Featured Clinic Overview
## Summary Ystwyth Veterinary Practice Limited describes itself as an independent, family-run mixed practice with a 12-vet team, supported by qualified and trainee veterinary nurses, and it is an RCVS Practice Standards Practice. It appears set up for both everyday pet care and more involved cases, with the website listing orthopaedics/soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy, physiotherapy, and an in-house surgical referral service. Reviews repeatedly mention urgent cases being seen quickly, including same-day appointments and emergency visits with minimal waiting, plus out-of-hours updates (one owner reports a call at 11pm after an overnight stay). Owners with nervous or reactive dogs also describe the team going slowly and adapting handling, including during a laparoscopic spay. ## Services - Small animal veterinary care (dogs and cats are specifically mentioned in reviews). - Farm animal care (website lists farm services; reviews mention treatment for “small holding” animals and trying to get someone out promptly for “bigger animals”). - Equine services (listed on the website). - Orthopaedics & soft tissue surgery (listed on the website; one owner describes an operation to repair a dog’s leg, with a “neat job” and good outcome). - Laparoscopy (listed on the website; a laparoscopic spay is specifically mentioned in reviews). - Physiotherapy (listed on the website). - Emergency care and overnight hospitalisation (reviews describe emergency visits and a cat staying overnight). - Out-of-hours emergency service: the practice states it provides its own out-of-hours emergency care 24/7, 365 days a year. - Veterinary nurse training facility (listed in the clinic data; the website also mentions trainee veterinary nurses). ## People - The website describes a team of 12 veterinary surgeons, supported by qualified and trainee veterinary nurses and administrative staff. - Owners frequently describe vets/staff adjusting their approach for anxious pets: - A nervous dog “isn’t great at the vets” and the vet was described as understanding. - A reactive dog having a lap spay was handled “nice and slow,” with staff recognising the dog was “simply just nervous.” - Communication is highlighted in specific situations: - One owner says the vet explained in detail what a dog’s leg operation involved. - Another reports receiving an 11pm phone update during an overnight stay after an emergency. ## Reviews Google rating: 4.7 stars from 301 reviews. “Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.” - Emergency/urgent access: multiple owners mention being seen quickly for emergencies, including not waiting long and getting a same-day appointment. - Handling nervous/reactive animals: staff are repeatedly described taking things slowly and being understanding during stressful visits, including for a laparoscopic spay. - Surgical outcomes and explanations: a dog leg operation is reported as successful, with the procedure explained clearly beforehand. - Out-of-hours updates: one owner reports an 11pm call to provide a progress update while their cat stayed overnight. - Farm/smallholding support: reviewers mention care for domestic pets and smallholding animals, and efforts to reach larger animals promptly.
Showing 1-5 of 5 clinics
Tysul Vets is a veterinary practice offering emergency care (including out-of-hours) and is listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. Recent reviews repeatedly describe fast access for urgent problems (for example, an emergency appointment arranged after a dog was stung on the paw and couldn’t bear weight), calm handling during assessments (“without causing distress or discomfort”), and support around end-of-life decisions (including rearranging appointments to come out to a family, followed by a condolence card).
Tysul Vets is a veterinary practice offering emergency care (including out-of-hours) and is listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. Recent reviews repeatedly describe fast access for urgent problems (for example, an emergency appointment arranged after a dog was stung on the paw and couldn’t bear weight), calm handling during assessments (“without causing distress or discomfort”), and support around end-of-life decisions (including rearranging appointments to come out to a family, followed by a condolence card).
Steffan Veterinary Services is a mixed-practice clinic (small animals, equine and farm animals) that’s been established since the 1950s. The clinic describes facilities including separate kennels, an isolation area, and advanced lab capabilities, and it is listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. From the latest reviews available, owners most often mention getting seen quickly for urgent problems (including dog-bite injuries) and vets explaining diagnoses and treatment options “clearly and without pressure,” with follow-up communication after an emergency visit. A minority of reviews raise serious concerns about pain during anal-gland examinations, delays/mixed messages around whether biopsies could be done in-house, and complaints about consultation/prescription charges.
Steffan Veterinary Services is a mixed-practice clinic (small animals, equine and farm animals) that’s been established since the 1950s. The clinic describes facilities including separate kennels, an isolation area, and advanced lab capabilities, and it is listed as a veterinary nurse training facility. From the latest reviews available, owners most often mention getting seen quickly for urgent problems (including dog-bite injuries) and vets explaining diagnoses and treatment options “clearly and without pressure,” with follow-up communication after an emergency visit. A minority of reviews raise serious concerns about pain during anal-gland examinations, delays/mixed messages around whether biopsies could be done in-house, and complaints about consultation/prescription charges.
W J Downes
Aberystwyth
Our Score (77/100)
W J Downes (Downes Vets) presents itself on its website as a mixed veterinary practice covering small animals, equine and farm animals, and it states its vets are on call 24/7 for emergencies. The site also mentions modern diagnostic equipment, plus services like charity neutering, pet grooming, animal exports, and health plans. From the latest reviews, owners often mention a clean clinic and prompt appointments, and there’s a detailed example of an out-of-hours emergency visit where a vet (George) stabilised a very unwell dog and provided medication and clear next-step options. However, multiple reviews raise concerns about the reception experience (described by some as friendly, by others as uncaring/robotic) and one reviewer reports a dispute around a care plan and payment handling. (Ownership group/corporate status isn’t stated in the information provided.)
W J Downes (Downes Vets) presents itself on its website as a mixed veterinary practice covering small animals, equine and farm animals, and it states its vets are on call 24/7 for emergencies. The site also mentions modern diagnostic equipment, plus services like charity neutering, pet grooming, animal exports, and health plans. From the latest reviews, owners often mention a clean clinic and prompt appointments, and there’s a detailed example of an out-of-hours emergency visit where a vet (George) stabilised a very unwell dog and provided medication and clear next-step options. However, multiple reviews raise concerns about the reception experience (described by some as friendly, by others as uncaring/robotic) and one reviewer reports a dispute around a care plan and payment handling. (Ownership group/corporate status isn’t stated in the information provided.)
Hafren Veterinary Group
Llanidloes
Hafren Veterinary Group describes itself as an independent, privately owned, long-established practice (over 100 years) that treats both large and small animals. The practice states it is Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accredited, and clinic data also lists emergency veterinary services (24/7 or extended hours) plus being a veterinary nurse training facility. On Google it holds a 4.8★ average from 84 reviews, and the latest written feedback available to us is uniformly positive, though mostly brief.
Hafren Veterinary Group describes itself as an independent, privately owned, long-established practice (over 100 years) that treats both large and small animals. The practice states it is Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accredited, and clinic data also lists emergency veterinary services (24/7 or extended hours) plus being a veterinary nurse training facility. On Google it holds a 4.8★ average from 84 reviews, and the latest written feedback available to us is uniformly positive, though mostly brief.