Mercer & Hughes – Vets in Saffron Walden
Clinic Overview
- Many owners praise the team for being friendly, kind, and caring, with several describing excellent customer service and good treatment. - Speed and responsiveness come through strongly, including short-notice appointments, quick assessment of injured pets, and same-day surgery and discharge. - Reviews also highlight compassion in difficult moments, including euthanasia support and a condolence card sent after a pet’s passing.
Mercer & Hughes is a veterinary practice in Saffron Walden that also operates as a veterinary nurse training facility. It appears well set up for urgent cases, with reviews describing pets being seen quickly, fitted in at short notice, and in one case assessed, sent for surgery, and home the same day. Overall feedback is mixed but leans positive, with many owners praising the team’s kindness and responsiveness, while a smaller number raise concerns about professionalism, communication, and clinical judgement.
Services
- •Urgent and emergency care: Clinic information lists emergency/urgent care, and recent reviews describe pets being seen quickly, fitted in at short notice, and one very unwell dog being carried straight in from the car park by a vet.
- •Surgery and follow-up: Reviews mention a pet being assessed, sent for surgery, discharged the same day, and brought back for a return check-up.
- •Diagnostics and sampling: Reviews refer to samples being taken, though one owner was unhappy about the cost and the lack of clarity on when results would be available.
- •Ongoing condition management: One owner describes repeat visits for a dog’s ongoing allergy, with plenty of information provided and no pressure to buy products.
- •End-of-life care: Several reviews mention support when pets were put to sleep, including compassionate handling and a condolence card afterwards.
Pricing
A very limited amount of published pricing suggests the clinic may sit below average on price, but this is based on very few comparable services. Review comments on cost are mixed: some owners describe prices as reasonable, while others mention high charges for sampling or a significant bill after a consultation they were unhappy with.
People
- •Catherine (vet): Praised for being kind and helpful, giving lots of information, and not pushing products.
- •Reception team: Recent feedback is mixed, with some owners describing receptionists as friendly and helpful, while another reports a rude and unprofessional experience.
- •Wider clinical team: Reviews speak warmly about the vets, nurses, and staff more generally, especially around urgent treatment and end-of-life support.
- •Unidentified male vet: One owner specifically recalls a vet rushing out to meet a very unwell dog arriving by car, wrapping it in a blanket and carrying it straight inside.
Reviews
Mercer & Hughes has a 4.5-star Google rating from 200 reviews. Recent written feedback is mostly positive, with a smaller number of detailed complaints.
- •Many owners praise the team for being friendly, kind, and caring, with several describing excellent customer service and good treatment.
- •Speed and responsiveness come through strongly, including short-notice appointments, quick assessment of injured pets, and same-day surgery and discharge.
- •Reviews also highlight compassion in difficult moments, including euthanasia support and a condolence card sent after a pet’s passing.
- •The main criticisms focus on communication and clinical confidence, including reports of not seeing the requested vet, feeling a pet was not fully examined, concerns about a missed diagnosis, and dissatisfaction with charges and the handling of test results.
