Taking your pet to the vet

A trip to the vet can be a routine check-up or something more urgent.

You can ask questions at every step. We based these notes on the advice the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) gives to owners. The RCVS regulates vets and vet nurses in the UK.

Choosing and registering with a practice

Start with a practice that treats your kind of animal. Dogs, cats and rabbits go to a small animal practice, horses to an equine practice and livestock to a farm animal practice.

The RCVS suggests asking each practice what it charges for routine care, such as vaccinations and neutering, and for out-of-hours care. Some practices belong to the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, which is voluntary. You can search for them on the RCVS's Find a Vet.

The RCVS encourages owners to register as soon as they can, before their pet needs urgent care. You give your contact details, and your pet's species, breed, age, microchip number and whether they're insured.

Comparing practices near you

People looking for a practice can search a directory of UK practices on vetcomparison.uk.

You can also read there about the Competition and Markets Authority's work on vet practices.

Go to vetcomparison.uk

Getting ready for an emergency

Every vet practice in the UK must provide emergency first aid and pain relief around the clock. Some share this cover with other local practices or a dedicated emergency clinic. Emergency care usually costs more than routine treatment.

A few things are easier to sort out on a quiet day.

Ask your practice who provides its out-of-hours care.
Save the emergency number on your phone, with the address.
Plan how you would get your pet there at night.
Keep your pet's microchip and insurance details to hand.

At the appointment

A consultation typically lasts 10 to 15 minutes. The RCVS suggests writing down your questions beforehand, and taking someone with you to help remember what the vet says. You can ask for a simpler explanation at any point.

Before treatment starts, your vet must ask for your consent. They should explain the reasonable options, what each one is for, the likely costs and the common and serious risks. If the plan changes, your vet should ask for your consent again. In an emergency when you can't be reached, your vet can treat first to protect your pet's welfare. One option can be to watch how your pet gets on without more tests. When it isn't urgent, you usually have time to think it over and check what your insurance covers.

Agreeing the cost

For treatment that is not an emergency, your vet should give you a written estimate before starting. It should list the likely charges, including VAT and any follow-up care. If the cost is likely to end up much higher, your vet should ask for your consent before going on.

In an emergency, your vet should talk to you about cost as soon as it is practical. That conversation should not hold up first aid or pain relief.

Medicines and prescriptions

You can buy a prescribed medicine from the practice, or ask for a written prescription and buy it somewhere else. The practice can charge a reasonable fee for writing it, and the RCVS advises asking what the fee is. Your vet must not charge you more for anything else because you buy the medicine somewhere else.

For buying online, the RCVS recommends retailers in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme. You can check a retailer on GOV.UK.

Second opinions and complaints

You have the right to a second opinion, from another vet at your practice or from a different practice. If you go elsewhere, tell the new practice your pet has already been seen, so they can ask for the records.

If something goes wrong, ask the practice manager about the complaints procedure, and keep a record of what you send and hear back. The Veterinary Client Mediation Service is free and independent, and both you and the practice have to agree to take part. It generally looks at problems from the last year, unless there's a good reason for the delay.

Who sets the rules for vets

Vets agree to follow the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct when they register. The RCVS looks into the most serious concerns about a vet's conduct. Practices are private businesses that set their own prices. The Competition and Markets Authority made an Order on vet services for household pets on 22 September 2026. Its new duties for practices start in stages, and vetcomparison.uk explains them.