Veterinary Care Over the Festive Period
Nobody wants to come to the vet over the holidays, but what happens if your pet is poorly or hurts themselves? Are your veterinary team not at home enjoying their Christmas too?
All veterinary practices in the UK have a legal obligation to provide round-the-clock care for their patients. While some practices do this themselves, such as having a vet on-call, most provide this 24-hour care by agreement with a designated Out of Hours veterinary clinic for while they are closed.
Our Vet Collection Practices benefit from our own network of emergency clinics, called MiNightVet. These clinics are open 24/7 and are staffed by experienced vets and nurses, many of whom have a particular interest and training in emergency care.
What happens if we need the vet?
In an ideal world, you would check where to go out of hours well before you need it and keep the clinic information somewhere safe. We understand that this doesn't always happen however, so in the first instance call your normal practice. The phone may be automatically redirected, or you may be given a different number to call.
Our trained colleagues will ask you a few questions before advising whether your pet needs to be seen, how urgently and, if needed, when and where you should go. If it’s appropriate they may explain some first aid you can do at home. It is important to always call before arriving so that the team are prepared and ready to help your pet, and you can be sure you are going to the correct place.
OOH care is generally charged at an increased cost. The OOH team will advise you of the consultation charge when you call, and estimated costs of treatment will be provided once your pet has been examined.
Are we bothering the team by calling?
No! Our MiNightVet teams are always awake on their shifts and are waiting and ready to see you. It’s not great having to work over Christmas but the shifts are shared out, with plenty of time off before or afterwards to compensate. While on shift our colleagues are here to help, so please don’t hesitate to call if you are concerned.
Often, a bit of advice is all that is needed, and our colleagues are happy to help put your mind at rest. If they do think your pet needs to see a vet, they will arrange this with you so you can get back to enjoying the festive season at home as soon as possible.
Can’t we just keep an eye on things?
We understand that you would rather not be coming to see us over the holidays, and we won’t recommend an appointment unless we think it is in your pet’s best interest. We’re happy to give advice and can often gauge how worried we should be by asking a few questions over the phone.
Some things, like a mild gastrointestinal upset in an otherwise well dog, are safe to monitor for 12-24 hours. Other problems, such as toxin ingestion (e.g. chocolate) are better seen straight away. Vomiting can usually be induced within 4 hours of ingesting something harmful; after this time the stomach is likely to have already emptied. If you know your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have, it is better to contact your vet immediately, so you don’t miss the window for treatment.
Of course, prevention is always better than cure! To reduce your chances of needing to meet our wonderful emergency teams, have a read of our Christmas dangers article.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content made available on this webpage is for general information purposes only. Whilst we try to ensure that at the time of writing all material is up to date and reflects industry standards, we make no representation, warranties or guarantees that the information made available is up to date, accurate or complete. Any reliance placed by yourselves is done so at your own risk.