The Coppins Veterinary Practice

The Coppins Veterinary Practice is an independent clinic (established over 60 years ago) that treats small animals as well as farm and equine patients, with camelid care also listed on its site. The practice advertises a 24-hour emergency facility, including a surgical team available 24 hours for caesareans and major trauma, and states that Dr Ken Gradwell and Amie Gradwell live on site to support round-the-clock care.

From the latest reviews available to us, experiences are mixed: some owners describe urgent care and follow-up (including a dog kept overnight on a Sunday and a vet phoning to discuss prognosis), while others report problems such as being spoken to rudely, a promised call-back not happening, and one account alleging insufficient examination before a serious condition was identified elsewhere.

Services

Based on the clinic website and structured data, services and capabilities include

• •24-hour emergency care, including a 24-hour surgical team for caesareans and major trauma (also referenced in reviews via urgent treatment and an overnight stay).
• •Small animal care
• •Consultations, diagnosis and advice
• •Routine neutering and surgery
• •Vaccinations and microchips
• •Dental care
• •In-house diagnostics: x-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, blood analysis, and an in-house laboratory
• •Home visits by appointment (note: a reviewer reports being told the practice was too busy for a home visit and not receiving a call-back)
• •Farm services
• •Pre-movement testing
• •Disbudding, dehorning, castrations
• •Fertility and lameness examinations
• •Herd health planning
• •Calving and lambing problems, including caesareans
• •Camelid treatment and care
• •Worm egg counts
• •Equine services
• •Routine health visits and vaccines
• •Equine dentistry
• •Lameness workups
• •Endoscope and x-ray (on-site facilities or off-site/visits, as stated on the site)

Other stated facilities include a dental suite, ops suite, x-ray suite, and scanning suite. The structured clinic data also lists the practice as a Veterinary Nurse Training facility.

People

• •Dr Ken Gradwell (vet): The website says he has over 30 years’ experience. In reviews, Ken is specifically thanked for phoning an owner to talk through a dog’s chances after a serious diagnosis, and another reviewer credits Ken and the team with saving their Great Dane’s life.
• •Amie Gradwell: Listed on the website as living on site with Ken to support 24-hour care.

Reviews also include complaints about communication—one reviewer describes being overtalked and another says they were made to feel they were wasting the vet’s time—so experiences with staff manner appear inconsistent in the latest feedback we have.

Reviews

Google rating: 4.7 stars from 170 reviews. “”

• •Emergency/urgent situations: one owner describes a dog being tended to, kept overnight, diagnosed, and provided with extensive notes for their regular vet; another says the clinic saved their dog’s life.
• •Follow-up and compassion (praised by some): one reviewer highlights a vet calling afterwards to discuss prognosis and showing compassion.
• •Communication and service issues (raised by others)
• •Reports of rudeness and being overtalked, including a dispute about transferring details to another vet and being told they were struck off.
• •A report of requesting a home visit, being told they were too busy and would call back, and no call-back happening.
• •One account alleges a lack of examination on a first visit, followed by a serious issue (CT scan/possible lymphoma) being identified at another provider.