Farm & Large-Animal Vets in East Sussex

## Summary Badgers Oak Veterinary Clinic is a mixed practice treating small animals, horses, and farm animals, and it states it runs its own out-of-hours service (so clients aren’t referred to an unfamiliar surgery). It’s also listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. In the latest reviews, owners repeatedly describe prompt help in urgent situations—including an on-call vet coming in on Christmas Day to perform euthanasia for a cat in severe pain, and a walk-in injury being seen immediately with sedation used during treatment. Reviews also mention clear at-home care instructions after an emergency visit and “quick” appointment availability. ## Services - **Small animal care**, plus **equine** and **farm animal** work (described by the clinic as a mixed practice). - **Out-of-hours care run by the clinic** (stated on the website). - **Urgent injury treatment** (e.g., dog attacked by another dog; Saluki treated after an injury, with sedation mentioned). - **Euthanasia** (a cat euthanised to prevent prolonged suffering, described as an out-of-hours callout). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed in the clinic data). ## People - The website describes a team of **eight mixed animal vets**, **five qualified veterinary nurses**, **two trainee veterinary nurses**, and **four administrators**. - Reviews repeatedly mention the **reception team**, **nurses**, and **vets** explaining care clearly—one owner highlights being given “very clear” instructions for home care after a frightened dog was treated for injuries. - A reviewer describes an **on-call vet** who answered on a holiday and came in to the clinic to help with end-of-life care for a cat in pain. - Named in reviews: **Charley**, **Young**, and **Old George** (roles not specified), described as “excellent” by a repeat reviewer. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.8 stars from 231 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - **Out-of-hours responsiveness:** an owner reports getting an answer on Christmas Day and the on-call vet coming in to provide euthanasia. - **Handling urgent cases quickly:** examples include being seen immediately after arriving with an injured dog, and treatment following a dog attack. - **Clear guidance and follow-through:** owners mention “exceptionally good assessment and treatment and advice,” plus clear home-care instructions after emergency treatment. - **Perceived fairness around fees:** one reviewer says fees are “reasonable” (no specific prices are stated).

## Summary Fairfield House Veterinary Surgery is an **independent** practice (established **1953**) that treats **companion animals, farm animals, and exotic animals**. The clinic states it provides a **24-hour out-of-hours emergency service on its own premises with its own veterinary staff**, and recent reviews also mention the **emergency service being in-house**. Owners describe being talked through **multiple treatment options** (including **acupuncture**), and several reviews highlight **rapid access for urgent cases** (being “fit in” when emergencies happen) plus **proactive updates during inpatient care** (phone calls as promised and a full handover at collection). ## Services - **24-hour out-of-hours emergency care** for clients, provided **on-site by the clinic’s own veterinary staff** (as stated on the clinic website and echoed in reviews). - Care for **companion animals**, **farm animals**, and **exotic animals** (website). - **Acupuncture** discussed as a treatment option (review). - **Home visits** (review mentions a house visit for an ageing dog). - **Oxygen support and overnight monitoring/hospitalisation** are described in one emergency case (review mentions oxygen from a nurse and keeping a cat overnight for checks). - The practice is listed as a **Veterinary Nurse Training facility** (clinic data). ## People - **Ollie** (vet; role implied in a home-visit review): described as **calm, thorough, and highly communicative** during a house visit for an ageing dog, making it easy for the owner to ask questions and feel informed. - **Emily** (vet): credited with handling an out-of-hours emergency for a cat, **setting expectations honestly**, **calling with updates as promised**, and providing a **full update plus medication** at discharge. - **Connie** (nurse): mentioned providing **oxygen support** during an emergency visit and being present at discharge for updates. - **Abbie** (reception/front desk; role implied): mentioned positively as the person who took the out-of-hours call. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.8 stars from 231 reviews.** **“Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.”** - **In-house emergency care and urgent access:** owners mention being seen quickly out of hours (e.g., called at 08:00 and seen at 08:30) and being “fit in” when emergencies arise. - **Clear communication and options:** reviews describe vets discussing options (including **acupuncture**) and keeping owners updated during treatment/inpatient stays. - **Hands-on nursing and inpatient support:** one account includes **oxygen** being given by a nurse and the pet being kept **overnight** for monitoring, followed by a detailed discharge update and medication. - **Long-term relationships:** multiple owners mention attending for many years (e.g., 20+ years; since 2014) and returning for routine annual check-ups as well as emergencies. - **Minor criticism noted:** one reviewer wished the exterior of the building were refreshed/painted.

## Summary Cliffe Veterinary Group Ltd is an RCVS-accredited practice set up for a wide range of work: small animals as well as farm and equine care, with on-site laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and surgical facilities. The clinic also operates as a veterinary nurse training facility (per the provided clinic data). Recent reviewers most often mention clear explanations of treatment plans and costs (including during emergency consultations), with one account describing the opposite experience at reception (not being acknowledged on arrival). Concrete details owners mention include: emergency appointments for cats, step-by-step explanations of likely findings and “what depends on what,” and vets being patient with anxious owners and difficult-to-handle cats. ## Services Based on the website summary and reviews, the practice offers: - **Small animal, farm and equine veterinary care** (as described on the clinic website summary). - **Pet emergencies** (mentioned on the clinic website; emergency consultations are also described in reviews). - **Repeat prescriptions** (listed on the clinic website summary). - **On-site facilities**: laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and surgical facilities (website summary). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed in the provided clinic data). - **Emergency veterinary service availability** described as **24/7 or extended hours** (listed in the provided clinic data; exact arrangement isn’t detailed in the website summary provided). ## People - **Vets (not named in the available information):** Reviews describe vets explaining issues, treatment options and costs throughout care, including in emergency situations. One review notes seeing two different vets who “clearly had lots of experience” and were “kind and patient” with both owner and very unwell dog. - **Reception team (not named):** Feedback is mixed. One reviewer describes receptionists being “so kind” when they brought in a deceased baby fox; another reviewer reports arriving with their dog and not being acknowledged because staff were on computers. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.6 stars from 217 reviews.** **Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.** - **Clear, ongoing cost and treatment explanations:** multiple reviewers mention transparency about treatment and costs, including explaining what might change depending on findings during treatment. - **Emergency care experiences:** reviewers describe getting emergency consultations for cats and feeling the process was handled “sensitively and efficiently.” - **Handling difficult or stressed pets:** one owner highlights patience and understanding with a “very grumpy, spicy” cat. - **Front-desk experience is inconsistent:** one account praises reception kindness in an emotionally difficult situation, while another reports not being acknowledged on arrival.

## Summary RW Equine Vet is an **independent, family-run equine-only practice** and is **RCVS accredited** (established in March 2018 by **Reuben and Sarah Whittaker**). The clinic appears set up for both **routine work and on-yard investigations**, with a **mobile surgery**, **digital x‑rays**, and **ultrasonography** listed on its website. In the latest reviews, owners repeatedly describe **fast urgent call-outs**, vets who **explain findings and next steps clearly** (including phone calls with blood-test results), and **practical aftercare support** such as inviting photos of a wound to monitor healing. ## Services Based on the website and the latest reviews, RW Equine Vet offers: - **Routine and advanced dentistry** - **Surgery** (including a **mobile surgery** setup) - **Lameness investigations/diagnostics** - **Pre-purchase examinations** - **Reproductive services** - **Gastroscopes & respiratory scopes** - **Diagnostics on the road**: **digital x‑rays** and **ultrasonography** - **Prescriptions/medications** (also mentioned in a review where an owner collected drugs) Treatments and scenarios specifically mentioned in reviews include: - **Urgent wound management**: cleaning a leg cut thoroughly and **closing it neatly**, with detailed bandage/dressing instructions and recovery plan. - **Choke**: thorough general exam, diagnosis, and **prescribing an anti-inflammatory** for throat discomfort. - **Steroid injection (“steroid shot”)** with improvement reported afterwards. - **Blood tests** with results **phoned through and explained**, plus a recommended course of action. - **Sarcoid treatment** is referenced as prior/ongoing context for a horse that was extremely distrustful. ## People - **Gonçalo (vet)** is named repeatedly in reviews. Owners describe him: - Arriving **quickly** for urgent visits and being “geared up with everything he needed”. - Being **calm and gentle** when owners were worried, and **patient** with a veteran horse with serious heart problems (including successfully using clippers around a wound). - Communicating clearly: explaining what he was doing **in detail**, giving **clear dressing-change instructions**, and **calling with blood-test results** to go through them fully. - Offering follow-up support, including being available if things didn’t improve and inviting owners to **send photos** so he could discuss healing. - **Sarah** is addressed by name in a recent thank-you message for “continued excellent clinical care,” noting the vets adapt their approach to individual horses (example given: a horse with extreme distrust after prolonged sarcoid treatment). - **Emma (role not confirmed; likely front-desk based on the review)** is thanked for taking an emergency call and arranging the visit efficiently, minimising wait time. ## Reviews **Google rating: 5 stars from 45 reviews.** “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - **Fast response for urgent situations**, with vets arriving quickly for emergency call-outs. - **Clear, detailed communication**: explaining examinations and treatment, outlining what to do next if there’s no improvement, and calling with blood-test results to discuss options. - **Aftercare and follow-up support**: owners mention guidance “from the first call… treatment and aftercare,” and practical follow-up such as sending photos of a wound for review. - **Handling difficult or anxious horses**: adapting approach to individual needs (including a horse distrustful after sarcoid treatment) and being patient with an older horse with heart problems during wound care.

## Summary Independent equine veterinary practice (established in 1978) owned and run by its vets, with a team of six equine veterinary surgeons. Based on the clinic’s own information and recent reviews, it’s set up for both routine care and more involved investigations and surgery, supported by a purpose-built diagnostic/surgical facility with stabling and 24-hour hospitalisation. Owners mention detailed case management for complex back issues (kissing spine) including x‑ray, surgery and rehab, plus proactive communication such as vets phoning to discuss problems at length before visiting and keeping clients updated on arrival times. The practice is also described as handling admin efficiently, with office staff processing insurance claims and renewals promptly. ## Services - Routine equine health checks and vaccinations - Lameness investigations with digital diagnostics - Equine dentistry (dental examinations) - Surgical procedures and 24-hour hospitalisation (with stabling) - Pre-purchase examinations and insurance vetting - 24/7 emergency equine veterinary service (as stated by the clinic) - Species treated (as stated): horses, ponies, donkeys - Standards/accreditation stated on the site: RCVS Equine General Practice Standard; Veterinary Nurse Training Practice ## People - **Florice (vet, per reviews):** Mentioned in a kissing-spine case as providing explanations throughout a process that included x‑ray, surgery and rehab. - **Ben (vet, per reviews):** Repeatedly noted for spending time on the phone to discuss a problem before a visit and for unhurried follow-up calls (including a call made at 6pm on a Friday about medication). - **Mary (role not stated, per reviews):** Named positively alongside Ben in long-term client feedback. - **Office/admin staff (not named):** Praised for processing insurance claims and renewals quickly. ## Reviews **4.9 stars from 38 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - Complex-case support is described in detail, including a kissing-spine pathway involving x‑ray, surgery and rehab, with clear explanations along the way. - Communication and follow-through are frequently mentioned: lengthy phone discussions before visits, unhurried calls about medications, and updates on expected arrival times. - Practical support beyond clinical work comes up, such as prompt handling of insurance paperwork and compassionate support when outcomes aren’t as hoped.