Recommend me a vet near Hexham

[Nudibranch]

I need a new vet in the Hexham area and wondered if anyone had any recommendations? My current practice is the "well known local equine one", shall I say, but I am not prepared to use them any more.

 

[minesadouble]

Well if you are talking about who I think you are talking about I still use them. We have a large livery yard (50+horses) near Sunderland so we tend to get a variety of vets visiting, none I've been HUGELY impressed with (not enough to make me want to change anyway) and a lot refer to B.F if necessary.

You have different 'catchment' area to me, but the only other vet I'm happy to use is Paul Proctor (ex B.F.) from Simply Horses. I think they cover Hexham but not certain.

 

[katastrophykat]

I wouldn't use Paul Proctor if you paid me... He has a few clients on my yard and aside from charging people a fortune for unnecessary treatments and exploratory work that wasn't needed, they messed up a PTS that lasted 20 mins... And allowed a lami case to drag on for a week and a half with the horse in agony until we threatened the owner with RSPCA as the poor thing had sores all over his sides from being prone in one position as he couldn't get up... That was the messed up PTS.

I use Phillip Jones- he competes himself, has a great base now at Stonechester and is always there when you need him- and understands what is needed to keep a working horse on the move... Works on prevention rather than cure. Suits me down to the ground.

I left Bearle when they totally messed up treatment and diagnosis on my mare, leading to her being PTS and their vet couldn't have had a worse attitude... The vet has since left but unless it was Alex coming out (I do rate him highly after helping me abort one twin at 26 days while managing to keep the 28 day twin viable, then helping at a rather eventful birth), I wouldn't touch them either.

Think you may have a few different answers here!

 

[katastrophykat]

Hello Minesadouble! Just had a nose and realised who you are

 

[orionstar]

I use Nick from Intake and have done for years, but I've also used Bearl when I put my mare in foal, and received great service from them, and the Vet nurses were fab with my mare at Scott Mitchell when she stayed there for her op.

 

[Lgd]

Alnorthumbria are supposed to be good. Friend of mine swears by them.

Like you would not use the practice you are avoiding!

I use Oaklands at Yarm, so rather the wrong direction for you.

 

[pinklilly]

I use Scott Mitchells, been with them for years.

 

[minesadouble]

Hello Minesadouble! Just had a nose and realised who you are

Hellooo Don't post that often on here but had noticed you and your boys

To the OP, basically you can listen to horror stories about every vet who is in practice!! You have to choose whose opinion YOU trust.

Every vet endorsed on this thread I have heard some horror story about, a close friend recently lost her treasured hunter due to the lax approach of one of them. I hate to mention names other than to endorse them so I'm not going to but what you have to bear in mind is that EVERYONE makes mistakes in their work, even me Luckily for most of us it is not a matter of life and death, but for vets and doctors/surgeons it is. But no one is infallible.

I personally love Jonathan Wainwright, I love the way he explains things in detail, his down to earth approach and the way he just 'tells it like it is, I also find him quite open to suggestion but I have heard other people say that they find him abrupt - I have to say this is the complete opposite of how I find him.

Katastrophy kat - Alex is my second fave now that George and Paul are no longer, sorry but no one can top Jonathan in my eyes

 

[katastrophykat]

Minesadouble is totally right- and I've used Jonathon in the past while I was still with Bearle and he was fine... I had problems with the young ones really, not the partners!

 

[beh]

Alnorthumbria

 

[Nudibranch]

Interesting views! I thought the young vets at Bearl were great, they've both been very attentive and put a lot of effort into what they did. I was with them for ten years. However when one of the senior partners recently messed up a PTS (I'm talking an hour and a half here, and could have been avoided but there was a catalogue of issues) and then would not accept any responsibility I felt I could no longer use them. I could not risk that again if he were on call. I paid the bill but a simple apology would have made all the difference.

Have changed to Intake, so hopefully things will be ok.