FAQs

Up until recently, owners have always had to take their pet to a veterinary  practice if they require treatment. Now there’s a new era of veterinary care available, where the vet comes to you, rather than the other way around.

So what exactly is a home visit service? What can you expect during your appointment?  Read below to find out!

A home visit service: calm and  convenient veterinary care at home

Cats can get very stressed being loaded into a carrier  and being travelled to the vets. Waiting in a busy  reception can cause further anxiety and stress. A home visit service completely removes the need for cages, travel and long anxious waits in reception.

We also see lots of dogs at home for a variety of reasons. Normally it’s to avoid the stress of a vet visit, or added convenience for the owner, who can sit back and relax knowing their dog is in safe hands.

What does Scourfield Veterinary  Services do?

We provide home visits for dogs and cats in South London. This means on booking an appointment, a qualified veterinary surgeon will come to your home or office address, to provide healthcare services for your pet.

What healthcare services can we provide?

Anything and everything to care for your pets’ medical needs! This can include routine health checks, microchipping, vaccinations (including rabies), pet travel documentation, claw clipping and  expressing anal glands.

If your pet has a health problem, we can also treat them at home. We commonly examine and treat animals at home with the following conditions: skin infections, skin wounds, ear and eye infections, problems with vomiting or diarrhoea, limping, torn claws, coughing, checking lumps,  decrease in appetite or weight loss. We can also care for pets with chronic conditions which need to be monitored, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism and kidney disease.  The list really is endless!

What is the cost of a home visit?

A weekday consultation at home is £130 for clients with an SW postcode, and £145 for clients with an SE postcode. This includes the home visit, consultation  and a full health check. Most of our appointments take a minimum of 30-40 minutes, but there is no set time limit. The vet will spend as long as they need in order to examine your pet, advise you fully, discuss all options and provide any testing or treatment that is required. We kindly ask for payment at the time of the appointment and can accept any credit or debit card.

When are appointments available?

We always aim  to provide a flexible, convenient service for clients. We are currently open 9:00am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday, and pre-booked appointments are available on Saturday morning between 10am-12pm subject to availability.

24/7 emergency care is available for all of our registered clients; please see the ‘Emergency/OOH‘ section on our website.

Will my pet be treated at the time of the appointment?

YES! Our vet will be carrying a full pharmacy of medication with them. This includes medications for pain, anti-inflammatories and  antibiotics to name a few. Any medication recommended by the vet will be left with you at the time of the appointment. Injectable medication will also be given if this is appropriate for your pet.

My  pet needs a blood test, is this possible?

YES! We can provide a full range of diagnostic services. This includes blood tests, blood pressure, checking  lumps (cytology), skin testing, blood pressure, plus faecal and urine testing.

What if my pet needs surgery, or hospitalisation?

We are able to carry out minor procedures under sedation at home. This can include removal of small lumps, skin biopsies,  stitching up wounds, and flushing ears or anal glands. The vet will advise you if your pet requires any such procedure.

As a home visit service, we are obviously unable to do any surgical procedures that require general anaesthetic at home. If the vet feels this is necessary for your  pet, we will organise referral to one of our partner practises in  London. This is a simple process, that the vet will guide you through.

What happens if I need my pet put to sleep at home?

We appreciate this is a very difficult time for all owners. We have created a page with further information regarding euthanasia at home, which can be seen  here.