Vets

jenny-wren

I can highly recommend Cedar Grove. They're on the Knock Dual Carriageway, on the left as you go from the end of the Ballygowan Road (where Domino's is) towards Forestside.

They have been brilliant with all our family pets providing great care, advice and service at a reasonable price. Our pets have been real members of the family so only the best will do!

Cedar Grove Veterinary Clinic
132 Upper Knockbreda Road
Belfast BT6
Tel. 028 9079 8457 / 9070 5777

nozzadamozza

Hi Everyone
I thought I would resurrect an old thread than make a new one but wanted some advice

Our Cat Inky had gingivitis on her teeth and had to go to the vets to get her teeth scaled- i asked how much they said £108

We collected her and they said they had to take a tooth out as well- which cost an extra £27

When we paid we noticed they also charged us for the injections she got for being anaethetised at £5.15

We took inky home and noticed she was raspy. I phoned the vets yesterday and they said that was normal and that it would clear up but they normally bring the cats back after a few days to see how they are- i said i presume thats part of the costs- no this consultation is an extra £28!

No whilst i dont really have the money to do this at the moment, I equally will pay as i dont want Inky being in discomfort- what has irked me is that for them to check she is ok after they operated on her, i have to pay, when in my opinion (maybe i am niaive) a quick check up should have been included in the price (a price by the way where they told me it was £108 but it kept creeping up)

I wont name the Vets but they are well considered on other threads- am i being unreasonable or mad?

Artytarty

No, you are not being unreasonable.
I go to Cedar grove with my lot. its expensive but you are paying for the knowledge and experience of the vets, not only the medication!
having said that any follow ups have always been included in the price.
I was there this morning!

nozzadamozza

thanks Artytarty- will see how she is at the weekend then book her in if necessary- i just dont want to pay money to be told yeah she fine, shes just recouperating!

Hubby and I arent very happy with the service to be honest- the vets was close by but seeing we have to pay for a check up on their work, i will go somewhere else for any further work (hopefully theres none!!)

travelling_light

I use Gortland and and pleased with it. However talking to another dog owner he recommended the City Vets - Ravenhill Road.... cheaper; handy; good hours; free puppy/behaviour classes were his reasons... anyone confirm/know of it? It has a web site apparently.

Artytarty

I have heard of them but have no knowledge of their expertise. This is one area where I want the best, not the cheapest!
If you needed a hip replacemant would you go to your GP or a newly qualified doctor or would you seek out an orthopaedic specialist?

suki1964

Paying the the injections is part and parcel, as is paying for the needles, bandages - everything that is used.

However I would think a follow up would be part and parcel of the initial cost

Give her 48hrs, no improvement then take her back but she should be fine. An anaesthetic can knock a pet for six for a while, my dog can take 48 hrs to come to fully

Nomad25

AFAIK many vets will charge [less than initial consultation] for a follow-up. Their experience/time/overhead has to be paid for.

Still think some of their costs are seriously scarey.

Vets within each practice can be so varied too -- from excellent to cr*p.

I would recomend that if you have time and opportunity, it is best to find out to whom most vets would refer pets to for specific problems [eyes, orthopaedics, heart problem, skin complaints, etc.] just as you might do for human disorders.

sparky40

Wooleysheep I think that if you go a little further out of the city you will find that country vets tend to be much much cheaper, now I can only go by my own experiances with my own dog.

Example, our dog was knocked down by a car on a sat night and the closest vets was earlswood, he was taken there and to cut a long story short on the Monday he was moved to our own vet which is one my mum uses for the farm animals outside Ballymena. There he had 2 xray's, 2 over night stays, was on a drip for a day, his chest drained twice, painkillers there and a course of tablets and pain killers home and all that was cheaper than my OH's parents dog going to Earlswood and getting a check up, ear drops and a course of antibiotics.

There was no question on the level of care before someone says there may have been a difference there! So I would def recommend 'shopping around'. Most places would have a set price for a general consult etc so it would give you an idea. Also insurance, if you dont have it and can afford it, its well worth the £10 - £15 a month, if we didnt have it we would have been shafted with a £1200 vets bill (£1030 odd was the one night stay at earlswood!!)

suki1964

Have to agree country vets are often a lot cheaper, The care is just as good but the vets tend not to spend an arm and leg on practice premises. Small animals are seen in what is really just a partition of the halway where I attend but the care is second to none