Southfields Veterinary Specialists

Reviews of Southfields Veterinary Specialists

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  Vanessa Robinson

  Google · 6 June 2026

  My Dachshund, Luna, was taken to our local vet after she suddenly lost sensation in the lower part of her body. We were urgently referred to Southfields Veterinary Specialists and I cannot express how wonderful the entire team was. We were seen very quickly and received a thorough consultation from a senior vet. Everything was explained clearly, including the possible diagnosis, treatment options and likely outcomes, which helped us make informed decisions during a very stressful time. Luna underwent an MRI scan under general anaesthetic, which confirmed she had IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease), a condition affecting the spine. We decided to proceed with spinal surgery and I'm delighted to say that Luna is now recovering well. One thing that really stood out about Southfields was their package pricing. These situations can quickly become overwhelming financially, but Southfields offered a fixed price package that included: * Initial consultation with a member of the Specialist-led Neurology Team * MRI scan performed by the Specialist-led Diagnostic Imaging Team * Decompressive spinal surgery, including general anaesthesia provided by the Specialist-led Anaesthesia Team * Three nights of hospitalisation with 24-hour nursing and veterinary care * Pre-operative blood tests * Post-discharge pain relief * One post-operative check-up Knowing exactly what was included and what the costs would be gave us tremendous peace of mind at an already difficult time. Throughout Luna's stay, we received regular updates from the team, which was incredibly reassuring. Knowing how she was doing and being kept informed every step of the way made a difficult situation much easier to cope with. I am incredibly grateful to everyone involved in Luna's care. The professionalism, expertise, compassion, communication and support were outstanding throughout. I would highly recommend Southfields Veterinary Specialists to anyone whose pet needs specialist treatment. Luna and our family are very thankful for everything they did.

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  Rebecca Moy

  Google · 16 May 2026

  I can't recommend this practice enough although there are aspects which could be improved. Our Lily has been taken care of and her quality of life has improved. She loves going to the practice and the radiotherapy team have been amazing. I do think the practice could be warmer in its environment and communication as we are all human and things can get misconstrued or misinterpreted. Lily bounces out of the car and is happy to arrive. It's worth the three hour drive !

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  Megan L

  Google · 10 March 2026

  It is impossible to put into words the gratitude I have for the amazing people at Southfields, and most importantly Hamish the Neurologist. My tiny dog was struck down with rapid onset of grade 4 IVDD and within 12 hours of her losing use of her back legs, the surgery to repair her spine was complete. Hamish explained all of the risks, benefits and considerations of opting for surgery and we were fully confident in the plan he proposed at the point we left her at Southfields. Our confidence only grew over the coming days with consistent daily updates on her recovery, before finally bringing her home with a detailed care plan at the end of the week. Four weeks of crate rest was not easy, and we still have a road ahead of us to full recovery, but seeing our dog walk again has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Thank you, Hamish and team, you are truly amazing.

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  David Townsend

  Google · 8 March 2026

  We were referred to Southfields by our local vet, when a tear duct flush did not resolve the discharge from our dog’s eyes. We were immediately impressed with reception as they were not fazed by us having a reactive dog, and allowed us to keep her out in the car until the vet was ready for us – and we didn’t have long to wait. I was also really impressed with Stefan the Ophthalmologist and his nurse Sharron, who straight away allowed our dog off lead, to wander around the consultation room and to have cuddles with them. This meant she was relaxed and happy to be handled by them when it was time to examine her – and it’s clear Stefan has a deep love for dogs. During this time Stefan listened carefully to all of the background information I could give him. He then conducted numerous thorough tests, and although these would have been necessarily uncomfortable for our dog’s eyes, Stefan and Sharron were so patient, that she never became stressed or worried by the tests. Stefan then took a lot of time to discuss with me the condition my dog is suffering from, showing me the pictures and explaining what the various tests had indicated. He also discussed the likely longer term prognosis, and explained that I would need to become an expert in monitoring her condition over time. I was really pleased about this, because what Stefan was trying to do was to give her the minimum treatment that she needs at each stage, whilst ensuring her eyesight is protected. He gave me clear instructions of what to look for, including showing pictures of what might happen, and how to vary her eye drops accordingly. However, at the same time he said that if I had any concerns or questions before her next scheduled appointment, that I could ring to discuss. We have been back for a couple of followup appointments to check that the drops are working, and we have the right level of treatment. Each time , our dog has been really excited to meet Stefan and Sharron again (and sometimes other ‘baby’ vets) – this shows me that they created a safe happy environment for her, with no stress for her. Stefan has also recommended other things we can do to ensure she keeps her sight, including doggles as sunlight will exacerbate the condition. I love that Stefan encourages any questions (no matter how stupid I think they might be), and is happy to answer and spend time giving me the understanding I need to help my dog. If your dog has any sight problems, I would highly recommend Stefan at Southfields as an engaging, highly motivated, and animal loving vet, who will take time both with your dog and with you, to ensure between you , you give your dog the best of care.

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  Shelly Long

  Google · 12 October 2025

  Absolutely everyone is wonderful at Southfields! My Tibetan Terrier had lymphoma and from the first call to the last chemo-everyone was so kind, patient and professional and took such amazing care of him. Special shout out to his vet, Mikele who is so lovely! If you have to bring your beloved pet here, relax-they’re in safe hands 🥰

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  Hayley-Rose Hoppington

  Google · 30 September 2025

  I cannot praise Southfields exotics team, especially Dr Dom, highly enough, and that doesn't come easily to me as bunnies are so often let down by veterinary care. Yes they are more expensive than your local vet, but you are paying for the next level of care and expertise that you can get. I am shocked by the negative reviews most which seem to be focused around payment. For myself I asked for a quote before I made an appointment and put myself and my beloved furkid through the stress of the travel there. I was greeted warmly upon arrival and as I had a bunny and both the dog and cat waiting areas were in use, we were taken straight through to a consult room to wait and the temperature was adjusted to make sure the room was at a pawfect 17*c for Bernadette's comfort. I was surprised when I booked the appointment that it was for an hours long consult, well, Dr Dom spent just over 2 hours with myself and Bernadette. He answered all of my questions, and made sure that I understood everything and felt comfortable with my decision with the treatment plan that I chose. Bernadette is not the easiest bunny to examine - she may be 12years and 5 months old, but she can be full of rabbitude when she wants to be, especially for a new vet. Well, she made my warnings out to be as if I was a liar! Good as gold and let Dr Dom actually examine her teeth! Only the second vet in her life to be able to look properly whilst she is awake. After she had been examined she was back in her carrier with me stroking her whilst us humans continued to talk and she was relaxed enough to be toofy purring and eating her hay! I've never known anything like it, and Bernadette has chronic health problems and has spent a lot of time at the vets before. I could see then why this hospital has been rated Gold by the Rabbit Welfare Association, and I felt more confident and less anxious in leaving Bernadette in their care and for her to be sedated for x-rays. (Just over 4 years ago she nearly died having sedation for x-rays with the local vet, so I was terrified of loosing her). I had a 4.5hour wait until she was all done and recovered enough to be discharged. And although there are tea/coffee and toilet facilities in the hospital, I mostly waited in my car as due to my bad back, I needed a bit more comfort than the waiting room. Though there are plenty of local places to go in Basildon for refreshments etc too. The nurse I spoke with upon Bernadette's discharge was friendly and let me know how she had been - a run down on her poops, as all bunny parents know how important that is. I had to wait 2 days for all of Bernadette's test results, but Dr Dom spent 40 minutes going through everything with me, again, making sure that I understood them and answering any questions that I had. He was super knowledgeable, friendly and helpful throughout and clearly cares about the bunnies. I love how he didn't write Bernadette off due to her advanced age and was in agreement with me that we could still improve her quality of life for however long she has left with me. So yes they are expensive - but it was worth every penny to me and for Bernadette's future.

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  Alan McLeod

  Google · 11 September 2025

  Our little spaniel Rosie has now had 5 out of the 6 sessions of radio therapy for a tumour in her neck which if left untreated would grow, and would definitely not end well. The staff there are amazing and all call her by name as we walk through the door. (I don't care if this is rehearsed or not) she loves it and is happy to comply with anything they say. The receptionists, the nurses and everyone including the practice manager is everything you hope for when your little,un isn't well. We have one more treatment to go and rose tinted specs or not, I feel she is improving. I have every faith in the care she is receiving and at the end of the program, if we have given her more time, that'll do for me.

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