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Post by betty on Aug 31, 2020 16:06:39 GMT -8
As suggested - here is an up-to-date thread for UK vets that have been used recently by someone on the forum and got a positive review.
Please add your own details in a seperate post and I will try to always copy the main points into this starter thread as well - so all the vets are in one place and ordered for location where the details are given.
This thread might be better than just searching for 'any vet' as we all know that not all vets are useful or even open to more involved gerbil treatments. Shame.
It would be great if, when adding your recommended vets, you say if it is just routine excellent service, or whether they do any specific treatments, indepth diagnosis or advanced surgeries.
Also, when contacting these vets always request to get an appointment with their small animal specialist - as often there is only one devoted rodent lover in each team - but the surgery will of course put you with anyone if you don't ask first. It is possible that their specilist has since moved - in which case let us know and we can remove them from this list...
Sussex: Wilbury Vets - Brighton - great service - specialised in gerbil surgery (2018) Arun Vet Group - West Sussex (6 branches) - great service - gerbil owner vet (2021)
East Midlands: LincVets - Lincoln - good service - showed great interest in gerbils and jirds (2019) Scarsdale Vets - Derby and around - great service - performing exotic surgeries (2020+2021)
Greater London: Elmfield Vets (Ian Batten) - South Croydon - great service and care (2021)
Kent: Sandhole in Snodland (near Maidstone) - exotics specialist - free email consultations (2020)
Hampshire: Barn Animal Hospital - exotic specialist (Hampshire/Surrey borders) (2020)
Wiltshire: Vets 4 Pets, Trowbridge - good service - fast appointments - bit pricey (2020) Great Western Exotics - Swindon - 'Amazing' (2021)
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Post by Markpd on Sept 1, 2020 4:59:31 GMT -8
Good idea, thanks Betty , I'd be interested to hear of any in the Surrey/Hampshire area (not that I need them atm).
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Sept 14, 2020 12:57:49 GMT -8
Hi, Great idea! I don't need a vet right now either, but I live in Wiltshire near Bath and other places, I would also love to know some reccomendations as I currently don't know of many vets around that do small pets
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Post by betty on Sept 16, 2020 2:36:33 GMT -8
Perhaps you/we could actually ring around a few local vets in our own areas and just get a feel for anyone who at least knows what a gerbil is and could treat say a SGT.
Especially now that quite a lot of vets are restricting new clients - it might be worth finding a couple of vets in your area that would treat a gerbil and registering your gerbils with them anyway - just so you have your foot in the door.
My local vet has said they won't take any new clients 'for the foreseeable future' - so thank goodness I am already in otherwise I could be in trouble if I need something in an emergency!
I have too many to register them all each time before, but perhaps now is the time for us all to register our gerbils and other small animals even if they aren't unwell - just so a) we are on the books in these strange times, and b) so all the vets out there realise how popular small animals are and that they perhaps should get a bit more diverse?
I would assume that virtually all small animals aren't registered with a vet unless they fall ill (and not even always then) - so why WOULD vets specialise - they don't know their audience.
Perhaps I will expand my registered pets with all my vets - just because.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 16, 2020 11:22:54 GMT -8
What's SGT? [edit] Nm, just spotted from another thread, Scent Gland Tumour What area do you live in? Regardless, I'd better get my foot in the door incase it's the same around here! (Surrey/Hants)
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Post by marls on Oct 9, 2020 11:51:04 GMT -8
My vet is called Sandhole in Snodland (near Maidstone,Kent). It’s the only vet that specialises in exotic animals and rodents near us. They are so good and we use them for my daughters rabbits and gecko too. They charge reasonable rates and really have the animal’s best interest over just doing things to bump up the charges. They also have an email consultation and have provided advice free of charge. They seem to be the only ones around who understand that rodents have different needs than dogs and cats! 😊
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Post by marls on Oct 9, 2020 12:00:43 GMT -8
I saw earlier on in this thread that someone was looking for a vet in the Surrey/Hampshire area! My daughter uses a vet in Hampshire called Barn Animal Hospital which has an exotic vet. They are very good. 😊
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Post by Markpd on Oct 9, 2020 14:01:48 GMT -8
I wonder whereabouts in Hants?........ Ah, near Basingstoke, that's not too far , about a 25min drive for me (outside of rush hour). Definitely a viable option if my local vets don't do Gerbils, thanks for that .
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Oct 9, 2020 22:43:04 GMT -8
sad, I live nowhere near there!
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Post by Markpd on Oct 10, 2020 2:17:35 GMT -8
Early days with this thread. Where abouts are you?
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Oct 10, 2020 3:24:29 GMT -8
I live in the west of Wiltshire, in Trowbridge (you might have to search up where that is tho!!) but of course I can go to surrounding areas for vets too.
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Post by Markpd on Jan 15, 2021 7:45:17 GMT -8
It was mentioned somewhere else that registering with a vets beforehand would be useful, what advantages does that give?
I only ask because the vets at Pets at home in Farnham, Surrey are not taking registrations atm. But they specialise in exotics and small mammals, and have a vet who has qualifications in small animal surgery (Dr Roger Holden BVM&S PgC in Small Animal Surgery CertAVP PgC(EMS) MRCVS), so I'm going to use them if need be (they're also well rated on Google, 4.6/5 atm).
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Post by betty on Jan 18, 2021 6:58:24 GMT -8
For two reasons mainly:
Firstly - and most importantly - the last thing you want in an emergency - when your gerbil has been got by the cat, broken their leg or is having convulsion - is to have to ring around different vets hoping they will take you on and then waiting on the phone while they ask you your address, phone number, pets age, name and colour.
As you found out yourself - some vets aren't taking new registrations - so you will have to try harder and look further to find an emergency vet. Perhaps explaining on the phone that you don't need an appointment yet you just wanted to register MIGHT get around that in some vets - not sure, but worth a 'slightly pushy' ask?
So, surely the main advantage to already being registered is that you are already in - they know you. Say your surname and 'emergency' and you are done - usually seen right away.
I also recommended registering with two local surgeries - one closest for emergencies and another for something specific - like they do 24 hour care (some local vets don't) or a gerbil speciialist. Just widens your options too if you need a routine appointment to fit around a job, but your own vet is full at the times you are free or 'doesn't do saturdays' etc.
I just like to be overprepared for things like this.
Secondly: I always look at the bigger picture too for things I do and recommend. Having seen how things work further down the lines sometimes with simple figures (usually being mistrued) I can see how accumulated individual things can sometimes make a difference - evne though on the face of it - it might not seem so.
Ever seen those reports on something like 'requests for green cats trebled in one week' - someone counts these things - and I am sure headlines and reports like this get to the breeders and rescue centres and so they look into green cats a bit more and start to promote any they have and maybe even sell green cat merchandise at their summer fair.
So, I always think, if people all went ahead and registered their gerbils (or anything else) at a vets even before needing it - vets would be recording numbers of each species (so things like 'ferrets are the third favourite pet' come from this). Anyhoo - so if you registered you gerbils at vets - even if you never ended up needing to take them there - three things could happen - a) local vets becomes aware of gerbils and then start to learn MORE about their health; b) surgeries, vets and nurses might start to ask for and then take courses in their care - expanding the number of exotic vets in general; and c) then maybe pet stores and companies start to produce more products for gerbils.
Stats come from somewhere - and stats are what make things happen - like a chain reaction. Why not use them to your advantage?
I also remember I took a banana on a flight with me to eat a few years back - but didn't get around to eating it - then when I was being checked in through customs - they confiscated my banana as 'dangerous materials' on the grounds on disease control. Thought nothing of it - but then later in a report on crime they listed like 19,576 cases of food 'smuggling' in one month - and there one pile of discarded food was a banana. Now obviously I wasn't smuggling - but it goes to show how reporting adds up into headline stats sometimes - gets things noticed.
Not that I will be going on holiday on a plane again anytime soon!
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Post by Markpd on Jan 18, 2021 9:05:29 GMT -8
As you found out yourself - some vets aren't taking new registrations - so you will have to try harder and look further to find an emergency vet. Perhaps explaining on the phone that you don't need an appointment yet you just wanted to register MIGHT get around that in some vets - not sure, but worth a 'slightly pushy' ask?Yea I did mention I didn't need an appointment then, and ask if they could register me, she just said they're not registering people atm and that I could give the details as and when I need an appointment. But I do agree with you that it would be better to register beforehand. Their was one other vet nearby (Godalming) who states they do exotics pets (and small animal surgery), but I didn't ask them as I thought I'd be ok just ring vets 4 pets when I need them? The other good thing about that place is that they're open Saturdays and Sundays! I'll see if I can register at that other vets. Yea I don't think regular flights will be happening until the summer at best!
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For those who wondered where I found vets, I went here. You can add filter searches for Exotic pets amongst other options.
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Jan 18, 2021 9:37:55 GMT -8
I go to vets 4 Pets, a little bit pricey compared to some but they're pretty good with my gerbs when I've brought them in I register them there as soon as I get gerbils, not 100% whether Rolo is registered actually because she's never been to the vet, but I think she is. I think if you are in urgent need of veterinary help you can just go because that's what I did with Storme's first round of teeth issues, but it is still good to register to a vet as it is quicker when the time comes that they need to go. A couple of times I've just noticed that one seems bad and can be at the vet within 20 mins if I ring straight away, instead of saying all the stuff you have to if you aren't registered. The phone calls last only 2 minutes or so if you're registered and you can just go straight away (although not always since the pandemic - but it's still easier).
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