Specialist Vets in Portlaoise

## Summary Highfield Veterinary Portlaoise is part of the Highfield Veterinary Group. Based on its own site, it positions itself for both routine check-ups and urgent/emergency situations, and it explicitly mentions seeing exotic pets. In the latest reviews available to us, owners repeatedly describe careful handling of cats and nervous dogs (including taking time to answer lots of questions), and one reviewer mentions a follow-up phone call a few days after a visit to check how their cat was doing. There is also a conflicting account from one reviewer who says the clinic refused to provide a prescription for ongoing medication and tried to charge substantially more than other sources. ## Services - Routine care and check-ups (mentioned on the clinic website). - Urgent and emergency care (the website says the team is available to handle emergencies with urgency and expertise). - Care for cats and dogs (multiple reviews describe cat and dog visits, including a nervous dog). - Exotic pet care (explicitly listed on the website summary). - Repeat prescriptions (appears in the clinic website navigation/content available to us). - Pet health plans / a “vet plan” (the website references “Pet Health Plans,” and one reviewer says they signed up for a vet plan). - Common problem consultations mentioned in reviews include ear problems and stomach problems in a dog. ## People - Staff are repeatedly described as patient and careful with cats—one owner says their cat was made as comfortable as possible and that questions were answered “politely and thoroughly.” - Multiple reviews highlight extra time spent with anxious pets; one owner with a “really nervous dog” says the team “went above and beyond” to put the dog at ease. - Follow-up is specifically mentioned by one reviewer: a vet called a few days later to check on a cat’s progress after the visit. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 170 reviews.** Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us. - Gentle handling and reassurance during appointments, especially for cats and nervous dogs (taking time, being patient, helping pets settle). - Communication: owners mention staff answering many questions thoroughly. - Aftercare: one review mentions a follow-up call a few days after a cat visit to check how things were going. - A notable negative outlier: one reviewer alleges they were charged much more for regular medication than elsewhere and says the clinic refused to provide a prescription so they could buy it elsewhere.

## Summary Vetcare Portlaoise is part of the Vet Care group (described on its site as having four practices) and offers general veterinary care with vets, nurses, and reception/clerical support staff. From the information available, the clinic is set up for routine consultations and ongoing pet care (including a Pet Health Club® Plus plan where consultations are included), and it also supports end-of-life arrangements such as handling cremation and returning ashes in an urn. Reviews frequently mention staff explaining next steps clearly and sending reminders for vaccinations; one recent review conflicts with this, alleging a missed diagnosis in a dog with a swallowed bone that was later found lodged in the oesophagus after several days. ## Services - **Veterinary consultations** (website mentions consultations included with Pet Health Club® Plus). - **Preventive care reminders**, including **vaccination reminders** (mentioned in a review update). - **Assessment of health concerns** raised by owners, including issues like a **lump** noticed by an owner (review describes reassurance after bringing the dog in). - **Care for cats and dogs**, including treatment described as helping a **kitten after a “nasty scare”** (review). - **Support with cremation arrangements** and returning pets’ ashes in an **urn** (review describes staff handling cremation and collection). ## People - **Reception/clerical staff** are repeatedly mentioned for being helpful and “excellent” at the front desk (multiple reviews). - **Vets and nurses** are described by several reviewers as explaining problems clearly and giving detailed guidance on home care for pets (cats specifically mentioned). - One reviewer reports the opposite experience in a serious case, alleging their concerns about a possible obstruction were dismissed and that the dog remained unable to eat until another facility found a bone stuck in the oesophagus. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 335 reviews.** **“Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.”** - Many reviews describe **clear communication** and a **reassuring manner**, including calming an owner worried about a dog with a lump. - Multiple reviewers mention **front-desk support**, specifically calling reception “excellent” and interactions “pleasant.” - Some reviews highlight **practical follow-through**, such as **vaccination reminders** and the clinic **handling cremation arrangements** and returning an urn. - A significant negative review alleges a **missed oesophageal obstruction** (swallowed bone) and a delay in appropriate treatment—this conflicts with other accounts describing thorough care.