Me and Husky Skye have been together for a longtime and they saved my husky for me like to say they are amazing for what they have done for my Skye and will be keeping my Husky with them Thank you so much.
West Bar has an excellent avian vet and clearly dedicated vets all round. Where they let themselves down is firstly in in their euthanasia procedures, which in my experience on 4 occasions was cackhanded and unsympathetic, and secondly in the unempathetic attitude of their reception staff. They may take heed of the neighbouring veterinary practice, which lights a special candle to alert other visitors that a euthanasia is taking place so a respectful silence can be maintained. I had a terrible and traumatic experience of dogs fighting loudly in reception at the point when my already traumatised pet was on the verge of death in the next room. None of the staff did a thing about it. I went and politely asked the dog owner to leave the building and he rudely refused but still the staff did nothing. I then had to return to my dying pet while the euthanasing vet muddled on. On another occasion, the reception staff were blatantly rude, both on the phone and in person, when I took in a sick animal I'd spent many hours rescuing, nursing and successfully tracing the owner of, and later when I enquired about its progress out of compassion, having offered to guarantee all the fees. All this after I've paid literally thousands of pounds to the practice over the years. Frankly, unless birds need expert treatment at the Southam Road branch, I prefer to patronize the respectful and empathetic veterinary practice next door.
Our beloved dog Murphy was sadly diagnosed with Intramuscular Hemangiosarcoma in March. From the outset, we received excellent care from Charlotte Maskery, whose attentiveness led to the discovery of the cancer. For that we’ll always be grateful. Her support during chemotherapy was also excellent, and we also appreciated the advice provided by Sam Celeste. Unfortunately, not all of our experience was positive. From the beginning, we emphasised how important continuity of care was - especially as my partner is a nurse with great experience in patient care. Murphy was also a particularly anxious dog. Despite this, after his chemotherapy we were suddenly passed between different vets without explanation, making a difficult situation harder. Another concern arose when Murphy developed an intermittent cough. We were told it was likely the cancer had spread, but no scans were ever performed to confirm. Given his weakened immune system and other recurrent infections, we wanted other possibilities explored. After raising this several times with no progress, we sought a second opinion at Mansion Hill Vets. They carefully reviewed Murphy’s full history, considered alternative causes such as acid reflux, adjusted his pain medication, and his cough disappeared within 24 hours. It was frustrating that no steps had been taken sooner, nor were palliative care options ever discussed. Sadly, it felt as though because his prognosis was poor, he had simply been written off. The difference at Mansion Hill was stark. Murphy sadly passed away two months later. The way his remains were handled by West Bar was deeply upsetting. When I brought him in on the Sunday of his passing, I was met by a staff member whose overly cheerful demeanour felt completely inappropriate. I was immediately asked whether I wanted cremation or a casket. Given he had passed away only 30 minutes prior, I was still in shock and this was not something I had considered. This happened before he was even out of the car. There was no offer of help carrying him, and I was told to ‘put him on the table over there’. Most distressingly, I was asked if I wanted time with him “before she bagged him up.” The lack of understanding was shocking, and traumatising to think what was about to happen to your beloved companion. Although I later lodged a complaint and received a phone call of apology from the head of practice, I haven’t heard anything further. This left me worried about how more vulnerable clients - such as the elderly or those without support - might cope. When I returned to collect Murphy’s ashes, although the staff on reception were friendly, the process again felt cold and clinical. His ashes were handed over the counter in a gift bag with only a certificate of cremation. By contrast, Mansion Hill sent us a beautiful handwritten card with thoughtful words about Murphy, along with Forget-Me-Not seeds to plant in his memory. Such a simple gesture showed genuine care. In summary, while we are very thankful for the excellent care provided early on by Charlotte and Sam, our overall experience at West Bar left us feeling let down. Towards the latter part of Murphy’s treatment, the approach became impersonal, lacking in both palliative care and compassion. In comparison, Mansion Hill demonstrated a much higher standard of empathy and holistic care, and we will always be grateful for the comfort they brought Murphy in his final weeks.
My first experience of this practice was unfortunately where I said goodbye to my boy. The on-call vets were fantastic and really took great care of my Smokey, doing what they could which I know can't be easy. Given the nature of the event everything was handled in our time and I'm very grateful for that. I'm sorry the first time you met my boy was a sad one but thank you from me and him for helping with his pain.
Wonderful vets. They looked after our old girl right up to her last moments. They were caring, kind and professional. After our beloved cat had left us, they sent us a condolence card which meant so much to both my wife and I. Would recommend highly. Thank you West Bar Vets.
Harry was in hospital for a long time and was cared for wonderfully. The staff understand the distress to an owner whose pet is sick and are empathetic and explain clearly what is going on with your pet More recently Harry had to go back to the hospital at #west bar veterinary hospital. One of the top vets and I believe partners in the business was aware of my anxiety as my cat is 20 yrs old. Sophie, the vet, kept me up to date and even sent photos of him
West Bar Veterinary Hospital is located at 19 W Bar St, Banbury OX16 9SA, UK
You can contact West Bar Veterinary Hospital at +44 1295 262332
You can find directions to West Bar Veterinary Hospital by following this map link