Emergency Vets in Saffron Walden

## Summary Mercer & Hughes is a veterinary practice that also operates as a veterinary nurse training facility (as listed in its clinic information). It appears set up to handle urgent cases: reviews describe pets being seen quickly, sent for surgery, and discharged the same day, and one owner noted a vet running out to meet an unwell dog arriving by car. Owners’ experiences are mixed. Many reviews mention kindness in difficult moments (including euthanasia support and sending a condolence card afterwards), while a small number describe problems with professionalism and clinical decisions—such as not seeing the vet they booked, feeling a dog wasn’t fully examined, and a missed diagnosis that was later corrected elsewhere. ## Services - **Emergency/urgent care** (listed in clinic information); reviews also mention being **seen quickly** and being fitted in at **short notice**. - **Surgery**: one review describes a pet being assessed, **sent for surgery**, and **home the same day**. - **Post-procedure follow-up**: a **return check-up** is mentioned in reviews. - **Diagnostic sampling/tests**: one review mentions being **charged to take a sample**, with concerns about lack of clarity on **when results would be available**. - **Ongoing condition management**: an owner mentions repeated visits for a dog’s **ongoing allergy**, with lots of information provided and no pressure to buy products. - **End-of-life care**: multiple reviews discuss pets being **put to sleep** and the clinic’s support around that. ## People - **Catherine (vet)**: mentioned by name as being “kind and helpful,” giving “lots of information,” and **not pushing products** (noted alongside an assistant). - **Reception team**: described very differently across reviews—some owners say receptionists are “friendly and helpful,” while one recent review calls the receptionist “rude and unprofessional.” - **Unidentified male vet**: one owner observed him **running out to meet a family arriving with a very unwell dog**, wrapping the dog in a blanket and carrying it straight inside. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.5 stars from 198 reviews.** “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - **Fast access when pets are unwell**, including being seen quickly and fitted in at short notice; one review describes surgery and discharge by closing time. - **Support during euthanasia** is repeatedly mentioned, including a **condolence card** sent afterwards. - **Clear explanations without sales pressure**: one owner with an allergy case says the vet gave lots of information and **didn’t push products**. - **Conflicting accounts on professionalism and clinical thoroughness**: some praise kindness and responsiveness, while others report not seeing the requested vet, feeling an exam was incomplete, concerns about **high charges for sampling**, and a **misdiagnosis** later corrected by another practice.