough and not rushed). - Urgent/same-day appointments for pets needing to be seen quickly (as reported by reviewers). - Vaccinations/boosters (a rescue dog receiving a booster “without a flinch”). - Support for anxious pets (gentle handling, efforts to minimise fear; “social visits” mentioned for a nervous rescue dog). - Immediate triage for serious injuries in a walk-in emergency scenario (prompt pain relief reported for a cat hit by a car). ## People - **Anne (vet)**: Mentioned by name in reviews. One owner who has used the practice since it opened describes her as compassionate; the same reviewer recalls urgent care where the team prioritised an injured cat and provided immediate pain relief. - **Wider team**: Multiple reviewers describe staff as polite, friendly, and reassuring, with responsiveness to follow-up questions via phone calls and emails. Several reviews highlight good communication and being offered options during consultations. ## Reviews **4.9 stars from 137 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - **Urgent care access and speed**: reports of same-day appointments when urgently needed, and not waiting long to be seen. - **Calm handling of nervous pets**: owners describe gentle, fear-minimising approaches for shy/fearful cats and nervous rescue dogs (including during boosters). - **Emergency responsiveness**: one detailed account says the team “dropped everything” to treat a severely injured cat and ensured immediate pain relief. - **Consultation style and communication**: unrushed appointments, listening to concerns, and follow-up support; one reviewer notes being offered different treatment options (with prices discussed, but no specific amounts given). - **Conflicting experience with a stray cat**: one 1‑star review alleges an injured stray cat was only fed and then sent away, interpreting this as care being influenced by lack of money, which contrasts with other reviews describing prompt emergency help for an injured cat.

## Summary Ambivet Veterinary Group is a veterinary practice that is also listed as a **veterinary nurse training facility**. Based on the latest reviews, it appears set up for both routine and complex ongoing care (including senior pets with multiple long-term conditions) and also fields **out-of-hours/emergency calls** (an “emergency vet on call” is mentioned by a reviewer). Decision-relevant specifics owners mention: - **Detailed explanations and reassurance during worrying illnesses** (one reviewer singles out *Ben* for taking time to explain a dog’s situation “in detail” and keeping them calm). - **Continuity with complex histories**: one owner says the team knew their cat’s long history (kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, recurring UTIs, high blood pressure) and were “patient” and “thorough” when vomiting recurred. - **Prompt appointments** are specifically praised in one review. - Pricing and payment expectations are a major point of conflict: several reviewers describe **very high bills or rapidly increasing quotes** and say **payment plans weren’t offered**, including during an out-of-hours emergency call. ## Services Services and situations referenced by owners include: - **Out-of-hours/emergency phone support** (an “emergency vet on call” is referenced; another review describes being passed between numbers during an emergency). - **Care for acutely unwell pets** (e.g., dog “sick,” cat “very poorly,” vomiting for a week). - **Management of chronic conditions in cats**, including kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, recurring UTIs, and high blood pressure (as described by an owner). - **Euthanasia** (one reviewer describes being charged nearly £500 for a cat to be put to sleep). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed in the clinic’s service/specialization data). ## Pricing Explicit amounts mentioned in reviews: - One owner reports being charged **nearly £500** for euthanasia of a cat. - An out-of-hours emergency caller says they were quoted **around £200**, then **£800**, then **over £1,000**, and was told it had to be paid ASAP and **could not be paid via a payment plan**. - Another long-term client also complains that the practice **couldn’t offer a payment plan**, even though their pets were insured and in the clinic’s “healthy pet club” (no club pricing is stated). ## People Named staff mentioned positively in the latest reviews: - **Ben**: praised for **explaining the situation in detail** during a dog’s illness and for helping owners stay calm. - **Jess, Josh, Emily**: described as “superstars” by a cat owner; the same review highlights the team being **patient and thorough** and familiar with a senior cat’s complex medical history. - **Reception staff** are also thanked in one review for helping reduce stress while dealing with senior, unwell pets. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.4 stars from 264 reviews.** “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - Multiple owners praise **clear explanations**, reassurance, and feeling supported during scary illnesses; one review also highlights **prompt appointments**. - Several reviews raise concerns about **high costs** and say the clinic **wouldn’t offer payment plans**, including one out-of-hours call where the quoted cost reportedly escalated quickly. - Owners’ experiences appear mixed: some describe staff as “helpful” and “nice,” while others describe feeling **stuck with large bills** or **unsupported when urgent care was needed and money wasn’t immediately available**.