Riverforest Veterinary Centre

Riverforest Veterinary Centre highlights out-of-hours emergency handling on its website and offers online appointment booking. In reviews, owners most often single out Steve for taking time to listen and check pets thoroughly, and for gentle handling of anxious animals (one nervous dog reportedly came out of the treatment room “with her tail wagging” and a plan in place). A detailed older review describes a sock ingestion case where the team kept a dog an extra day for additional tests and tried to avoid surgery before operating when it proved necessary, with the owner saying the operation went well.

Services

• •Out-of-hours emergencies (stated on the clinic website).
• •Consultations for cats, dogs, and rabbits (mentioned by reviewers).
• •Diagnostic testing for unclear/“puzzling” illnesses (review mention of testing).
• •Foreign-body management and surgery (review describes a dog that ate a sock, additional tests, then an operation when it couldn’t be passed).
• •Behaviour/handling support for nervous pets (review describes gentle, reassuring handling and a treatment plan for a very nervous dog).

People

• •Steve (Steve Hallahan) (vet, per reviews): repeatedly mentioned for taking time to listen, checking everything, and being gentle and reassuring with nervous pets; also credited with trying additional tests to avoid major surgery before proceeding when needed.
• •Fiona (vet, per review): named alongside Steve as providing care through testing and puzzling illnesses.
• •Eimeir (reception, per review): described as helpful and understanding.

Reviews

4.8 stars from 157 reviews. Most written comments available to us are brief, but the detailed ones focus on specific handling and decision-making. “”

• •Time spent and thorough checks: owners mention the vet listening carefully and checking pets thoroughly.
• •Calm handling of anxious animals: one review describes a very nervous dog being treated gently and leaving with a clear treatment plan.
• •Cautious approach before surgery: in a sock-ingestion case, the vet reportedly did extra tests and kept the dog longer to try to avoid surgery, then operated successfully when it became necessary.
• •Support staff praised: reception is specifically mentioned as helpful and understanding.