Vets Now (Kilmarnock)

Vets Now (Kilmarnock) is part of the Vets Now emergency care provider and focuses on out-of-hours treatment for dogs, cats and small animals (nights, weekends and bank holidays). The website describes an RCVS-accredited clinic with in-house facilities for diagnostics and critical care (including imaging, lab work and an operating theatre). Recent reviews repeatedly mention pets being seen promptly and handled gently, alongside frequent comments about high costs and payment expectations at the time of treatment (even for insured pets). Specific examples in reviews include vomiting blood assessed “from head to toe,” anti-sickness injection with rapid improvement, and surgery to remove plastic from a dog’s stomach with updates throughout.

Services

From the clinic website and reviews, services/capabilities mentioned include

• •Out-of-hours accident and emergency care for dogs, cats and small animals (nights, weekends, bank holidays)
• •Critical care support, including
• •Advanced fluid therapy
• •Advanced pain management
• •Blood transfusions
• •ECG monitoring
• •Blood pressure monitoring
• •Diagnostics and imaging
• •In-house laboratory testing (including haematology and blood smear analysis)
• •X-ray
• •Ultrasound
• •Endoscopy
• •Facilities
• •Operating theatre
• •Hospital ward
• •Isolation unit
• •Procedures referenced in reviews
• •Surgery to remove an ingested foreign object (plastic) from a dog’s stomach
• •Anti-sickness injection for prolonged vomiting
• •Full clinical examination for a dog vomiting blood

Pricing

• •Website: pay-as-you-go video vet consults are listed at £28 (marked with an asterisk on the site).
• •Reviews: one owner reports an emergency appointment cost £300.
• •Reviews also describe pricing and payment policy concerns
• •Some owners say out-of-hours fees are high.
• •One review states they were asked for “a substantial amount of money or the full amount at the time of treatment” even when the pet was insured and proof was provided.
• •One review says they “don’t accept cash” and payment is “card now” (contrasted with an earlier visit where cash was accepted).

People

• •Kelly Mcghee (role not stated in the review): named as the clinician who examined a dog “from head to toe” when the dog was vomiting blood; the owner highlights being seen quickly and being satisfied with the attention and treatment.
• •Across multiple reviews, staff are described as
• •Handling pets very gently (one owner says their dog was handled “like a new born baby”).
• •Keeping owners informed during serious treatment (an owner whose dog had surgery to remove plastic says they were kept informed about everything happening).

Reviews

4.4 stars from 385 reviews. - Prompt attention in urgent situations: several owners say their pet was seen quickly/promptly.

• •Gentle handling and reassurance: multiple reviews describe sympathetic, kind handling of anxious pets and worried owners.
• •Clear updates during treatment (in some cases): one review of foreign-body surgery notes frequent communication and feeling their dog was in safe hands.
• •Cost and payment friction is a recurring negative theme: several owners mention high fees; one objects to up-front payment expectations despite insurance, and another notes a change to card-only payments.
• •Conflicting experiences about priorities: one review praises the vet for suggesting blood tests be done at the pet’s regular vet to reduce costs, while another alleges staff were “more interested in money than the pet” and describes a poor in-clinic observation during a visit.