Tell me about your vet...

[RachelB]

I'm interested to know how long, on average, it takes for your vet to call you back to make an appointment, and then how long (again average) you have to wait for your appointment. We're talking NON EMERGENCY here.
I'm just wondering if my old vet practice was actually as useless as I thought they were or if they were just an average practice. It usually took them at least 24 hours to call me (I had to ring through reception to get hold of a vet, they were very reluctant to give out mobile numbers (which I can understand really)), then it would be at least a week until the appointment. It would then take them at least another week to do any paperwork regarding the appointment. I have just registered with another practice today (long story slightly connected to this one, but other factors involved) and was shocked when the receptionist booked me in for an appointment for Thursday morning - I had to clarify with her whether it was this week or next!
So anyway you've heard about my vet(s), now tell me about yours!
Oh, and I've made the poll multiple answers in case people have had more than one vet etc.

 

[Madam_max]

I phone, make the appt and they usually come the next day.

 

[Patches]

I've called my vet this morning to arrange a flu/tetanus jab and they can't come until Friday. I was a bit disappointed with that.

 

[hussar]

I'm registered with a practice with 4 equine vets so non-emergency appointments are made through a receptionist who can give you a slot within 24 hrs unless you want a particular vet - in which case you might have to wait a day or so.

 

[mollymurphy]

We phone and make the appointment there and then. If you phone at 9am, you can normally get an appointment that day. If not, then deffinately the next day.

That's just the routine vaccinations though - it can be a couple of days for things like vettings and other tests. But we've never had to wait longer than 4 days for an appointment.

 

[dixie]

The phone back depends on when I ring.

I know that they have surgery after 3pm but that if I ring first thing in the morning they always ring back soonish.

They usually come within a week unless I ask for an earlier appointment - depends on the reason why I want to see them really.

 

[RachelB]

Hmm so my old vet WAS useless then! Good job I now am registered with a smaller practice with a good idea of what customer care is!

 

[measles]

If I call before 10am one of the vets comes out the same day though if I wasn a specific vet then I need to call the day before.

Sorry, but your old practice sounds very poor..

 

[Chex]

The receptionist makes the appointment, so the vet doesn't have to call back. I can usually get an appointment in the next few days, but I tend to book a week in advance, just to make sure I can get the day and time that I want.

 

[Chills]

My vets are fab - I can make an appointment with the receptionist when I phone. Depending on diary I can have an appointment same day or next day, unless its for teeth rasping which again would only be within the week normally. I can always get hold of one of the vets on their mobile as well for advice over the phone - they are brill and can't recommend them enough to everyone I meet

 

[Rowreach]

I never go thru the receptionist cos all they know about is cows and sheep, i go direct to vet's mobile. He is brill and if I say it's non-urgent, it might be a few days, and if I say I need you NOW, he is there straight away. Very clued up at this time of year (foaling season), he takes no time off and is available 24/7. He is also great at ringing up a few days later to check all is well. I never used to like him much, preferred his female colleague, but she left to have babies and I've got used to him now!

 

[RachelB]

QR
I am honestly astonished at the amount of votes I have for those who are called back within half an hour. I am now VERY glad I changed vet and don't feel at all bad. I think if my old vet practice made appointments with the receptionist rather than directly through the vet (my new practice also does receptionist bookings which is SO much easier!) some of their problems would be solved. TBH the reason it took them so long was that the receptionist had to write it in "the book", and there the message stayed until the vet went in to collect their messages. It wasn't much quicker if I asked to have any vet (they have over 10 vets I think) ring me back, it still took at least a day. Crikey I can't believe I have been fobbed off with a a useless vet all this time! The only reason I registered with them was because they are the closest to the yard (eg. if there was an emergency and I needed to get my horse to the clinic pronto it would only take 20 mins with a trailer), but I'm now happy with the "yard vet" that is twice the distance away!
Sounds like some of you lot have some star vets too!

 

[dieseldog]

I phone up and they make the appointment then. If I want a particular vet I might have to wait a few days. But I have never phoned over anything urgent (touch wood)

 

[vanessahook]

I phone and speak to the equine nurse who makes the appointment there and then. I always speciy when i want the vet and as yet have always had the date and time i want. I also have the head vet's mobile number and can ring him anytime. My horse is on long term medication so when i need more medicine i give the vet a text and he gets it ready and i just pick it up! I love my vets!!

 

[vicijp]

My vet always comes that day, or day after. But then some weeks he is here 3 times! He never takes longer than 30 mins to ring back.
He sounds great but there is a catch, some things just arent that important to him when he is busy - it took him 6 weeks to remember the 'nutcrackers' once. He did do it 2 for the price of 1 though!

 

[airedale]

don't have to wait for vet to call back - there are 3 partners and I phone reception and get an appt. at my convenience - that day if I want although if I phone up and an emergency is there it may be the following day

vets always phone to say they are going to be late due to a colic, whatever and give an eta

if it's an emergency e.g. colic they will leave what they aredoing and come - and every client is told the same - one day it may be your horse with colic......... and no-one complains

been with them 25 years and wouldn't change them

was with a previosu vet and he was useless - e.g. wouldn't rasp teeth unless the horse stood like it was concrete

 

[mitchellk]

it really depends on urgency, i.e. flu and tet not such a worry, a big leg would want him out now!!!

 

[eventing_chick]

My vet is excellent.He pretty much will come the same day and is always happy to talk if i'm worried,
And its not like he's not busy!!!!!Have know him 20 years and would never change.

 

[patchandloopy]

my vets are normally quite good-the vet i use lives nearby ( even though the practise isnt) so he will come by at the end or beginning of the day to see us if we are worried provided there are no emergancies!! if i ring in the morning they normally visit within that day.

 

[Hullabaloo]

Don't get me started

 

[Hullabaloo]

Actually to be fair they always get out to me quickly even for routine appointments. My friend that them out for colic and they managed that in just over an hour so no complaints on that score.

 

[kick_On]

My vets are excellent, it's a large practise so if i want vet next day problem but i want certain one can be a little longer. Phone up and book appointment, sorted

What's even better the're across two fields, so ride horses to vets for simple stuff like teeth and vacs

 

[Alex_kate]

My vet is totally brilliant, i see him often enough!! i have his mobile number so i can ring him whenever even if i just need his opinion/advice

 

[Evadiva1514]

My vets are fantastic!! I book for routine visits with the receptionist, and if i need to speak to my vet, he usually calls back within the hour. They are brilliant in emergencys and despite being based a good few miles away, they always get to me in minimal time.

 

[henryhorn]

I must be very lucky with the practice we use because 9/10 times they come the same day! Getting the partner who deals purely with horses is quick and we have never had a problem.
I rang his home number once at lunchtime and asked his wife if I could speak to him, she explained he was eating so I said I would ring the surgery instead. 15 mins later he arrived just after I had delivered a red bag foal, he explained that if I rang at lunchtime he knew he ws needed and bl**dy quick..
Nothing is too much trouble, and their costs are around the middle I would say, on the odd occasion we have had a different vet in an emergency they haven't been quite so good as our usual vet but quick to respond and very professional.
Non emergency calls are never more than a day after we phone, I reckon you are well rid of your previous practice!

 

[Chambon]

Our vets are a large practise and hospital so when I phone I speak to one of the many receptionists, who all know me by first name and all my horses by name (embarrassing!), they can book me a visit straight away with the vet that I want to come out (usually senior partner). They will then juggle his appointments so that he gets to me the same day. If I know I need the vet that day I try to phone before he leaves on his rounds as if I need something specific (scanner for example) he may not have it in the car and may not have time to go back to the surgery to get it.

The only time I book an appointment in advance is if it is for specific breeding work that I need to have done on a certain day and I know what that day is, or for something like a vetting which is a couple of hours and may involve travel.

 

[parsley]

The receptionist makes an appointment there and then when you phone up! I hadn't realised that they didn't all do this!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
I phone, make the appt and they usually come the next day.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ditto.

And if it's an emergency - they're with me the same day and within a very short space of time if a real emergency.

A friend of mine turned her horse out the other afternoon - 30 mins later it was dead. Snapped it's leg cantering down the field. The vet was with her in minutes. You simply can't fault a service like that!

 

[threeponies]

I get an appointment there and then when i call, for routine stuff they'll come next day or even same day.

 

[brighteyes]

Mine come the same day, usually. I once had to wait two days for a 'scope.