London Goes to the Dogs!

Colleen’s 5-star review: So far, so good... I found this veterinary practice on Yelp based on an older review, and hoped that all the facts still rung true. My luck (and Tillie's!) they certainly did. My pup is getting on in years, and that comes with its own set of challenges. I wanted to have her throughly checked out to make sure nothing was terribly amiss before we left on a long trip. I easily and quickly made an appointment with the very polite receptionist and was booked in for a Friday evening appointment. We arrived rain-soaked to a happy, warm office full of the vet's own pooches. We were greeted warmly, seen quickly and the good doctor gave her a once over and sent me home with instructions to collect a urine sample (I had my husband do that job, thankyouverymuch) and return the following day to have it tested for any irregularities, etc. Dutiful dog dad did just this, walked it back over, paid £20 for the test, and they called us later that day with the results: your dog is old and her kidneys are slow, but she isn't in any pain or distress. Well, all good...best case scenario and we now take many trips outside to use "the loo" to accommodate the kidney-deficient canine. Big plus: the initial exam and registration appointment is free of charge. I had no idea this was true...but what a great way to be introduced to a practice. I'll surely be back. Very friendly folks that won't try to upsell you and leave you bankrupt. Practical solutions for your pets.

Colleen’s 4-star review: My dog likes to look fresh. Haha, not really. If it were up to her she'd let herself resemble Pigpen, would roll around in dirt and feces, and would generally look like she'd just been through a forage in the forest. However, as an apartment dog...this is not acceptable. She is a shorthaired lady, so she doesn't need the particular cut, but every few months she does need a deep down brushing, scrub and nail trim (something about trimming another beings nails terrifies me)...and thus we search for her spa. Easier said than done in East London! But I finally found Groom Dog City and I am quite pleased with the output. It's in a little shop near Haggerston/Columbia Market, they took my appointment quickly, the staff was very nice (both the owner and the assistant), and 45 minutes later I returned and was gifted back a dog that looked to be much cleaner and about 4 bales of hair lighter. Win. Reasonably priced too! For the works on my type of dog (again, no cutting/trimming required) for bath, eyes, ears, nails, brushdown -- about £25. I also left a tip because I have to believe this is thankless work giving spa treatments to animals who do not wish to be pampered. If they only knew! They even returned her to me with a little bow. I'll be visiting again next time she starts to resemble a vagabond... *appointments easily made online (he called me back right away). *there are a few shop dogs, word to the wise. I mentioned my dog wasn't so nice with other dogs she doesn't know, and they easily blocked them off. I'm sure my dog was still a nervous wreck, but there is a price to beauty and to coexisting with humans, Tillie.

Colleen’s 2-star review: Unfortunately, I did not have a good experience at Clerkenwell Animal Hospital. I won't return. My go-to vet is now Amwell Vet Surgery. If you are looking for a kind, honest vet that loves animals...that is a good place for you. I brought my aging pooch companion here (due to location/convenience) with a few bits and bobs that needed a look. A cyst on her eye, bump on her leg, teeth looking a little gnarly, and a small dark dot on her neck, under her chin. She's getting old, and the cracks are starting to show but she is otherwise really in very good health and shape. She's 13...so, when making decisions regarding her health I appreciate having all the information, and making decisions that will allow her to lead her snoozy retired life in peace, for the most part. Any sedation or extreme measures should be considered but not necessarily undertaken if they don't greatly increase quality of life. What's the saying? Better to let old dogs lie? She wishes! :) Within literally seconds of being in the exam room the vet (who scarcely looked at her) diagnosed the brown dot on her neck as melanoma and said it needed to be excised, and that while she was under she should have at least 6 teeth removed, if not more. He couldn't be sure until she was under. He hastily snapped an iphone pic of her teeth. Why? I don't know. As for the bump on her wrist -- would need to be biopsied at a VERY hefty sum to see what it was and the eye cyst would need removal, suture and sedation. Whoa. A bit of a shock...and as they were trying to book me in the very next day, I felt a bit too high pressure for my liking. Also it was going to cost upwards of £2k. What? No. I opted for a second opinion at my regular vet (who is lovely - Amwell Vet Surgery in Islington) a few days later. Melanoma on neck = old blood blister that was easily drained and gone within seconds. Zero Bump on wrist = he advised I leave it based on its location the removal would cause more pain than good given her age. Eye = this one they agreed on, the cyst did need to be removed which required sedation and a suture. Based on that procedure he suggested he do a dental cleaning and at that time he would decide if any teeth needed to be removed. The goal always being quality of life, least amount of discomfort, etc. So, for about £600 Madame Tillie spent the day at Amwell and is doing very well. Had I gone with Clerkenwell it would've cost me nearly 4x that amount, plus a lot of unnecessary suffering for my old girl. The second opinion was worth it and this operation seems a bit too quick to take drastic measures without knowing anything about the animals. Bedside manner also lacking. I won't return. For around £50 I wasted an hour of our lives and paid for the pleasure of being overwhelmed. Additional star for emergency services and weekend hours. If it truly is an emergency, this would definitely be a decent option for your furry friend.

Colleen’s 4-star review: Great to stumble upon Molly & George on Yelp! I was doing a search to find a new groomer for our posh pensioner Tillie. She was in bad need of a manicure and bath, and I was just sort of over the vibe at my previous groomer (Groom Dog City). After reading the bio on M&G's Yelp page I figured it would be good choice and a nice walk up to London Fields on a weekend morning. I easily made an appointment via email. I brought her in on Sunday at 10am, she got the requisite bath and brushing and nail trim and I picked her up about 45 minutes later (even snuck in a tasty breakfast nearby at Bouchon Fourchette)!. For the low price of 20 quid! A great deal in my opinion. It's a location under a railway arch near London Fields, just behind Hackney Road. The space is fresh and bright. Super simple, she looked great when done, the woman was friendly and we were on our way to enjoy a nice walk in London Fields. Can't beat that. It gives me a great excuse to visit one of my favorite areas of London as well. 2 paws up for Molly & George - we'll be back.