Vets Now - Reading Reviews 138

A very Professional and knowledgable emergency veterinary team that helped our kitten.

I had to use Vet Now in an emergency, which was fine at the time, but do NOT use their insurance claim service.

Paying extra fees for them to handle the claim feels like a complete scam. Two weeks later, they still haven’t submitted the claim to the insurer.

For comparison, it took me less than one minute to submit my deposit claim directly with ManyPets, and I was refunded in under 24 hours.

This was the first time I’ve ever used pet insurance, and if I ever need to claim again, I’ll do it myself. Do NOT pay Vet Now to handle it for you.

To make matters worse, they keep sending generic emails and SMS messages demanding payment of the remaining invoice unless you used their claims service. What’s the point of paying you to manage the claim if you don’t actually do the job? Contact me once it’s completed — not with automated reminders while nothing has been processed.

Our 6 yr old Labrador, Chapati received emergency care at Tilehurst on Sat 25 April 26 from 7:20am to about 9pm for a sudden & severe blood related condition. Self transferred to Eastcotts, Swindon, she died at 11:30pm.

Vets Now clinical care was, albeit provided by 4 different vets on shifts, was as good as it could be in the traumatic circumstances faced. Our Vet and Eastcotts confirmed this. Thank you.

What is bitterly disappointing is that despite on arrival Vets Now taking a £285 deposit, our insurance details and advising they would expedite a direct claim (all v reassuring), they have failed to do so.

Instead we have been hounded daily by email and text seeking payment and/or us to now raise a claim. This is made all the more irksome as they have yet to prove an invoice showing monies paid & fees due.

It is sad that VN’s insensitive administration has blighted the hard work and care of their Vets.

the vets and nursing team were great. Margo is back home and fully recovered

Really helpful and friendly service. Our pet's care was the primary concern and the team shone here. Wouldn't dream of going elsewhere.

Very professional team, really cared for my sick dog.

I brought my dog to Vets Now in reading on a bank holiday weekend and was advised that a scan, blood test, and anti sickness tablets (3) would cost £700-£800. They then charges me £259 as my insurance provider stated i pay 20% of the treatment plus £99 and they would cover the rest.

After treatment a bill north of £1000 was sent! As my insurance company had paid out Vets Now demanded I pay the extra fictitious amount above their estimate of £267.02. I have gone through their complaints procedure and get one email every 2 months, they are yet to resolve this matter internally and out of nowhere have sent a debt recovery company 'control account' for the extra 267 despite having an open / ongoing complaint they can't seem the respond to.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience at Castle Vets Pet Healthcare Centre and feel other pet owners should be aware.

I consented to and paid for what was described to me as a “biopsy” for my cat. Only after the procedure was I informed that this was in fact a fine needle aspiration (FNA) carried out with limited in-house equipment, which failed to obtain an adequate sample and was therefore non-diagnostic.

I was then advised that the test was insufficient due to the method used and was told to refer my cat to a specialist hospital for further diagnostics, with costs exceeding £3,000.

Key concerns:
• An FNA is not a definitive biopsy, yet this distinction was not clearly explained before consent.
• The high likelihood of an inconclusive result was not disclosed.
• The limitations of the technique and equipment were not explained in advance.
• Referral was not presented as a reasonable first-line option.
• Responsibility for the failed diagnostic has effectively been passed on to me as the client.

Had I been properly informed, I would not have consented to this procedure in its described form.

I have formally requested a refund on the basis of inadequate consent and service failure. While my complaint was acknowledged, I have not received a substantive response.

This experience has raised serious concerns around transparency, informed consent, and value for money. I strongly advise other pet owners to ask very detailed questions before agreeing to any “biopsy” or diagnostic procedure.

It seemed Vets Now operates within Castle Vet. I don't see Castle Vet on trust pilot. Rather odd

The price for the consultation was way over the top for a saturday afternoon. The diagnosis for which I paid almost £500 was incorrect. The vet said my dog had a uterine prolapse and spaying would cure it. Quoted between £3,000 and £4,000 for an operation that night but as it wasn’t life threatening I chose to wait to see my vet on Monday. My vet along with a second opinion diagnoses a polyp. For the price I paid I am not happy with this. Also agreed to a scan of her uterus which showed she did not have an infection which I would have thought was obvious as she did not have a temperature or discharge. What did they scan as the lump coming from her vagina was not the uterus but a polyp.

The main reason for low star rating is the waiting time, you are given an appointment time but still have a long wait. I know some cases are more serious and complex and take longer but communication would be helpful. I appreciate the consultation fee has to be charged but I thought £60 for a simple bandage was excessive

We had to take our dog into VetsNow for emergency treatment for Acute Haemharragic Gastritis. We didn't realise how life threatening this was and that we took him in just in time.

All the staff we dealt with were so kind, caring and patient. They knew how much our dog meant to us and let us come visit him and sit in his kennel/give him cuddles even though he was full of tubes/medicines and did not want to be there at all.

The fees for out of hours vets are extortionate (£6500 spent so easily in only 4 days) and definitely emphasize the importance of pet insurance. The team tried to keep costs down where possible and we are so grateful for the option of them to make a direct claim with our insurance, so we didn't have to fork out £6000 cash which we don't have!!

Thanks again to the team for getting our boy home alive and (nearly) well in time for Christmas!

Vets Now provided a great service in an emergency but the charge was exceptionally high! The PDQ for the payment wouldn't work so I paid by bank transfer as soon as I arrived home. The following day I received a call from Vets Now, no mention about the health of my cat, but asking if I'd paid ? I guess that says it all.

4 hour wait to be seen, staff weren't sympathetic even after I had explained the hurdles and difficulties I have with such an anxious dog.

I visited on Friday evening with my sick cat. The vet, team & receptionist were so lovely & caring. Happily my cat is much better. Thank you all for your help.

The staff were very helpful especially as we had an emergency appointment.

Out of hours emergency appointment within one hour, no waiting when we arrived and a professional service.

The staff were very friendly and helpful

Great service as always

The vets and staff were great and very caring. However, if you need to claim on your pet insurance, Vet Now charges a £35 admin fee (even if you are paying upfront and submitting your claim to your insurance company yourself) just to send the relevant reports to your insurance company. Without paying this, they won’t release the information, which means you can’t claim your money back.

What makes this worse is that in their email they suggest that by paying the fee and filling in the form, you’ll get access to your money faster. This isn’t the case at all — I was later advised through their website’s web chat that the fee doesn’t speed up the claim, and it can still take up to two weeks for them to even send the information to your insurance company.

This feels like a very predatory policy, as the charge isn’t related to any of the treatment itself. It was also a bit awkward hearing the younger staff member having to repeatedly explain and justify the fee to each client.