Vets Now Portsmouth

Vets Now Portsmouth is part of the Vets Now group (a corporate emergency veterinary provider) and focuses on out-of-hours and urgent care rather than routine daytime appointments. The website positions the service as a dedicated pet emergency clinic and also mentions video consultations with a vet.

From the latest reviews, owners often describe thorough emergency workups (including “a full range of tests” and a preliminary diagnosis) and pets being monitored during overnight stays. Reviews also show a sharp split on cost and process: some mention costs being clearly outlined and having treatment options explained, while others describe very high bills, medication mark-ups, and demands for large up-front payments before treatment.

Concrete details mentioned by owners include

•Pets staying overnight for monitoring/treatment over multiple days.
•Costs and treatment options being discussed in some visits.
•A complaint about a bandage applied too tightly after a blood draw, causing swelling.
•One account alleging treatment delays during a suspected bloat emergency due to up-front payment requirements.

Services

•Emergency/out-of-hours veterinary care (website and reviews).
•Diagnostic testing during emergency visits (“full range of tests” mentioned in a review).
•Inpatient/overnight hospitalisation for ongoing care and monitoring (multiple reviews reference pets staying overnight, including a four-day out-of-hours stay).
•Blood sampling (review mentions blood being taken and a bandage applied afterwards).
•Video consultations with a vet (“Video chat with a vet today” mentioned on the website).

Pricing

•One reviewer alleges being asked for £2,000 up front, then £3,000, during a suspected bloat emergency, and says the total charged was £4,400.
•One reviewer describes medication pricing as heavily marked up (including an example of pain relief they say is available online for under £5 being charged at over £100), but this is not independently verified in the inputs.
•Other reviewers mention the visit being “costly” but say costs were clearly outlined and options were provided.

People

•Molly (receptionist) is named in one review; the owner says she looked after their dog briefly so they could use the bathroom.
•Vets and staff are repeatedly described as taking time to explain findings and treatment plans (e.g., a vet “took time to ensure I understood what was said and the treatment plan”).
•Experiences with staff manner are mixed: several reviews describe staff as kind and reassuring, while one detailed complaint describes staff as cold/dismissive during a critical emergency.

Reviews

Google rating: 4.4 stars from 500 reviews. “”

•Clear pattern of positive experiences around reassurance, kindness, and communication during stressful out-of-hours visits (including owners saying they felt “at ease,” “supported,” and that treatment plans were explained).
•Multiple mentions of pets being cared for during overnight stays and being discharged after monitoring/treatment.
•Recurring concern about cost: some owners accept it as expensive but felt the service matched the price; others strongly object to pricing, medication mark-ups, and (in one account) needing large up-front payments before treatment.
•Quality/safety concern raised: one review reports a too-tight bandage after a blood draw leading to leg swelling noticed later.

Reviews for Vets Now Portsmouth

Note: Showing the 5 most recent Google reviews out of 500 we track in total. Recent reviews may not be representative of overall sentiment.

Ali P

in the last week

Very helpful and reassuring when visiting a different area away from our usual vet. Now know where you are if we need you again!

joe o'gorman

a week ago

Our dog became very ill on Christmas morning. We contacted vets now and they asked us to bring her in. They carried out a full range of tests and provided us with a preliminary diagnosis. During the four days of her OOH stay with them she was well looked after. From the first point of contact until she was discharged we were met with staff that are friendly, caring, respectful, and professional. If I’m ever in a position to require an OOH vet again I would certainly contact them again.

Andrea Marshall

2 weeks ago

Felt really at ease with the vet, she was so kind

Jade Walker

Very supportive team, everyone is helped make me feel at peace. Couldn't have had a better team of people. Very thankful for all they did. I now have one sleepy kitty.

Matthew Elliott

3 weeks ago

Catliz

Extreamly upset and disappointed in the cost of not only the out of hours service but also the markup of medication. Apparently an emergency vet is not to be used to prescribe medication to a sick animal which I was told if they did it would cost more for 1 days worth of antibiotics than a whole weeks worth from my regular vet because they are emergency... Pain relieve that can be bought on the Internet for under £5 cost over £100. Vulnerable pet owners should not be seen as cash machines and sick animals should not be seen as a money making opportunity!.

Sarah Major

2 months ago

Friendly and caring staff in reception and the vet. They made me feel welcome and my pets safe. The vet was thorough and seemed knowledgeable, he took time to ensure I understood what was said and the treatment plan. Whilst it was costly I was impressed with the service received.

Casa Diablo Tattoo

I brought my Doberman here last year with bloat — a life-threatening, time-sensitive emergency. Instead of rushing to help, I was told nothing would be done until I paid £2,000 up front. Once I managed to get the money, the amount was raised again to £3,000. While every minute counted, my dog lay on the floor in pain as I begged for help. The staff were cold, detached, and dismissive — I was even told I could “go somewhere else if I didn’t like it.” The vet spoke down to me, and the receptionist showed no compassion. It felt like a “computer says no” situation, with no urgency or care for what was happening in front of them. I sat in tears while my boy was slipping away. This was one of the hardest experiences of my life. My dog died on the table before the operation was even completed, yet they still demanded full payment. When I asked to see him the next day, I was told he had already been placed in the freezer. My family had to go back to collect his collar because I couldn’t face returning there. This nightmare didn’t just cost me my dog. It has left me with a CCJ, £2,400 in debt, damaged credit, and the loss of the home I had been saving for. In total they charged £4,400 for a dog who was left waiting over an hour without proper care. I understand bloat can be fatal, but time and compassion make all the difference — and both were absent here. I have since tried to resolve this with the company, but all I’ve received is the usual corporate runaround: passed from person to person and told I could “make a complaint” if I wished. Again, detached and uncaring. Corporate vets like this care only about money, not the animals or the families who love them. Please — avoid Vets Now and Downland at all costs. Trust independent vets who still put patients first.

Georgia Marks

3 months ago

Everyone at the practice was so lovely and helpful. I was given options for treatment and the costs were clearly outlined. The wonderful receptionist Molly even looked after my dog so I could use the bathroom. The most important part was how thoughtful and caring they were to my dog, particularly when he had to stay in overnight. Thank you from a very grateful owner and a recovering Ayrton😊

steve Elliott

5 months ago

Service was fine. But when vet took blood and put a bandage on cats leg where he took it from was put so tight it swelled up. We didn’t notice this until the next evening as she is not moving around. Very unhappy