We've been registered with Bridge Veterinary Group for many years with various pets. I'd say we go back about 20-25 years with the same vet (Mr Kilshaw).
This group has a number of branches throughout the area, the one at Middlesbrough is a sort of pet hospital, where our dog had to stay for a few days when she was particularly ill a few years ago. Anyway, it's the Stockton branch that we normally deal with. I make a point of seeing Mr Kilshaw, who is a fantastic vet - very caring and very, very experienced. I have complete faith in him - he's looked after a good few pets over the years, and he himself carried out quite a few successful operations on my dog when she suffered with mammary tumours.
The surgery has a few parking spaces outside, which is useful. Also, they operate an appointment system which is good because it means you don't just turn up and have to wait for hours (yes, I've been through this in the past with other vets).
They do have a fairly regular turnover of staff, which is a shame, but most of the people there are lovely. One of the receptionists, Val, has been there for years, and she's very kind and very experienced.
Now, a couple of little warnings. Most of the vets I've seen over the years (when Mr Kilshaw had a day off, for example) have been great. However, not all of them are up to Mr Kilshaw's standards. I had a really bad experience with one particular vet earlier this year. I took my cat in because I was worried about a little lump on his chin. The vet I saw (who I won't name, for obvious reasons) appeared very inexperienced, and basically didn't know what the lump was - but he did offer (twice!) to get me a price for a biopsy. His attitude was terrible - I wanted reassurance but he just made me more worried than ever. He didn't know what it was, said I should keep and eye on it and come back in two weeks - sent me away worried sick - and charged me £22 for the privilege!!!
As it turned out, the little lump I had been so worried about went away all by itself. I think it was a scab from a scratch, and certainly nothing that justified a biopsy (or all the worry I'd been caused by that vet).
And the second little warning once upon a time this veterinary group did offer an out of hours service where you could get a vet to speak to you on the phone or meet you at the Middlesbrough (hospital) branch if your animal needed urgent attention. Nowadays this out of hours service has been contracted out to a third party and when I rang a few months back (worried sick again because my cat had a swollen paw and it happened to be a Saturday), they said it would cost £97 just for the consultation, and any treatment costs would be extra. I've since heard that nearly all the veterinary surgeries in the area are linked up with this extortionate out of hours service, so I don't suppose Bridge Veterinary Group are any worse than the rest in this respect, but it's something you should know in advance don't let your pet get ill on a weekend!
PS The kitty cat's paw went back to normal in just a few hours with no treatment at all - I think he'd been in the garden playing with the wasps! read more
