Medivet Fulham

Vanessa Sicre

a month ago

I took my 20 year old cat to this vet practice to be put to sleep, as it was my nearest vet and wanted it to be less stressful for her, and what a big mistake that was! I told the vet her list of symptoms & showed him a video of her howling due to her cat dementia (she would space out at intervals throughout the day and have frequent howling episodes). She had also started soiling herself, and as a meticulously clean, long haired cat, having urine on her belly, tail & paws was also a source of distress for her. His response to her symptoms was that it sounded complex & that there were medications she could go on. As far as I know, dementia in both humans & cats is not treated by medication, it needs to run its course. She was already on a renal diet for end stage kidney disease but still very skinny. Her symptoms weren't actually complex, most of them were related to her dementia. I couldn't believe he was suggesting I keep her alive with all her presenting symptoms. It felt like a money grab opportunity - I did not feel heard or most importantly, that my cat's wellbeing was his priority. My cat was so distressed at the vet practice, that she pooped on the consulting table and went on to have an epileptic fit - which was a first and when I asked the vet what to do, he just stared at me without a single word. I almost felt as if I was being judged for getting emotional. Fortunately, once my panic wore off due to the situation, I realised all I could do was comfort my cat until the fitting passed. I also asked the vet if there was a way to make the experience less distressing for her with a sedative. Instead of giving it to her in the consulting room, he caused her more stress by having me put her back in her cat carrier, then she was taken to another unfamiliar room to be handled by the vet again, in addition to the vet nurse. I heard her screaming in the next room. To be honest, I don't think the vet even liked cats. He made it pretty clear by how he handled her. I feel so sad that my cat had to go through this experience in her final moments of life. I've had many pets of my own who I've had to put to sleep over the years. ALWAYS, the animal has been put to sleep in the same room as me, which has made it a much more peaceful experience for them. The vet clearly had no understanding of this. It's like the compassion factor was just non existent. If you care about your pet, take it to another vet practice. Such a shame it changed hands, it used to be an excellent vet practice when Rachel was there - she truly understood the animals in her care, and had the compassion and empathy for them, as well as the people skills, which many younger vets just don't seem to have nowadays. The only good thing going for this vet practice is Chantal, who has been there since before the practice changed ownership, and has always been the consummate professional manning the front desk.

Massimo Butti

6 months ago

The team here always takes such great care of our dog, Charlie. We really appreciate how friendly and professional everyone is, and a special thanks to Chantal who’s always so helpful with bookings and making things easy for us. Highly recommend!

Stephanie Stemp

7 months ago

My mothers senior dog had a medical emergency on Friday and required urgent veterinary treatment. My mother has used this veterinary practice for all the family pets over the last 40 years, and even has a monthly subscription for services for her dog. I understand it has become a Medivet franchise in recent years. We called the surgery and explained that her beloved dog Millie had that morning had a suspected stroke and also a seizure and we required an urgent appointment. My mum was told the surgery’s IT systems were down and they could therefore not see the dog at all that day. I am truly astounded at the lack of duty of care in this case and the failure to have a contingency plan in place should IT systems fail. The vets themselves were very much there and they could have seen her as an emergency. I subsequently had to drive to my mother and collect her and the dog and drive them to a practice in South Kensington were her beloved dog was sadly euthanised. We will never forget the lack of compassion and support from this veterinary practice at what was such a traumatic time for my mum and family.