Emergency Vets in Maidstone

## Summary Maidstone Vets4Pets Ltd is part of the Vets4Pets group (not an independent clinic). Based on the information available, it appears set up for routine and ongoing pet healthcare (including a paid plan that covers preventative care) as well as some day-admission procedures and end-of-life care. Owners repeatedly mention vets taking time to explain options and answer questions, and there are several specific examples of aftercare/compassion touches—such as sending a sympathy card and “forget-me-not” seeds after a pet was put to sleep. Reviews also include a couple of serious complaints: one about being advised to put a stray cat back outside rather than bring it in, and another about an admin error with a care plan that delayed access to an included blood test. ## Services - **Preventative care plan**: A “companion plan” is mentioned by one long-term client, including flea treatment, worming, and vaccinations for the year, plus an annual free health check and a discount on treatment (details under Pricing). - **Procedures with day admission**: One owner describes their pet being “admitted for a day for a procedure.” - **Spaying**: Specifically mentioned in a long-term review (“She was spayed here years ago”). - **Kidney disease monitoring**: One review discusses booking blood tests for a cat with kidney disease via a care plan (the complaint focuses on plan/admin rather than clinical care). - **Pain management medication**: One owner notes pain medicine was prescribed and dispensed. - **Euthanasia and bereavement support**: Multiple reviews describe end-of-life appointments, being given time with the pet afterwards, and sympathy cards sent later. - **Veterinary nurse training facility**: Listed in the structured clinic data. ## Pricing - **Complete Care Plus plan (as described by a reviewer)**: included “one free” blood test and “one for **£45**” (the review describes a dispute about being put on the wrong plan and being unable to access the free test until corrected). - **Emergency-vet quote comparison (from a reviewer)**: one owner says emergency vets elsewhere were asking for “**£600+**” for euthanasia, and they spent less at this practice (the amount paid here isn’t stated). - **Companion plan (as described by a reviewer; no price stated)**: includes flea and worm treatment and vaccinations for the year, **10% off treatment**, and **one free health check per year**. ## People - **Jason (reception)**: One long-term client says their dog “looked forward to meeting Jason and getting a treat from reception.” - **Vets (not named)**: Across multiple reviews, owners describe vets answering questions, being “informative,” and taking time to talk through different options—one example mentions a vet reassuring the owner they’d made the right decision during euthanasia and arranging payment privately in the room. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 586 reviews.** **“Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.”** - Owners often mention **clear explanations and willingness to answer questions**, including discussing options rather than rushing decisions. - Several reviews highlight **end-of-life care and follow-up gestures**, including being given time after a pet passed, handling payment privately to maintain privacy, and sending sympathy cards (one mentions a card with forget-me-not seeds). - Some owners describe **good handling of pets at the visit**, including pets seeming comfortable coming in. - A minority of reviews raise **serious concerns about judgment/admin**: - one reviewer alleges they were told to “dump” a stray kitten back outside rather than bring it in; - another describes a **care-plan setup error** that (according to them) prevented an included blood test from being used promptly and reports difficulty getting a manager call-back.

## Summary Pennard Vets Maidstone describes itself as an **independent, employee-owned** practice, with **Stress-free and Positive Pet accreditation**. The website also states they **handle their own out-of-hours work** so clients “always see a familiar face,” and they support **online booking and virtual consults** (via PetsApp). Recent reviews most often point to **calm, confidence-building handling** (dogs that are happy to come in despite needing treatment) and **flexibility when plans change** (being fitted in after a booking mix‑up, or being seen after arriving without an appointment). One recent review strongly disagrees with this picture, alleging a **missed urgent illness in a cat** and that tests were not treated as urgent. ## Services Based on the clinic website summary and the latest reviews, services/capabilities mentioned include: - **Out-of-hours care handled by the practice** (website statement). - **Emergency/urgent assessments**, including being seen after arriving **without an appointment** (review). - **Virtual consults and online booking** (website statement). - **Pet Health Club** membership that includes **unlimited consultations** (website statement). - **Routine preventive care**, including: - **Vaccinations** (first puppy vaccination mentioned). - **Regular weigh-ins** and ongoing **flea and worm treatment** as part of a health plan (review). - **Anal gland treatment** (review). - **Rabbit care** (multiple bunnies seen; review). - **Palliative care** is referenced in the clinic’s own website testimonial content. Also listed in the provided clinic data: - **Veterinary Nurse Training facility** - **Emergency veterinary services (24/7 or extended hours)** ## People - **Reception team, vets, and nurses** are repeatedly described in reviews as **welcoming and calm**, with owners highlighting pets becoming more comfortable attending the clinic over time (e.g., a dog that “loves to visit” even after visits that could have made him wary). - One owner described a clinician who examined their dog **thoroughly**, **spoke softly**, and helped settle the dog quickly during an urgent visit (review). - The clinic’s website testimonial content mentions **“Amanda”** being particularly popular with a dog who is “excited to visit” when due to see her. ## Reviews **4.8 stars from 412 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - **Calm handling that reduces pet stress:** owners describe dogs being put at ease quickly and even becoming keen to visit. - **Flexibility and fitting people in:** being seen after arriving without an appointment; accommodating a booking mix-up; rescheduling to later the same day without complaints. - **Clear explanations and updates:** one puppy owner noted in-depth explanations; another appreciated **picture updates** while their dog was in the clinic. - **Breadth of pets seen:** dogs, cats, and **rabbits** are all mentioned in recent reviews. - **A notable negative clinical experience:** one 1‑star review alleges a vet **didn’t recognise the severity** of a cat’s illness and didn’t advise urgent hospital care; the owner reports the cat deteriorated within days and was euthanised.

## Summary Trinity Vet Centre is set up for a broad mix of pets, with multiple reviews describing care for “exotics” alongside cats—including rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, tortoises and a cockatiel. It’s also listed as a **Veterinary Nurse Training facility** and as offering **emergency veterinary services (24/7 or extended hours)**. Owners most often describe **hands-on problem solving over multiple visits**, such as a rabbit infection managed with “strong antibiotics and cream” over several months with a good outcome. Reception and clinical teams are repeatedly mentioned for **taking time to explain next steps** (for example, guidance “going forward” for a cockatiel). There are also significant negatives in the available reviews: one owner describes a guinea pig dying during anaesthesia for dental work, and another describes being told shortly before an appointment that an alternative vaccine could not be sourced and being advised to find a different practice. ## Services Based on the structured clinic data and the latest reviews, services mentioned include: - **Emergency veterinary services** (listed as 24/7 or extended hours). - **Veterinary Nurse Training facility** (listed). - **Exotics and small mammal care**: ferrets, chinchillas, guinea pigs, rabbits, tortoises. - **Bird care**: cockatiel advice/treatment mentioned. - **Cat care**, including vaccination appointments and follow-up for vaccine reaction concerns (discussion of sourcing an alternative vaccine is described). - **Rabbit infection treatment**: repeated appointments with “strong antibiotics and cream” reported. - **Dental work for guinea pigs**: one review describes dental treatment involving **general anaesthesia** and an overnight stay (with a reported anaesthetic complication). ## Pricing - One owner reports being quoted/charged **£150 for guinea pig dental work**, and says the practice offered to **halve the charge** after the pet died due to an anaesthetic complication. (No wider price list is mentioned in the available information.) ## People - **Mark** (role not explicitly stated, but described as the clinician treating a rabbit): credited by an owner with quickly recognising what to do for a severe rabbit infection, and continuing treatment over “a few months of many appointments” leading to recovery. - **Reception team**: repeatedly described as friendly/helpful on phone and in person (for example, taking time to speak with owners and provide information on next steps). - A **female vet** (not named) is described by one owner as using a “special scope” to identify a guinea pig dental problem during an exam. ## Reviews **4.7 stars from 717 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - **Exotics are a major draw**: multiple owners mention bringing chinchillas, ferrets, guinea pigs, tortoises and birds specifically to be seen here. - **Time and explanations**: owners describe being given time to talk and getting “helpful information on going forward,” especially in exotics cases. - **Longer treatment courses are described** (not just one-off visits): e.g., a rabbit infection managed across months with repeated appointments and medication. - **Service consistency concerns**: one long-term client reports “very mixed” recent experiences and describes being told shortly before an appointment that an alternative vaccine couldn’t be sourced, with the suggested solution being to “call around for a new vets.” - **A serious adverse outcome is described**: one owner reports their guinea pig died from an anaesthetic complication during dental work and felt risks were not adequately discussed.

## Summary Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic is an equine-focused practice with a hospital setting used for cases like colic admissions and diagnostic workups (bone scans are specifically mentioned). It also states it offers emergency veterinary services and is a veterinary nurse training facility. From the latest reviews available, owners most often describe: - **Colic management that escalates to hospital care when needed** (one owner describes two vet visits at home before deciding to admit, followed by a 5‑day stay and phone calls afterwards). - **Detailed, unhurried explanations of options and findings** (including talking owners through choices during an emergency and explaining findings while still at the clinic). - **Regular updates during inpatient stays**, including **daily calls** during a bone-scan admission. - **Practical support around stressful situations**, such as help with **insurance claim forms** and even **help loading a horse onto a trailer** on discharge. ## Services - **Emergency veterinary services** (stated by the clinic; reviews describe rapid reassurance by reception and a vet attending an emergency call-out). - **Colic assessment and hospitalisation** (reviews describe colic visits, admission to the hospital, and several days of inpatient care). - **Hospital/inpatient care** (a 5‑day stay described; owners mention ongoing monitoring and follow-up phone calls). - **Diagnostic imaging: bone scans** (one owner describes an inpatient stay for bone scans and receiving results quickly). - **Sedation and pain relief** (used during an emergency rescue situation to keep a horse calm and comfortable while being monitored over several hours). - **Coordination with external services in an emergency** (review describes the vet calling fire and rescue during a horse-extrication incident). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (stated in the clinic data). ## People - **James (vet)**: mentioned for calm, detailed communication during a colic episode, including visiting twice before hospital admission and talking the owner through everything “in as much detail as needed.” - **Ceri**: mentioned for taking time to talk through options during hospital treatment for colic. - **Liv**: mentioned as part of the hospital team during colic treatment; one owner noticed small handling details (stroking the horse and tidying/plaiting loose mane) that helped them feel at ease during an emergency. - **Amy**: described attending an emergency quickly, assessing the situation, arranging additional help, and monitoring a horse for hours with sedation and painkillers during a rescue. - **Reception team**: mentioned for reassuring owners during emergencies, explaining processes clearly (including insurance claim paperwork), and generally being helpful during visits. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 197 reviews.** **Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.** - **Emergency response and crisis handling**: examples include a vet attending an urgent call-out quickly, keeping a horse comfortable for hours during a rescue, and hospital-based treatment that an owner says saved their horse. - **Communication that owners can follow under stress**: multiple reviews describe staff explaining findings and options clearly, with time for questions, plus follow-up phone contact beyond the immediate visit. - **Inpatient updates and continuity**: daily calls during a bone-scan stay are specifically mentioned, along with quick turnaround on results. - **Cost and “what happens next” clarity**: one owner says they were kept well-informed about costs during colic treatment; another mentions help navigating insurance claim forms. - **Facility and visit experience details**: reviews mention “superb facilities,” being seen in a timely manner, and being offered refreshments while waiting.

## Summary Equicall South Eastern Regional Hub is an equine-only service set up in October 2018 by two equine vets, Ian Bellis and James Hopkins. Based on the clinic’s own description, it is focused specifically on providing out-of-hours equine veterinary cover (rather than routine daytime work), positioning it for urgent and emergency horse care outside standard hours. ## Services - Out-of-hours equine veterinary care (described as an “out of hours business for equine veterinary services”). - Emergency/out-of-hours cover for horses (no further details on scope—e.g., call-out vs. hospitalisation—are stated in the available information). ## People - **Ian Bellis** (equine vet; co-founder): Named on the clinic website as one of the two vets who set up Equicall in October 2018. - **James Hopkins** (equine vet; co-founder): Named on the clinic website as the other co-founder, involved in researching and developing the out-of-hours service model over several years.