Recommendations for Nottingham Vets

[BlueBird]

Hi there,

I'm really fed up with my vets who have had a change in veterinarians recently and just aren't as good as they once were. Not to mention they're customer service has fallen through the floor recently. They used to be the vet supporting a rodent rescue that's since shut down, so used to get a lot of practice with small flurries. The vet who was really knowledgeable (albeit a bit too scapple happy sometimes) has moved (she was a locum who just happened to be there a long time) and I'm left with just the cat & dog vets.

Does anyone have any vet recommendations for guinea pig vets in Nottingham? Nearest vets on the vet locator are in matlock and in Northampton which are OK to go to if we need a tricky surgery but not for general stuff. As I don't have a car I'd need to hire one to get to these places so would nearly be impossible to rely on in an emergency so need recommendations for nottingham really.

I know Castle Vets on Castle Boulevard used to advertise they were rabbit specialists (not the same thing I know but at least they are closer than your average cat/dog vet). But their website has changed and they no longer advertise this specialism on it so no idea whether they are still rabbit savvy or not.

 

[Claire W]

@artcasper is in Nottingham and may be able to recommend someone

 

[Lady Kelly]

I don't know for Nottingham but there is Chine House which is North Leicestershire, not far from Loughborough who have a specialist. I've been there many times when it's been too specialist an issue for my usual vets and I know at least one other member on here uses them

 

[BlueBird]

I don't know for Nottingham but there is Chine House which is North Leicestershire, not far from Loughborough who have a specialist. I've been there many times when it's been too specialist an issue for my usual vets and I know at least one other member on here uses them

Still a bit too far away unfortunately. It would take me an hr to get there and that's assuming I can leave immediately and catch a train without waiting. :/

 

[Lady Kelly]

Still a bit too far away unfortunately. It would take me an hr to get there and that's assuming I can leave immediately and catch a train without waiting. :/

Yea it really wouldn't be easy to reach by public transport. Hopefully some other members will know of some closer to home for you

 

[dan3008]

Mostly commenting because I want to see what others suggest. I'm based in Mansfield (not far from Nottingham), and my local vets4pets are good with guinea pigs, I'd like a vet who's a bit more specialist for anything more complicated than ringworm lol

 

[artcasper]

Hi... well I use Vets 4 Pets inside Pets at Home in Netherfield - they have mostly been ok but I now go to Derwent Valley vets in Matlock for anything remotely complicated/specialist advise.

Prime example from last week, noticed Winny had damaged her eye - 6pm - rang vets 4 pets - I was seen within 10 minutes as it's really local to me... But I am taking Winny to matlock on Friday for a check up ( mainly cos the vet I saw was pushing for eye removal very quickly which I didn't believe was necessary, she also said to give pain relief once a day - not appropriate for piggies as they need it twice a day _ BUT i have no choice in an emergency with Matlock being about an hour away...

I have not used any other vets in Nottingham for a few years now, sadly not many have much knowledge but are ok with general issues...

Sorry i can't be of more help. @BlueBird

 

[artcasper]

I don't know for Nottingham but there is Chine House which is North Leicestershire, not far from Loughborough who have a specialist. I've been there many times when it's been too specialist an issue for my usual vets and I know at least one other member on here uses them

I have been there too, good place!

 

[Claire W]

Hi... well I use Vets 4 Pets inside Pets at Home in Netherfield - they have mostly been ok but I now go to Derwent Valley vets in Matlock for anything remotely complicated/specialist advise.

Prime example from last week, noticed Winny had damaged her eye - 6pm - rang vets 4 pets - I was seen within 10 minutes as it's really local to me... But I am taking Winny to matlock on Friday for a check up ( mainly cos the vet I saw was pushing for eye removal very quickly which I didn't believe was necessary, she also said to give pain relief once a day - not appropriate for piggies as they need it twice a day _ BUT i have no choice in an emergency with Matlock being about an hour away...

I have not used any other vets in Nottingham for a few years now, sadly not many have much knowledge but are ok with general issues...

Sorry i can't be of more help. @BlueBird

Small world. I grew up in Netherfield and took my late Eliza to the Vets4pets in Netherfield when we were visiting my parents before they moved up here when she had a mild case of bloat. They fit me in as an emergency even though we wasn’t registered with them x

 

[BlueBird]

Thanks all. I'm looking for a general vet that has a bit more knowledge/experience with guineas. My current vet had told me that after a course of antibiotics my late Belle's URI had cleared and there were no signs of congestion anymore. He also checked her eye with iodine for a separate issue so I wasn't very impressed when I got home to find there was iodine stained snot in her nose and on her paw where she'd wiped her nose. Yes no congestion indeed. ¬. ¬

Not necessarily expecting a guinea expert nearby for the day-to-day, I can hire a car and get to specialists for that. But I just someone competent enough to do better than the no congestion when there's obviously congestion vet I. E. give a pretty accurate first diagnosis when necessary and be good enough to be a relatively safe hands in an emergency when immediate attention is needed.

 

[Claire W]

I hope you can find someone. I use a general vet but she had her own guinea pigs in the past and is pretty good with mine. She phones a specialist when she isn’t sure on something and that specialist is an hours drive away but thankfully I haven’t had to go there yet and I’m hoping I won’t need to

 

[KathT]

I’m in a similar position - our vets which used to be a small partnership has now become part of a big conglomerate (don’t know if that’s the right word) and the vets seem to be basic cat and dog people with little experience of guinea pigs. Vets4pets seem to be really expensive judging by people I know who’ve used them, but I have no experience of them myself. I will take mine to the local vets for simple things but take them to Northampton for any investigative work/operations. I have also used Ellie in Matlock who was good with the piggies. Chine House isn’t taking on new patients. But none of them are any use to you if you cannot get there. Have a look on the RCVS website and get some phone numbers to phone round and ask about rodent vets - it seems to be the only thing to do unless someone comes up with a recommendation.

 

[CV26]

I would say it's worth ringing around your local Vets4Pets practices and see who they have on staff at the moment. They're opening hours are usually long, and seven days a week in most cases.

My current V4P vet isn't a specialist but he knows a lot about exotics and is the go to vet in his practice for anything that isn't a cat or dog. But he isn't mentioned on their website at all and they don't claim to have exotic pets as a specialism on their website either last time I looked.

V4P charge me £25 for a consultation...think it's a couple of quid more for a first appointment. A month's worth of Baytril for 2 piggies was c. £40 I think.