Dog & Cat Vets in Wickford

## Summary Medivet Wickford is part of the Medivet group and is led by partner and Veterinary Surgeon **Susanne Schoch**. The practice offers **15‑minute consultations**, has **in-house imaging (ultrasound and X‑rays)** plus an **in-house laboratory**, and treats a range of species including **cats, dogs, rabbits, poultry and small mammals**. Recent reviews repeatedly describe staff taking time with **nervous pets** (including offering **multiple treatment options** rather than a single plan), keeping owners **fully updated during investigations like scans**, and **accommodating extra visits** to reduce a pet’s stress. ## Services Based on the website summary and recent review details, the practice offers: - **Consultations:** 15‑minute consultations; online booking is mentioned in reviews. - **Diagnostics & facilities:** in-house laboratory, **ultrasound**, **X‑rays** (a review specifically mentions a pet being taken for a **scan**, with updates given during the process). - **Preventive care:** vaccinations, parasite care, microchipping. - **Surgery/procedures:** pet neutering; dentistry. - **Nurse support:** nurse clinics. - **Complementary treatment:** acupuncture. - **Home visits** (listed on the website). - **Out-of-hours care:** provided by **Medivet 24 Hour Southend**. The website states an **out-of-hours consult fee of £130**, with **no charge for assessment by phone**. - **Medication disposal:** the website asks clients to **return unused medications** for safe disposal. - **Training:** listed as a **Veterinary Nurse Training facility**. ## Pricing - **Out-of-hours consult fee:** **£130** (website). - **Phone assessment (out of hours):** **no charge** (website). ## People - **Susanne Schoch (Veterinary Surgeon, partner)** – named on the clinic website as leading the practice. - **Rita (vet)** – mentioned in reviews as providing examinations, medication, and clear guidance (e.g., checking a dog over, dispensing medication, advising rest; keeping an owner updated during a scan). - **Mollie (staff member who took a pet for a scan)** – named in a review for handling the scan process and supporting a stressed pet. - **Reception/administrative team** – repeatedly described in reviews as helpful with booking and welcoming on arrival. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.8 stars from 232 reviews.** “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - Owners frequently mention staff being **gentle with timid or frightened dogs**, and taking time to reduce stress (including **accommodating additional visits** to help a pet cope). - Several reviews describe **clear communication**, including being **kept fully updated** during diagnostics and being offered **multiple treatment options** to choose from. - Front-desk interactions come up often: **helpful reception staff** and smooth **online appointment booking** are specifically mentioned.

## Summary South Beech Veterinary Surgery is a small-animal practice established in 1973 and listed as an **RCVS General Practice**. It treats dogs, cats and small pets (including rabbits and guinea pigs), with **in-house diagnostics** such as an **in-house lab, ultrasound and X‑ray**. The clinic states that **out-of-hours emergency consultations are provided by Earls Hall Veterinary Group**. From the latest reviews available, owners often mention **same-day appointments for sick pets**, and **clear, unrushed explanations** around procedures (including discharge discussions). Reviews also include specific positives about **neutering and hernia repair**, alongside criticisms about **pricing for annual boosters** and one account of a **disputed surgical decision** (not removing problematic dew claws at the time of spay, leading to a second operation elsewhere). ## Services Based on the clinic website and reviews, services mentioned include: - **Consultations** (including same-day appointments mentioned in reviews for an unwell cat) - **Vaccinations** (annual booster mentioned in reviews) - **Neutering/spaying** (praised in a review; another review describes concerns about a spay-related decision) - **Soft-tissue surgery** (hernia repair mentioned in a review; “Surgery” listed on the website) - **Dentistry** - **Diagnostic tests & imaging** (website lists diagnostics; facilities include **X‑ray** and **ultrasound**) - **Microchipping** - **Nurse clinics** - **Parasite control** - **Acupuncture** - **Blood pressure checks** - **Grooming & nail clipping** - **Six-month health checks** - **Anal sac expression** - **Pet travel documentation (GB)** - **Home visits** - **Emergencies & out-of-hours**: emergency support during normal hours (via the practice); out-of-hours emergency consultations provided by **Earls Hall Veterinary Group** (per the website) ## Pricing - One reviewer reports an **annual booster vaccination cost of £92**, stating this was **without kennel cough**. - One reviewer reports needing to pay **£330** for a second procedure (dew claw removal under anaesthesia) after they say it wasn’t done at the time of spay. ## People - **Lulu (vet)** is named in one review; the owner says she was “brilliant” with their dog. - Multiple reviews comment on the wider team’s role in care delivery, including **reception** and a **discharge nurse**, with one neutering/hernia-repair review noting the procedure was **carefully explained** and “nothing was rushed.” ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.6 stars from 156 reviews.** **Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.** - **Clear explanations and communication around procedures:** a neutering + hernia repair review describes careful explanation and an unrushed process, including discharge support. - **Access and appointment handling:** one owner mentions **disabled access** being helpful; another describes getting **same-day appointments** when their cat was sick. - **Handling nervous pets:** one review specifically mentions good handling of a **very anxious cat**. - **Cost concerns:** one long-term client reports being “horrified” by the price of an **annual booster (£92, excluding kennel cough)** and says they plan to switch. - **Clinical decision dispute:** one owner describes asking for **removal of curled, problematic dew claws during a spay**, saying the vet refused and that their dog later needed a second operation elsewhere; this is presented as poor advice/care by the reviewer.

## Summary Cherrydown Vets Ltd is a small-animal veterinary practice whose website notes additional facilities beyond the main clinic, and directs clients needing urgent care outside normal opening hours to Vets4Pets. Reviews describe a clinic used for routine care (check-ups and vaccinations) as well as urgent appointments and end-of-life care, with several owners mentioning staff checking in and making sure pets were OK after appointments. A minority of reviews raise practical frustrations such as difficulty getting appointments at short notice and problems with signage/parking access; one review describes being turned away after arriving late for a vaccination appointment. ## Services Based on the website summary and the latest reviews available to us, owners specifically mention: - **Urgent appointments** (one reviewer says they were seen for an emergency and received medication in the same visit). - **Medication dispensing** (reported as provided during the appointment). - **Vaccinations** (a puppy vaccination appointment is specifically mentioned). - **Euthanasia at home** (one long-term client describes a cat being put to sleep at home with a vet and nurse present). - **Routine check-ups** (a reviewer notes the vet “keeps an educated eye” on their cats at check-ups). Out-of-hours: the clinic website says clients needing urgent care outside normal opening hours are directed to **Vets4Pets**. ## People - **Kevin**: Mentioned by a long-term client as leading the team, knowing the history of their cats, and actively monitoring them at check-ups. - **Sami** (and **a nurse**): Named in a review describing an at-home euthanasia; the owner highlights their attentiveness during the visit. - **Reception team**: Mentioned in multiple reviews—described as friendly, and one owner notes reception staff checked on them as they left after an emergency appointment. ## Reviews **4.6 stars from 79 reviews.** **“Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.”** - **Friendly, efficient visits**: several owners say they’re welcomed promptly; one notes their dog is happy to go in. - **Support during urgent care**: one review describes an emergency appointment handled quickly, with medication provided in the same visit and reception staff checking the pet was OK afterwards. - **End-of-life care mentioned positively**: one long-term client describes a calm, attentive at-home euthanasia for a cat. - **Access/appointment frustrations (mixed experiences)**: some mention recent changes making appointments harder to get, and there are complaints about signage/parking access; one reviewer describes being refused when they arrived late for a vaccination appointment and felt the response lacked compassion.