Guidance notes on the Norwich-Night Vet Emergency Service
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Norwich Night Vet has been successfully running since 2008 and is the only service of its
kind in Norfolk. We provide a dedicated veterinary emergency service covering much of
the area in and around Norwich.

A vet and veterinary nurse experienced in emergency medicine are on-site and available
24/7 365 days a year providing “through the night” care for hospitalised inpatients as well as
being available to see any new emergency cases.

The surgery has an extensive array of specialist equipment to facilitate emergency
treatments, some of which may not be available at general practices.

We manage hundreds of emergencies every year and this familiarity enables us to manage
cases as effectively as possible.

We can call on the expertise of vets with post-graduate qualifications in several disciplines
SOME COMMON QUESTIONS:
Why has my vet delegated emergency care to Norwich-Night Vet?
Over the last 20 years the scope and sophistication of treatments available for pets have increased
greatly. The nature of vets’ daily work has changed too such that the old scenario of a vet working
an intensive 11-12 hour day followed by a night “on call” followed by a further long day is no
longer practical for the vet nor in the best interests of their patients.
What care can I expect for my pet?
The role of the emergency service is to provide sufficient care to get animals safely and comfortably
though the emergency period until such a time that your own vet can take over. NNV effectively
finishes at 8.30am Monday-Friday so we cannot provide continuity of care after this time unless the
patient is unfit to travel back to your own vet.
Is someone watching my pet at all times?
A Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Nurse are on-site all the time and the Norwich Night Vet staff
decide upon the level of supervision needed on a case by case basis. They will balance the needs of
an individual with that of a number of other patients and the need to see further emergencies and
even perform operations during the emergency period.
Do you keep me and my practice informed?
Yes of course. We aim to provide regular updates regarding your pet’s condition, the plan for the
hours ahead and costs. Notes are sent to your practice and we often will telephone them about
complex cases.
Is it possible for you to tell me exactly what treatment will cost?
The very nature of emergency conditions are that they can be unpredictable. We can only estimate
approximate costs but these have to be revised on a frequent basis.
Do we accept direct insurance claims?
No. Unfortunately due to the NNV work being done out of normal working hours administrative
problems prevent us from doing this.
Do you bill my own practice?
No. You need to pay us by the completion of our treatment.
If my pet is hospitalised, what happens to my pet when NNV finishes at 8.30am?
Pets either go home to their owners or are transferred back to their own practice if medically fit to
travel. Exceptionally animals will stay here but are then managed by a different team of vets and
nurses to NNV.
My vet has yet to diagnose what is wrong – are you going to?
We limit our diagnostic investigations to what is appropriate for the severity and stability of the
medical condition of the animal during the emergency period. Where possible we try to leave
investigations to your own veterinary surgeon.
Is the Norwich Night-Vet service a specialist ‘referral centre’?
No. Specialists are experts in just one discipline and do not tend to work in general practice.
However we are confident that NNV would compare very favourably with any general practice
emergency service in the country. If we feel a specialist opinion is needed in the emergency period
then we would discuss referral from us with you.
After treatment by NNV, can I register with Taverham Vets?
The Emergency Service relies on co-operation between us and the practices using NNV. We have
an agreement whereby animals cannot be seen by Taverham Vets for a period of 6 months from the
time of the NNV treatment. This agreement is strictly enforced.
Find us at the
Taverham Veterinary
Practice
Fir Covert Road
Taverham
Norwich NR8 6HT
Tel: 01603 867330
www.taverhamvets.co.uk