Specialist Vets in Ballymoney

## Summary Riverside Veterinary Clinic is a general small-animal practice (ownership group not stated in the available data) and is also listed as a **Veterinary Nurse Training facility**. From the latest reviews, owners describe a mix of routine and urgent situations being handled here—ranging from **rabies vaccination for a dog passport** to **same-day help for an injured hedgehog**, including an **evening follow-up call with an update** after the animal was transferred to a rescue place. Feedback is sharply split: several reviewers praise **Nigel and the team** for being helpful and for working well with animals, while a small number of recent reviews describe serious concerns about **communication and clinical decision-making**, including allegations of being dismissed during a consult and dissatisfaction with how an animal was handled on lead. ## Services Based on the structured clinic data and what reviewers explicitly mention: - **Veterinary Nurse Training facility** (listed specialisation) - **Rabies vaccination** for a **dog passport** (mentioned in a review) - **Neutering/spay surgery** (mentioned in a review; one reviewer alleges their cat was spayed at an inappropriate age due to a mix-up) - **Assessment of vomiting** in a cat (mentioned; one reviewer alleges insufficient investigation at this clinic before a second opinion elsewhere) - **Help for injured wildlife (hedgehog)**, including arranging a **rescue placement** and providing an **update call** later the same day (mentioned in a review) ## People - **Nigel (vet, named in reviews)**: Some owners describe good experiences and say he and the team “work wonderful with every animal.” Others report the opposite—describing him as dismissive or disrespectful during consultations, and one reviewer objects to his handling technique using a slip lead. - **Feargal (clinician named in a review)**: Credited with quickly providing care to an injured hedgehog brought in urgently. - **Reception team (not named)**: Mentioned positively for reassuring a client who brought in injured wildlife and for showing compassion. ## Reviews **Google rating: 4.7 stars from 104 reviews.** **Themes below are drawn from the latest written reviews available to us.** - **Wildlife help with follow-up:** One reviewer describes the team taking an injured hedgehog seriously, providing immediate care, arranging a rescue place, and calling later with an update. - **Positive routine care:** Reviews mention straightforward visits such as a **rabies vaccine for a dog passport**, and multiple reviewers praise “Nigel and the team.” - **Conflicting experiences with respect and handling:** Two 1-star reviews describe being **spoken to harshly/berated**, feeling **dismissed**, and concerns about **how an animal was handled** (including use of a slip lead). - **Allegations of clinical errors or insufficient investigation:** One reviewer alleges a **cat mix-up** leading to an early spay, and another says a vomiting cat wasn’t properly checked before receiving a diagnosis elsewhere.