Woodham Lane Vets

Jan 30th, 2023

Horrible vet practice, with really uneducated vets. I was looking for a good, local based vets, because my cat doesn't like travelling. I've never seen such an unprofessional place with a complete lack of knowledge. They diagnosed my cat with a constipation, downplaying need of a proper scan. They don't even have a professional scans in this place. Cat had a late stage of peritonitis and had to go through an emergency surgery in one of the London's clinic. Luckily he has survived, but only because I acted quick and didn't listen to Woodham vets advice. Anyway I would avoid this place, unless you need some basic procedures done only.
Sep 19th, 2022

Jul 23rd, 2022

The following was written in 2019 giving five stars. Great to have a new, local, independently run vets. They give real care and understanding to both pets & owners and there is a continuity of who you see. Unlike these "chains" where there seems to be a different, newly qualified vet every time you go and any surgery is undertaken miles away at a central surgical unit. No good when the pet is already traumatised though being separated from its owner, it's then stuffed in a van and transported to somewhere it doesn't know with people it's never met. Disgusting practice. Thank goodness for this wonderful practice! If you're registered with one of the "chains", I strongly advise that you move to this vets. You will receive far better care and service, also the likelihood of conditions being missed is a lot lower; I speak from experience. Now in May 2022 I have found out that they are not fully independent now but part owned by Medivet - the vets that we wanted to get away from. Very upset to learn this news, especially as it was just only a small notice that we happened to see in the window. Nothing on the website or messaged to us. (This is why I have removed a star) I will see how things go as I only want to see Sarah or Tristan now. Updated 21st July 2022, I've received an email to inform me that this veterinary practice will ONLY be open on Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 2pm. This is absolutely tragic. In a short space of time, they had built up an AMAZING family run independent vets, where many disgruntled Medivet clients flocked to, including myself and my Mum. When you have a dream team and achieve something so fantastic, why sell out to the likes of Medivet? The practice is now losing clients in droves and this is probably one of the factors that means that their hours are so drastically reduced. Although Sarah & Tristan have the final say at the moment, in a few months time it will be completely Medivet. Already, if you call the practice you go through to a Medivet reception who will "pass on the message to the practice", (I believe it is the same for the Chertsey branch too). Thing is, they don't pass the message on - typical Medivet! I believe, apart from Sarah and Tristan, all the original staff members have now all left. A gradual trickle which has been going on for a while now. This is just so sad and the reason why I have now reduced the number of stars to two. This is only because Sarah and Tristan are still part of the running. I do fear that this branch will probably close eventually as there's already a Medivet in West Byfleet that people are trying to get away from. Purely because many have either lost their beloved companion due to inexperience and/or lack of compassion for animals. Or because they have been misdiagnosed. All that matters in Medivet's eyes is the money to be made out of small animal veterinary practices - the animals are just means to achieve that. They don't care about our beloved companions.
Jul 8th, 2022

Our Sphynx, Diesel, a 5 month old neutered male, was diagnosed with cat flu and conjunctivitis. The vet prescribed antibiotics and eye drops for 7 days, however the infection cleared up for a few days, then flared up again, so back we went for round two, same story. Went back round three when kitty had made a turn for the worst and the eye infection turned into an upper respiratory infection and kitty was lethargic with inflamed gums and excessive drooling. This time, vet did PCR test which cost 319 pounds, but hey, its our baby were taking about, so we swipe the card Have since learned my lesson and got pet insurance. Anyhoo, it took 10 working days for the PCR results to get back to the vets. I think its an unreasonably long time in a case of emergency like this. Surely it could be faster? Dont know if logistics were protracted at vets or at lab, but they need to improve their turnaround times, as our pets lives are on the line.. To put this in context, the vet couldnt prescribe the correct kind of antibiotics without the PCR results, so effectively , kitty went without treatment in this period of waiting ( it was October when he was first diagnosed with conjunctivitis) and around December 9th 2021 when the vet did a feline respiratory panel) Diesel, our neutered male Sphynx of 7 months at the time, tested positive for Clymdophila felis and Mycoplasma felis. Only then the vet could be in a position to prescribe Doxycare tablets for a month . To make matters worse , after the long wait for the PCR results, we had to wait another 10 days for the vets to get the antibiotics!! hectic! Not cool. They must sort out their logistics and stock up properly, or at least warn you meds will take forever and a bloody day! Instead I was called almost every other day by admin just to tell me meds are still not in, but they will call me as soon as it arrives, and so on. And in meantime Im s worried that Diesel wont make it. Anyhoo, many sleepless nights later, the antibiotics finally arrived and and hes improved amazingly in a week on the tablets. His eyes were clear and without discharge since he started on the antibiotics and hes made a full recovery after a month on it. The inflammation on the gums cleared up as well and he was back to his energetic self again. The vets report says he tested negative for the feline herpes virus, but the virus can sometimes still be implicated in ocular or nasal disease, despite a negative PCR result. This is in part due to long term consequences of initial infection that persists once the virus assumes the latent state which makes it much harder to detect . Were relieved that its negative for the time being, but will have another PCR test done. I shouldve insisted on a PCR test from the beginning, but I didnt know any better. I shouldve changed vets when the results took so long, but having paid the 319 already, didnt have so much cash to pay at a different vet. Im just very grateful that Diesel made it, despite the delays in getting stuff done. Im forced to change vets as I struggled to get an appointment for deworming recently, because I was told no vets on Mondays and Fridays which were the only days I could go. Im struggling with this, as surely they could structure the practice in a more accommodating fashion?
Jul 4th, 2022