Getting the best from Old Stone Vets

We aim to provide up-to-date, caring attention for pets and prompt, reliable service for their owners. We apologise in advance if sometimes our efforts to run surgeries on time or return telephone calls are prevented by unforeseen emergencies, which inevitably arise from time to time. The information given here will help prevent unnecessary waiting or poorly timed appointments and so will help us all.

Your Appointment
Ask the receptionist to book you appointments or operations with the vet who knows your pet and his/her current problem best. Continuity is good for everybody.

If you think your pet might need an anaesthetic (for example if they have a cut or have had a road accident) do not give them any food.

Surgeries are prone to delays toward the end of evening surgeries and on Saturdays; these are always the most popular times. It is wise to avoid booking appointments at our busiest times if it is easy for you to come in the mornings or afternoons.

If your pet has a complicated problem which needs extra time to discuss or you would like to come at a quiet time then our receptionists would be happy to arrange this for you. Please feel confident in explaining your concerns when booking an appointment.

The Waiting Room
If you know that your dog will be excitable when meeting other dogs in the waiting room it would be helpful to let the receptionist know when making an appointment

Cats should always be brought to the surgery in a suitable carrying box and dogs should be kept on a lead

Unvaccinated puppies should be held or transported in a pet carrier. We also request they are kept off the floor in the surgery in order to avoid unnecessary exposure to new bugs and other animals.

If your dog has a cough or diarrhoea which has come on suddenly we would be very grateful if you could let the receptionist know when making the appointment and on arrival. Such dogs may be infectious to our other patients and may be better waiting outside until the veterinary surgeon is ready.

Repeat Prescriptions
After telephoning the surgery your prescription will be made up and stored at reception. If there is a reason why your prescription cannot be made up we will try and contact you before you set off. It is vital from a clinical (and legal) perspective that we monitor patients on long term medication regularly, even if the condition appears stable and well controlled. 6 months is the maximum interval allowed by law and in many cases it is desirable to make more frequent checks.

Estimates
Never hesitate to ask any vet for an estimate of cost in advance of treatment.

For routine procedures (neutering, vaccinations etc.) a firm estimate can always be given.

Nurses can often help with straightforward estimates but will refer to a veterinary surgeon when asked about a more complex procedure. In these cases it is better to deal with a veterinary surgeon you have already consulted with. Alternatively if you have not yet consulted with a veterinarian it may be wise to do so, and to have the vet explain your quote.

For more complicated procedures we rarely know at the outset exactly what will be required but we are more than happy to discuss with you the possibilities and how much each eventuality might cost. We do our best to explain the full cost but it should always be established between vet and client exactly what is included in a given quote. Antibiotics, painkillers, an initial consultation and VAT will accompany most operations.

House Visits
We are happy to perform house visits where necessary, especially to vaccinate large numbers of animals. However, it is always worth bearing in mind that on a visit the vet will only have a handful of drugs at his/her disposal and will probably not be able to carry out any further tests.

Most animals which are ill would be best treated at the surgery where nurses, equipment and a wide variety of treatments are available.

Where transport is a problem, we can recommend taxis that will carry animals (and which will almost certainly prove cheaper than a vet call-out).

If you decide that a visit is really the only alternative then please ring early in the day if possible.