The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre Avis 

The centre, the staff, the care, advise and interest in my disabled young cat was superb. I’m only giving 3* as the verbal quote on the phone for prices was almost treble when I received the bill. There was no transparency on costs. I was aware of the initial consultation fee and when blood tests were suggested, I agreed, assuming this would add another £200ish. My fault for not checking.
Please confirm prices prior to agreeing for more tests.

Following a visit wishing to get a second opinion- the consultation was halted twice whilst the consultant was needed elsewhere. He was very knowledgeable however replaced a dressing that was required by my dog but was added too tightly which caused the dogs foot to swell excessively.
So following a visit to a specialist I ended up at my local vet to assist with additional complications to my already poorly dog.
On emailing I was informed that the leg was redressed free of charge! It appears I should be grateful for what I would see as basic care for an animal. Well it wasn’t free of charge as I had to pay my local vet to redo it!

We were referred to The Ralph on a couple of occasions. We found them to be kind, thoughtful and extremely caring. They were patient and explained all procedures thoroughly. Their communication was excellent. We were sent photos and updates regularly. Unfortunately on our last referral after many attempts to save her, our beautiful girl Yuki was put to sleep. They were so respectful and gentle that we knew our girl was given the best care right to the end. Thank you, your kindness meant the world at such a heartbreaking time.

Back in April 2023 my black Labrador pup, Ralph (born 08/12/23), went lame in both front legs. Initially I took him to Willows in Birmingham where he was found to be suffering from a condition in his elbow called IOHC. This is where every time he bent the joint the top of his ulna caught against the cartilage in the joint causing Ralph to scream in pain. I was offered one option and told that there was a chance that he would develop an infection in one of his legs as a result of the proposed procedure and that if the infection was severe then the leg would have to be amputated. If he lost both legs then it was suggested that the best option would be to put him to sleep. He was 4 months old...

Two days before the operation I was reading up on IOHC on a face book group and came across a procedure that Alan Danielski, one of the consultant surgeons at The Ralph had developed for dogs suffering from IOHC.

It was a Sunday but I dropped Alan a private message describing Ralph's diagnosis and proposed treatment. To my surprise he replied 10 minutes later and said that he could help.

His procedure carried far fewer risks and addressed to root cause of Ralph's problem. An appointment was arranged later that week and I cancelled the procedure at The Willows.

Ralph had already been CT scanned and these were made available to Alan. As well as his IOHC Alan saw that his Ulna wasn't growing at the rate that it should and that Ralph's front legs would bow until he was unable to walk. To my relief he told me that he could treat this at the same time as the IOHC.

In all it took around 8 months and 3 visits to sort Ralph out. It was hard going and I spent weeks sleeping on the floor with him. He also had to be kept calm with no running, jumping or racing around for 6 of the 8 months. This was no easy feat with a young Labrador.

Ralph was 2 in December 2024 and lives a normal life. His front legs are slightly bowed and every now and then I see a slight limp on his front right but he is full of life and energy.

I will be forever indebted to Alan Danielski and the care that Ralph received at The Ralph. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommend them based on my experience.

Where do I start.
Our Boy Solo the Alaskan Malamute was referred to the Ralph by the 4th VET, I had visited as he was seriously not well. Collapsing, then couldn’t stand up I was out of my mind with worry.
We got there Sunday evening and 2 lovely nurses came out and wheeled him away on a little trolley to take his obs.
Javier kept me updated the next day to say he was going in for a CT scan as the previous vet had found a mass in his abdomen.
The CT scan showed he had basically a hole in his stomach which was leaking and a large mass and very thick stomach lining. What’s frustrating was Solo didn’t show any symptoms of what this could be.
They rang me to say he needs emergency surgery yes it’s expensive but it was a no brainer I said yes.
They removed his spleen, half his stomach and the mass. He was very sick.
He spent his time in ICU with Javier and the internal medicine team time with critical care team.
Solo isn’t the most cooperative of patients, he got to a point where he would grumble and growl and snap out of boredom most likely for him and just sadness.
Javier and the team were exceptional in dealing with this and understood his behaviour wasn’t out of he wants to rat you he’s just sad and Solo is an emotional dog.
We got the devastating news Solo has cancer.
Poor Javier has to deal with me having a breakdown (gotta feel for him) but as he should he put Solo first before me and before the Ralph explained the options and I decided against treatment for him as it wouldn’t of been fair on him to have more vet visits and meds and it wouldn’t of been fair on whichever vet had to do it as Solo wouldn’t of been easy.
As much as I way well have to sell a kidney (kidding) what meant most to be is that they put Solos needs, Solos life before anything else, before my, before profit and that’s what means so much.
Some vets are just ticking boxes or yeah get them to do this make some cash but not the Ralph it’s what’s best for the animals.
They allowed us to bring him home so he can spend some time decompressing before he ends this chapter.
As much as I’m absolutely devastated to be losing my boy when he’s only 4 I’m grateful that this team of vets, nurses, medicine people all of them truly do out the animal before human.
Thank you team Ralph
Love Jenn & Solo
P.s solo says sorry x

My cat Jojo was referred to The Ralp after being at my vets for a week as she needed specialist treatment. She had liver problems, fluid on her lungs, thyroid issue and an ulceratiaed eye so she was very poorly. She had treatment for a week and she began to pick up so was released home with medication. However after a week on Xmas Eve her eye ruptured and she had to go straight into emergency surgery preformed by the ophthalmologist to remove her eye. I picked her up on Xmas day to recover at home. I was very impressed with the care she received, phone calls to update me as well as call texts and emails. I asked to be kept updated on costs as well which I was. She is now on the road to recovery. I am very impressed with her care and treatment she received with special thanks to the vets Isla and Azzurra.

Our mischievous cat, Maui, had eaten a ball of string and had to be operated on by our local vet to remove it from his stomach. He came home and was recovering well, and then suddenly he just didn't look right - he looked tired and went off his food. We took him back to our local vets and when they removed the bandage he had a hole in his chest right through to his abdomen, full of necrotic tissue. They operated on him again, but the following day the wound opened up again and the tissue was dying. They tried various antibiotics, cleaning the wound, cutting away more tissue. Nothing worked. After five days, the vet had exhausted all their options, and his condition had deteriorated. We were told he was not likely to survive, and we felt helpless not knowing why this was happening.

Our last hope was an immediate transfer to The Ralph about an hour away. Our vet packed the wound, called ahead and said The Ralph would be expecting us. As soon as we arrived, we were told their surgical team and anaesthetist were on standby for him. He was immediately taken in and we were told the surgeon would call as soon as they were out of theatre. About three hours later, the surgeon called and took a great deal of time to explain what they did. During the initial surgery at our local vet, they had made an incision in the stomach and intestine to remove the string. But the intestine incision appeared to be leaking, spreading bacteria throughout. They were able to repair this and extensively cleaned out the infection. It brought us great comfort that they didn't just treat the symptoms but immediately identified the possible root cause.

The next day we visited him in their intensive care unit - a dedicated unit that houses only cats (with a separate one for dogs). The nurses were caring for the cats like they were their own. Maui is an F2 Savannah - so very close the wild Serval cat which means he is big, strong and does have quite a lot of the wild instincts still. He is naturally scared of people he does not know. At home he is sweet, loving and loyal. But if anyone else tries to get near him, he will run away - or if backed in to a corner, will use his incredibly sharp claws and teeth to protect himself. So, he is quite possibly the worst possible patient and can be quite scary and intimidating to a vet.

The ICU was set up to minimise the stress to cats as much as possible, with pheromone diffusers and air humidifiers to make them more comfortable. But what was especially great for a cat like Maui is that they had setup the kennel so that they did not have to open it to tube feed or provide medication, reducing the stress for our very anxious boy.

We really felt a huge relief. We overheard nurses talking about some of the animals in their care. I remember hearing one say that she had been carrying one of the kittens around in her jumper. It was just so nice to see and hear how much they love the animals in their care.

One other issue we were concerned about when he was at our local vet was that he had developed an eye ulcer from the opioids, and the vet was very concerned that he needed eye drops multiple times a day, but they simply could not apply them because of his temperament. Again, The Ralph were not phased by this at all - and said they had multiple options as they have a full ophthalmology department. If necessary, they could fit a special contact lens to protect the eye. However, they were having success using a technique that squirts the medication into the eye from a distance, so it was not needed. They just have so many different capabilities and specialists in one place that I have no doubt animals have their best possible chance at this facility.

The multiple surgeries obviously took their toll on Maui. Thanks for their close monitoring on the ICU, at about 4am they noticed he was struggling to breathe. They sedated him and immediately examined him and found he had anemia and would not make it without an immediate blood transfusion. Cat blood is not readily available in the UK, so he received a dog blood transfusion, which was a success.

He is now finally on his way to making a full recovery and we have him back at home. I will be forever grateful to every single person at The Ralph - they saved his life.

Daylight robbery. Absolute sharks who prey on the fact that you love your pet. Not only was I assured (on several occasions) that there was nothing to pay due to them dealing direct with insurers, they even charged a fee for their management of insurance funds……… only then without notice to get a several thousand pound bill once my pet was put to sleep & aggressive solicitors intervention. Would never go back, and gladly tell my story to all who ask.

Would not recommend. Took my cat to extract a broken canine and the vet said they needed to sand the other one in a dome shape so that wouldn’t poke the lip which is standard for canine removal on cats I was told. However, when I received my cat the canine was indeed sanded but into a very pointy shape (even pointier than his normal canines which is silly). The cat continuously poked himself when opening and closing the mouth even drawing blood. Called to ask what could be done and why was the result different to I was told it was going to be (domed not pointy) and the doctor’s assistant was super rude. Really bad experience.

Update: regarding your response below. The point is that the what I was told just before the procedure (domed shape) was very different from the end result (super sharp point)… and when I enquired about it, I didn’t “feel” they were rude, they were definitely rude raising their voice and saying “we don’t do miracles here”.

We have been attending the Ralph for 18 months now. The service, care, professionalism and compassion that pervades the Ralph is extraordinary. The staff are so kind and we are confident that our treasured and much-loved dog is in the best and safest hands possible.

My little chi had a syncope episode back in January (she had previously been referred to The Ralph for scans for her heart murmur in 2019).
The Ralph got her booked in the same day as her breathing was very fast and she needed to be seen ASAP. She was given medication and scans etc. And came out looking like her normal self within a couple of hours.

Had a chat with the cardiologist who was very informative about her condition and offered a lot of advice. I was made aware that I could call anytime I wanted and bring her in if I was ever concerned. She was put on medication for heart failure.

She had a couple of relapses since being diagnosed and each time The Ralph were amazing with communication and getting her dose changed to stabilise her.

The last visit to The Ralph was at the beginning of April. My pup had to have an overnight stay in ICU but was getting discharged later the next day! Unfortunately, before she was discharge, she suffered a cardiac arrest (Believed to be due to a little tear in her heart). Obviously I am devastated but it gives me comfort knowing she was in the best place possible. They could and would have done everything possible to make her comfortable.

The ICU, Cardiology & bereavement teams have all been amazing, cannot fault them at all!
The reception staff were also great and lovely.

I'm so glad my pup got referred to The Ralph for her treatment. I'm so lucky to have a great hospital so close to home!

Thank you to everyone at The Ralph for taking care of my baby the past few months 💖

*EDITED TO ADD*
At the start of each visit, a member of staff took me through a consent form. This form included a "from" and "to" price so I was made aware of what price I might have to pay, before any treatment took place.
On a couple of occasions, my pup was very unwell so I gave verbal consent so they could see her straight away. When someone was available, they went through the consent form with me as normal. Even on these occasions, I was still told an estimated price and how much it could go up to (depending what was needed). I was never charged more than the maximum I was told - in fact, I believe the bill was always under the maximum I was told.

They also sorted everything with my insurance company, I would just get a "balance remaining" bill for what the insurance didn't pay. Made life so much easier having all this sorted for me!

My dog Scout became very unwell in February 2024. Local diagnosis was not possible. Scout was referred to The Ralph (77 miles and a 90 minute drive from home) for further tests. From arrival to discharge and follow up I felt well informed, reassured and we were confident that Scout was in good hands. We spoke to 4 different consultants over the 3 nights Scout was in ITU and updates were mostly given at the planned times but it is understandable that sometimes the calls were a bit later than expected due to the nature of work. We were sent photos and an update from the nurses which was so thoughtful. Eventually we got a diagnosis and Scout improved sufficiently to come home. My only criticism is that once home she appeared to become unwell and i phoned for out of hours advice as instructed. Whoever I spoke to said they would speak to the consultant who knew Scout's case and I would get a call back. No-one ever rang me back but thankfully Scout just bucked up. Obviously I would have contacted them again if I remained concerned. Scout was also extremely happy to go back for her follow up review, pulling me into the building and wagging her tail. For me this is the greatest review possible and proves without a doubt that she received loving care whilst an inpatient. Words cannot express how glad we are to have her back to her normal, and how grateful we are to everyone at The Ralph. Every member of staff we spoke to was kind and understood our anxieties. Thank you so much.

I can’t even put into words the treatment we received as customers and our dog . Requesting £2000 within 2 hours and wanting more . Our dog left in the same condition and we had to go back to an alternative vet . Phone messages recorded that they are only just coming into profit after 4 yrs !!! Also stated I shouldn’t have purchased such an expensive dog. The case will continue we have been left mortified. Then a text message to request a further £744 !!! So £2744 for a day and a half !!!

I wanted to express my utmost gratitude for the exceptional care that my dog, Pippa Griffiths, received during our recent visit to The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre.

The quality of care surpassed all expectations, and I am truly grateful for the professionalism and compassion demonstrated by your entire team. In particular, I would like to commend Stavros Karydas for his outstanding expertise and dedication.

Furthermore, I would like to extend my appreciation to the wider team, including Daniella McCready, Holly Wilson, and Ana Blazinovic. Their warmth, empathy, and proficiency contributed immensely to the positive experience we had at The Ralph. It was evident that each member of the team takes great pride in their work and genuinely cares for the well-being of their patients.

Overall, I cannot speak highly enough of the level of care and professionalism demonstrated by everyone at The Ralph.

A Big shout out to Chris for rescuing our beloved dog Europe! The entire team displayed incredible dedication, surpassing expectations and consistently showing compassion throughout. I have nothing but praise for them!

I cannot recommend The Ralph more highly. My dog has just spent 8 nights with them, very ill with a gastric condition. They were professional, communicative, attentive, caring and absolute experts in getting our dog on the road to recovery. Particular mention to Javier and Patricia, the incredible nursing team and the receptionists, who are just wonderful. Thank you all

Absolutely incredible experience at The Ralph. Multiple updates daily despite how busy the surgeons and vet nurses are in theatre. We took our dog following a referral from our vets, as she required surgery to remove a large bladder stone and what turned out to be a 15cm cyst caused by a foreign body. We were referred on a Friday afternoon and received a call from The Ralph on Friday evening, booking us in for the coming Tuesday. We had a consultation, went through everything with the surgeon and they kept her overnight to perform surgery the following day. Wonderfully efficient and thorough in our time of need. They were extremely diligent in explaining everything, keeping us updated and providing the best care for our dog. We were able to visit her out of ours and speak with her nurse. They performed additional scans at no cost just for peace of mind. She is now home with us and is recovering incredibly well. We cannot thank them enough for how amazing and caring they have been with our 3yo rescue.

Professional, compassionate, attentive. The whole team at The Ralph, from surgeon to nurses and from reception to finance, were very sensitive to the needs of our tiny sick kitten and her anxious guardians. Explanations of treatments were given, we were updated twice a day, or more if we needed. I felt they supported us extremely well and did everything they could. No, it’s not a cheap option, but I would not hesitate to use them again if placed in a similar situation.

A hugely disappointing experience- shockingly high fees (quoted estimate of £2-4.5k for removing throat splinters / associated trauma and dealing with an abscess; came to over £5.5k) ; no call backs when I rang to check how my elderly dog was after his operation and throughout the following day, despite repeated promises someone would ring me; continued ringing of my son to ask his permission, despite being clearly told to ring me as the owner and the one paying the bill; doubled up on pain relief medication despite being told my dog wouldn't take the oral tablets, particularly since he'd had a throat op, then to top it all, a patronising response when I queried the fees and highlighted the poor service, referencing the option to talk to them if I can't pay the bill! I am not in the habit of leaving bad reviews, preferring to raise issues directly. However their response gave no indication that they had taken on board any of the feedback. What a shame as they have marketed themselves as a genuinely caring practice but this was not my experience. In fairness, our dog has fully recovered now which is a huge relief to our family and I am grateful to them for that.

The most caring, kind team I have ever come across. They did everything they could to save my dog; and when his cancer was too widespread they helped me do the right thing for him when I was really struggling. They even sent us a card signed by the nurses that care for him.
Absolutely the best tertiary veterinary service.