Vets Now (Reading)

Vets Now (Reading) is part of the Vets Now emergency veterinary group and provides out‑of‑hours care for dogs, cats and small animals. The clinic states it opened in 2004 and is RCVS‑accredited as a Small Animal Emergency Service Clinic. Based on the website and recent reviews, it’s set up for urgent and critical cases with on-site diagnostics and hospitalisation; owners describe pets being kept in overnight with IV treatments, and being seen quickly (including appointments offered within 30 minutes).

Across the latest reviews, owners most often mention

• •Rapid access for emergencies (seen within about an hour; appointment within 30 minutes mentioned).
• •In-patient care including pets being kept overnight and supported with IV fluids/medication; one owner describes being allowed to sit with their hospitalised dog in the kennel area.
• •High, clearly itemised out‑of‑hours costs (examples include a reported £350 initial out‑of‑hours charge and multi‑day bills in the thousands), with mixed experiences of insurance handling (one reviewer grateful for a direct insurance claim option; another says they were chased for payment despite providing insurance details).
• •A split in clinical satisfaction: several describe thorough exams and improvement (notably with rabbits), while at least one review reports a missed diagnosis (ear infection) after discussion of more serious possibilities.

Services

From the clinic’s website summary, Vets Now (Reading) lists out‑of‑hours emergency care during nights, weekends and bank holidays, with equipment and facilities including

• •Accident & emergency consultations for urgent illness/injury
• •Critical care and hospitalisation (hospital ward; isolation unit)
• •Operating theatre
• •In‑house laboratory testing, including haematology, blood smear analysis and blood pressure monitoring
• •Imaging and monitoring: X‑ray, ultrasound, ECG
• •Procedures and treatments: endoscopy, blood transfusions, advanced fluid therapy, advanced pain management

From the latest reviews, conditions and care owners specifically mention include

• •Acute haemorrhagic gastritis / haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (emergency treatment; hospitalisation and “tubes/medicines” described)
• •Constipation / gut stasis in rabbits, with thorough examinations and advice; syringe feeding overnight mentioned as part of recovery at home
• •Overnight care for a cat including rehydration and laxative (reviewer reports no diagnosis at discharge)
• •Overnight care for an elderly dog including painkillers, IV fluids and IV antibiotics, with transfer to a regular vet the next morning (as described by the reviewer)
• •Small‑pet emergencies including a hamster, with an appointment offered within 30 minutes

Pricing

Explicit costs mentioned in the latest reviews include

• •£350 reported as an initial out‑of‑hours charge (“just to open the door”, per one reviewer; also cited by another reviewer)
• •£340 for a visit (reviewer felt it resulted in a missed ear infection diagnosis)
• •£600 total for a short visit relating to haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (reviewer felt it didn’t resolve the issue)
• •£54 for a tube of probiotics (reviewer questioned value as their dog couldn’t take them)
• •Over £1,100 to keep a cat overnight for rehydration and laxative (reviewer reports no diagnosis)
• •~£6,500 over 4 days for emergency treatment for acute haemorrhagic gastritis (reviewer describes it as “extortionate” but says the team tried to keep costs down)

Insurance handling is described inconsistently: one reviewer was grateful the clinic could claim directly with their insurer, while another reports being aggressively chased for payment despite supplying insurance details.

People

Named staff mentioned in recent reviews

• •Anita (vet): treated a rabbit for probable constipation; described as patient, thorough, and giving advice that helped the rabbit recover after a night of syringe feeding.
• •Paula (role not stated): treated a rex rabbit with signs of gut stasis; reviewer describes a “top to toe” examination, low‑stress handling for a nervous rabbit, and managing a busy period while keeping owners informed.
• •Joanne (receptionist): described as kind and helpful during an emergency visit.
• •Maddie (nurse): thanked for affectionate handling and caring for a dog “like her own”.

Several reviews also comment on the broader team

• •Owners often mention being kept informed during overnight stays and emergency treatment.
• •There are contrasting experiences: while multiple reviewers praise communication and reassurance, at least one reports being frightened by discussion of serious disease and later feeling the correct diagnosis was missed.

Reviews

Google rating: 4.2 stars from 295 reviews. “”

• •Speed of being seen is repeatedly highlighted (appointments within 30 minutes; seen within about an hour for emergencies).
• •Handling of small animals (especially rabbits) is a standout in multiple reviews, with detailed descriptions of thorough exams and careful, low‑stress handling leading to improvement.
• •Hospitalisation and intensive support are described (overnight stays; IV fluids/antibiotics/pain relief; tubes/medicines; owners allowed to visit a hospitalised pet in at least one case).
• •Costs are a major recurring complaint, with specific high figures cited and some owners feeling taken advantage of by out‑of‑hours pricing.
• •Billing/insurance experiences conflict: one reviewer praises direct insurance claims; another describes persistent, automated payment chasing despite providing insurance details.
• •Clinical outcome experiences are mixed: several report pets recovering, while one review alleges a missed ear infection diagnosis after being warned about cancer and tests.