Dog & Cat Vets in Hailsham

## Summary Highcroft Veterinary Group is an RCVS-accredited practice that also operates as a veterinary nurse training facility and lists emergency veterinary services. From the latest reviews, it appears set up for routine care and follow-up around procedures: owners mention nurse-led health checks, support before and after an operation, and treatment for an ear problem. Reception support around setting up a pet health plan is mentioned repeatedly (including a “goodie bag” when joining), and several reviewers describe being talked through appointments “step by step.” One recent review strongly disputes pricing transparency around the pet health plan, describing unexpected per-pet consultation charges. ## Services - **Emergency veterinary services** (listed in the clinic data; no further detail provided on arrangements). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed in the clinic data). - **Health checks**: a “full health check” completed by a veterinary nurse is described in one review. - **Surgery/operations**: one owner describes care and attention before an operation and aftercare. - **Treatment for specific issues**: ear treatment is mentioned (“ear is much better” after seeing a named vet). - **Pet health plan**: multiple owners mention enrolling cats/dogs on a health plan; one review associates this with inoculations and flea treatments (as explained to them). ## Pricing - One reviewer reports being charged **£138** for a vet “consultation” (described as per-pet) during a kitten appointment. - The same reviewer reports the pet health plan involved an additional **~£40 per month** direct debit (plus an initial payment). - **Conflict noted:** the website summary references “consultations included as part of a Pet Health Club® Plus plan,” while the reviewer states consultations were *not* covered and that costs were not made clear. ## People - **Kelly (reception)**: mentioned multiple times for helping set up the health plan and for being welcoming and helpful when arriving for a first visit. - **Cynthia (vet)**: credited with improving a dog’s ear problem; the owner also notes kindness and support for a nervous dog (“hopefully he will soon be braver”). - **Nursing team**: one owner describes a veterinary nurse completing a thorough health check, listening, and helping their dog feel at ease. ## Reviews **4.6 stars from 327 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - **Reception and front-desk support** is repeatedly highlighted (welcoming, helpful, and particularly with setting up the health plan). - **Clear explanations during appointments**: owners mention being guided “step by step” and finding consultations informative. - **Handling of pets’ nerves/comfort**: examples include putting a dog at ease during a nurse health check and supporting a dog that needs confidence. - **Procedure support**: one owner describes attentive care before an operation and aftercare afterward. - **Cost transparency concerns (minority but detailed)**: one reviewer describes “hidden costs,” unexpected per-pet consultation fees, and dissatisfaction with how the health plan was explained, alongside a complaint still awaiting outcome.

## Summary Downland Veterinary Group has been operating since 1946 and is listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. Based on the website, the practice offers a “Welcome Pack” and promotes the option to join **Pet Health Club®**. Recent reviews describe a practice that spends time explaining options and offering reassurance—examples include detailed discussions around a cat’s ongoing **skin allergies**, and a **telephone consultation with Nurse Nicola** where the owner says they received advice and reassurance **at no cost**. Reviews also mention first-visit support for a **10‑week‑old puppy**, and staff remembering individual pets (“they all know the animals”). There is also a **recent 1‑star review** (no written details available), which contrasts with the predominantly positive feedback. ## Services - **Telephone consultation/advice (nurse-led)** is explicitly mentioned in reviews (including advice for a newly adopted, very stressed cat). - Support for **dermatology/skin allergy** cases (owners mention detailed explanations and ongoing help for a cat with “terrible skin allergies”). - **New puppy first visit** care (10‑week‑old puppy mentioned). - **Pet Health Club®** membership is promoted on the website (specific inclusions aren’t described in the available summary). - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed in the clinic data). ## Pricing - One owner reports a **telephone consultation with Nurse Nicola provided “at no cost.”** No other prices are stated in the available information. ## People - **Nurse Nicola** — mentioned by name for a telephone consultation that provided reassurance and practical advice, helping an owner feel more confident managing a stressed newly adopted cat. - **Victor** — mentioned by name as someone who “always looks after” an owner’s dog, with the wider team described as recognising and knowing individual animals. - **Reception team** — a receptionist is described as “very helpful” during the process of arranging a telephone consultation. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 99 reviews.** “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - **Clear explanations and detailed discussions**, especially around ongoing issues like skin allergies. - **Reassurance when owners are worried**, with multiple reviewers describing staff as calming and supportive. - **Positive first-visit experiences** (including a young puppy’s first appointment). - **Continuity/familiarity with pets** (“they all know the animals”). - A **recent 1‑star review** appears among the latest reviews, but no written context is available to explain the dissatisfaction.

## Summary Horsebridge Veterinary Practice is a general veterinary clinic that is also listed as a **veterinary nurse training facility**. Based on the latest reviews, it appears set up for **both routine and more involved medical cases**, including **ongoing pain/arthritis medication planning** and **same-day admission for infections/abscesses**. Concrete specifics owners mention include: - **In-patient/day admission care** for a kitten with a **deep facial abscess**, including nursing support “throughout the day” and a vet working on the case **twice**. - **Collaborative care planning** for longer-running problems (one owner describes repeated check-ups for a dog’s sore neck, with treatment adjusted as the dog improved). - The practice **promotes a pet app** for communication (mentioned in a review about requesting a prescription through it). - End-of-life support is referenced, with one owner saying the team **arranged their dog’s final day**. Reviews are mostly positive, but there is a clear complaint about **repeat visits costing “a few hundred pounds”** and a **prescription not being provided** despite multiple requests. ## Services Services and capabilities explicitly mentioned in the available information and reviews include: - **Veterinary nurse training facility** (listed service/specialisation). - **Diagnosis and ongoing management of arthritis/pain**, including trying medication combinations and discussing a **prescription** once the right combination is found (one owner reports difficulty obtaining the prescription). - **Treatment of abscess/infection**, including admitting a kitten for the day and providing nursing care, with the vet performing treatment more than once in a day (as described by one owner). - **Care for dogs and cats** (multiple reviews). - **Exotic pet care**: one owner reports their **bearded dragon** was treated at the practice. - **General advice on wildlife** is mentioned once (advice given about a fledgling seagull). ## People - **Ian (vet)**: described by one owner as “patient, soft spoken, calm,” and willing to **agree a care plan tailored to the animal**, with repeated check-ups for a dog with multiple health issues and a sore neck. The owner specifically valued that he **“did not jump to worst case scenarios”** and persisted over time. - **Reception team**: one review describes a receptionist **starting early** to help with a plan the client had that day; another notes the receptionist “always has time to talk.” - **Nurses**: credited in one review with tending to a kitten’s needs **throughout the day** while admitted. - **A “Spanish vet” (name not recalled)**: singled out positively by one reviewer for their bearded dragon’s care (no name provided). ## Reviews **4.6 stars from 203 reviews.** The comments available focus on how the team handles complex or stressful situations (ongoing medical problems, abscess treatment, and end-of-life care), with one notable complaint about follow-through on prescriptions and the cost of repeat visits. **“Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.”** - **Hands-on treatment and monitoring during admissions:** a kitten with a deep facial abscess was admitted and cared for by nurses through the day, with the vet working on the case twice. - **Ongoing, step-by-step problem solving:** one owner describes multiple check-ups and medication adjustments for a dog’s neck pain and other health issues, and valued that the vet didn’t jump to worst-case conclusions. - **Support around end-of-life decisions:** one owner says the practice arranged their dog’s “final day.” - **Communication and access issues raised by one reviewer:** a client managing arthritis reports two visits costing “a few hundred pounds” and says a promised prescription was **not provided** despite asking in person and via the practice’s app, leaving them feeling they had to switch elsewhere.