Accessing our services

PRESCRIPTIONS UPDATE

On 1st September 2023 our regulatory body, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) introduced new guidance on prescribing prescription-only medicines. There was a grace period until 1st January 2024 for some classes of medication including parasiticides (flea, tick and worming treatments). The new guidance requires that a clinical assessment, which usually entails a physical examination of your pet, be performed every time antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and parasiticides are prescribed.

The guidance is an important step towards ensuring responsible antimicrobial use and reduces the veterinary impact on the wider issues of global antibiotic resistance and decline in insect populations.

Your pet will need to have seen a Veterinary Surgeon for an in-person consultation to make an appropriate parasiticide treatment plan personalised to their lifestyle and risk. We will aim to do this at regular, routine vaccination and health check appointments to reduce the need for additional appointments. However, a separate ‘parasiticide check up’ consultation may be required.

We will enter a prescription ‘authorisation’ of our recommendations onto your pet’s clinical notes, which can then be used to issue medication for the following 12-months. Once this authorisation is in place you can order parasiticide treatment as you previously have done so.

A ‘parasiticide check up’ consultation is free for members of our Pet Health for Life (PH4L) plan.

For long term prescription medication which is not an antimicrobial/antiparasitic, our usual policy of requiring a regular examination usually every 3-6 months continues to apply. The medication review consultations will be charged at our usual fees.

You can read the full guidance from the RCVS on their website.

Important Announcement: Changes to our Out-of-Hours Service at Cherrydown Vets

Dear Valued Clients,

We are writing to inform you of an important change regarding our out-of-hours service at Cherrydown Vets.

After careful consideration, we have decided to merge our overnight and out-of-hours service with the excellent team at our sister practice, Forest Veterinary Centre. This means that all out-of-hours care will now be transferred to Forest Veterinary Centre Hospital in Epping.

This change will take place from 24^th June 2024. We have made this decision due to a shortage of vets available, and in order to continue to provide the highest standard of care for our patients during our regular operating hours.

Please note you can remain registered with us whilst using out-of-hours care at another provider.

Forest Veterinary Centre is a highly reputable veterinary practice with a dedicated team of professionals who share our commitment to providing exceptional care for your beloved pets. They are 24 miles away, which is approximately 38 minutes’ drive time.

Forest Veterinary Centre has comprehensive, state-of-the-art facilities to handle a wide range of veterinary emergencies. It already supports 7 local practices with an out of hours hub, and its experienced team always has a vet and a nurse on site available 24/7 to ensure that your pet receives the care it needs, when it needs it most. They are also able to offer overnight care if required.

We can assure you that Forest Veterinary Centre will provide the same level of care and compassion that you have come to expect from Cherrydown Vets. Both Cherrydown Vets and Forest Veterinary Centre are part of the Linnaeus veterinary group, so we already work very closely together and can provide a seamless service to our clients.

If you have an emergency outside of our regular hours, please contact Forest Veterinary Centre directly on 01992 575790.

Forest Veterinary Centre

Epping Hospital, 

Hemnall Street, 

Epping, 

Essex, 

CM16 4LQ

If you have any questions about this transition, please do not hesitate to contact us at 01268 533636.

We are here to support you and your pets, and ensuring their health and wellbeing are always our top priorities.

Thank you for entrusting us with your pet’s care. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to continuing to serve you and your pets in the years to come.

From all of the team at Cherrydown Vets and Forest Veterinary Centre

Cherrydown Vets Basildon Out-of-Hours Service update

We thank you for your understanding,

Cherrydown Vets

Important information about registering your pet with us:

Due to the high demand for our services coupled with staff shortages, we can only accept new animal registrations for our existing clients.

Please enter your details below if you need to register a new puppy or kitten. This also applies if you have made your first online booking for a new pet.

Our customer care team is receiving a high volume of new registrations. We aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

For brand new clients wishing to register at Cherrydown Vets, please note that we will keep your details on file and contact you when we have availability.

We thank you for your patience and kind understanding.

Should you require urgent care, please call us immediately on 01268 533636 so we can assist you.

If you are not registered to our Pet Health for Life preventative healthcare plan, do check our website to find out how you can save money and relax, knowing your pet’s treatments are kept up to date.

For more information about our clinics, please visit our website here.

We look forward to seeing you soon. Please contact us for further information.