Downland Vets - Emsworth

We have had an excellent experience with this & (the Hilsea branch) over the years, from having my shepherd spayed 20 years ago here to devestatingly having my furry family say goodbye. For a big practice we've found they operate with a more independent mindset. For example, we never felt pressured into purchasing any treatments. Quite the opposite, they have worked with us to find affordable options to achieve the best outcome for our very poorly dog. In particular Lucy went above and beyond for us recently, and has been so compassionate & patient & knowledgeable. We would not have got through the last few months without her care. We would absolutely recommend this vet in terms of care, surgical knowledge, and putting animals first. Thank you.

My cats are always treated well at Downland Vets. They are 7 years old now and we have been with Downland from the moment we got them. One of our cats was very ill last year and saw Dr Gareth Hobbs and he had to operate on her, things did not go to plan but I believe he saved her. Always see him and he is always approachable and helpful. He did all he could for her and she is making great progress. So I would always want her in Downlands care.

Contacted Emsworth branch about having a second opinion done as I was quoted an expensive operation from my other vets. They see my pet very promptly and was very understanding Spoke me through everything they had to do and I left feeling so much more heard and my pet more comfortable and understood! Highly recommend! Even happier my pet didn’t have to have an unnecessary operation!

I live in Gosport but my dog comes to work with me everyday so he is a patient at Hilsea. When we got home on Thursday evening, my dog Billy had an alarming bout of loose stools. I contacted Hilsea and they sought advice from the Emsworth clinic who at very short notice agreed to see him. All of the staff were amazing at ensuring we received the best care. People often ask me why I belong to Downland Vets if I live in Gosport and my answer is always, there is not a better vets than Downland. They care about your animals, treat them with respect and you can see they always have the animals best interests at heart. The service I received from the lady vet on Thursday evening was brilliant, she was so kind and took the time to put my boy at ease, explained everything and settled my mind. The ladies in reception were also very kind to him and even let me borrow a phone charger too as I rushed to get to the appointment. Thanks Downland for going above and beyond as always.

The staff here are always friendly and helpful. My puppy had a bit of accident. They saw her the same day and was so caring towards my puppy and me. My puppy had to have an operation and they were very informative before and after the op. One day while I was busy sorting out business with reception my puppy decided to help herself to some treats. She opened packets and started munching. I offered to pay but staff said it was ok. There were so friendly about it. Always a quick friendly service.

I have needed to attend the vets quite a few times recently for my cats ongoing issues. I don't usually leave reviews but the interactions I have had with some of the ladies on reception (Becky, Bridgett and Nicola) have been an absolute pleasure. They are knowledgable, patient, reassuring and compassionate. They offer so much empathy to each of their customers. It has also been so reassuring to see how gently the vets have been with my nervous boy. The staff here do an outstanding job.

They were very kind and took in my very precious cat who was attacked by a dog. Even though not registered with them, they rang me immediately. Sadly, I had to make the decision that she needed to pass on. They treated her very kindly and informed me once she was asleep. They also sent a card of condolence which was above and beyond considering we were not registered with them. They are now taking care of her ashes and I feel comforted that she is being treated with kindness after her passing.

I visited your practice in Emsworth on Saturday with my dog, Lily, and we were seen by Gareth. Unfortunately, I left the appointment feeling disappointed with the experience and wanted to provide feedback. Lily attended the consultation due to a chipped molar. The appointment felt very brief, and after a quick examination, Gareth advised that the tooth would need to be removed. The conversation moved almost immediately to pricing, without any meaningful discussion about Lily’s age, medical history, or the potential risks associated with treatment. Lily is over 12 years old, suffers from seizures, and takes several medications due to IVDD. Given her age and medical conditions, I was particularly concerned that the risks of a general anaesthetic were not discussed during the consultation, nor were any alternative options explored. As I was not fully comfortable with the assessment, I decided to seek a second opinion at different vet practice. The experience there was very different. The vet carried out a thorough examination, discussed Lily’s dental condition in detail, explained all available options, and carefully talked through the risks associated with tooth extraction at Lily’s age and with her medical history. I felt listened to, informed, and reassured throughout the consultation. I felt the level of care, communication, and empathy during my visit did not reflect the standard I would expect, particularly given the consultation fee of £75. As one of the more expensive veterinary practices in the area, I would expect a more thorough, compassionate, and customer-focused service.

Sadly I had my beloved dog put to sleep 5 weeks ago. Downlands have been awful since, nearly 2 weeks later I received my invoice this was on the Tuesday, I wasn’t coping well at this time as my Luna’s birthday was due on the Saturday, on the Saturday her birthday I had another letter from there debt department chasing me! No card which apparently they send but for some reason I and my dog were not worthy of a card my dog was clearly not an important factor. I made a compliant to which I received a pretty standard reply still no card arrived which you thought may have prompted that. Awful service no compassion what so ever, more worried about £227.50!!! Over my dogs life and the grief I was experiencing at the time. My advice avoid at all costs.