About Veterinary Care in Hertfordshire
This guide to veterinary clinics in Hertfordshire, England helps pet owners compare county-wide veterinary options based on services, animal coverage, and availability. It summarises what is widely available across the county and where provision is more limited, so you can shortlist practices that match your needs.
Top-rated veterinary clinics in Hertfordshire
There are 103 veterinary clinics in Hertfordshire, with an average Google rating of 4.7★. 89 clinics treat dogs and cats. 20 offer farm or large-animal services (11 farm animal clinics and 9 equine clinics). 32 clinics offer emergency or out-of-hours care. No 24-hour veterinary cover is explicitly confirmed anywhere in the available county data.
Geographic coverage across the county
Hertfordshire has 35 towns with clinics. Examples include St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Stevenage, Hitchin, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, and Potters Bar. Availability and service mix can vary by town, so the nearest practice may not offer the same emergency access, species coverage, or facilities as another town nearby.
What services are commonly available (and how well-documented they are)
Across the county, the core service baseline is routine consultations and preventative care (such as vaccinations and parasite control), with many practices also providing neutering and other surgeries, dental procedures, and in-practice diagnostics. Emergency treatment is available through a defined subset of providers rather than being universal.
At county level, the review base is substantial (17,481 total reviews), which helps differentiate practices where service consistency, communication, and follow-up are repeatedly evidenced by owners. Most clinics also publish online information (100 clinics have websites), making it easier to confirm opening hours, species treated, and whether urgent appointments are offered.
Emergency/out-of-hours care vs routine-only provision
Emergency or out-of-hours care is provided by 32 clinics, while 71 clinics do not list emergency services in the county data. For pet owners, this split matters because urgent problems (for example sudden injuries, acute vomiting/diarrhoea, breathing difficulty, or collapse) may require contacting an emergency-enabled practice rather than waiting for the next routine appointment slot. It also affects continuity: some households choose a day-to-day vet without emergency cover and plan in advance which local emergency provider they would use outside normal hours.
Veterinary nurse training practices vs non-training practices
63 clinics in the county offer veterinary nurse (VN) training, while 40 do not list VN training. Training practices often have more formalised clinical routines and supervision structures to support learners alongside qualified staff, which can be relevant when your pet needs repeated appointments (for example chronic disease monitoring, post-operative checks, or dental follow-ups). If you prioritise a consistent named clinician for every visit, it can be useful to ask any practice—training or not—how they manage handovers, appointment allocation, and continuity for longer treatment plans.
The role of routine-focused and mid-range practices
Alongside the highest-rated providers, many clinics primarily deliver everyday veterinary care such as routine consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dental work, and management of stable long-term conditions. These practices form the bulk of local access points across towns and are often where pets are registered for ongoing preventative healthcare. For owners, they can be the most practical option for regular appointments, with emergency-enabled clinics used when urgent escalation is needed.
Overall, Hertfordshire shows strong depth for companion-animal routine care, while emergency provision is concentrated among a smaller number of providers.
Animal focus in the county
The county is primarily companion-animal focused: 89 clinics are dog-and-cat/small-animal practices. Farm animal provision is present but smaller (11 clinics), as is equine care (9 clinics), and 30 clinics are listed as specialist or exotic.
To choose among vets in Hertfordshire, start with the ranked clinic list above and then match each practice to your required species coverage, emergency access, and the services you expect to use most.
Data freshness: January 2026.
Top Vets in Hertfordshire
Highly rated veterinary clinics across Hertfordshire, ranked by service quality and reviews
Creature Comforts St Albans is a small-animal veterinary clinic for dogs, cats and rabbits, set up for both routine care and more involved work on-site (in-house lab, digital x‑rays, ultrasound, endoscopy, and a full dental suite). The clinic also lists separate cat and dog wards and bespoke kennel design.
In the latest reviews, owners repeatedly describe a calmer experience for anxious dogs (quiet waiting area, treats/toys used to help pets settle), and appointments that don’t feel rushed—several mention thorough examinations and being given treatment options rather than being pushed in one direction. For procedures and operations, reviewers mention getting updates (including photos) while their pet was in the clinic.
One reviewer also states the practice is “owned by vets and not a big corporation” (this is not otherwise confirmed in the provided sources).
Creature Comforts St Albans is a small-animal veterinary clinic for dogs, cats and rabbits, set up for both routine care and more involved work on-site (in-house lab, digital x‑rays, ultrasound, endoscopy, and a full dental suite). The clinic also lists separate cat and dog wards and bespoke kennel design.
In the latest reviews, owners repeatedly describe a calmer experience for anxious dogs (quiet waiting area, treats/toys used to help pets settle), and appointments that don’t feel rushed—several mention thorough examinations and being given treatment options rather than being pushed in one direction. For procedures and operations, reviewers mention getting updates (including photos) while their pet was in the clinic.
One reviewer also states the practice is “owned by vets and not a big corporation” (this is not otherwise confirmed in the provided sources).
Oak Vets is described by reviewers as a practice people turn to for second opinions and for procedures ranging from diagnostics to routine surgery. Multiple owners mention being seen quickly (including same-day and last-minute bookings), getting clear options explained, and receiving proactive follow-up (including check-ins after dental surgery and close follow-up after starting medication for anxiety/night waking). The clinic is also listed as a Veterinary Nurse Training facility.
Oak Vets is described by reviewers as a practice people turn to for second opinions and for procedures ranging from diagnostics to routine surgery. Multiple owners mention being seen quickly (including same-day and last-minute bookings), getting clear options explained, and receiving proactive follow-up (including check-ins after dental surgery and close follow-up after starting medication for anxiety/night waking). The clinic is also listed as a Veterinary Nurse Training facility.
Medivet Radlett is part of the Medivet group and is led by partners/veterinary surgeons Alan Hirschowitz and Natasha Ho. The practice is set up for routine and diagnostic work (in‑house laboratory and X‑ray), plus pet travel paperwork (Animal Health Certificate) and dentistry, and it also sees a wide range of species beyond cats and dogs (including rabbits and birds). In the latest reviews available to us, owners repeatedly mention long-term continuity with the same team and thorough consultations (for example, a detailed exam and clear explanations for a parrot, and medication given after assessing a finch’s injured leg). There is also a clear note of disagreement on costs and communication: one owner reports “bill shock” and being charged for services they didn’t ask for, plus no vaccination/treatment reminders.
Medivet Radlett is part of the Medivet group and is led by partners/veterinary surgeons Alan Hirschowitz and Natasha Ho. The practice is set up for routine and diagnostic work (in‑house laboratory and X‑ray), plus pet travel paperwork (Animal Health Certificate) and dentistry, and it also sees a wide range of species beyond cats and dogs (including rabbits and birds). In the latest reviews available to us, owners repeatedly mention long-term continuity with the same team and thorough consultations (for example, a detailed exam and clear explanations for a parrot, and medication given after assessing a finch’s injured leg). There is also a clear note of disagreement on costs and communication: one owner reports “bill shock” and being charged for services they didn’t ask for, plus no vaccination/treatment reminders.
Medivet Hemel Hempstead Risedale Road
Hemel Hempstead
Our Score (91/100)
Medivet Hemel Hempstead Risedale Road is part of the Medivet group and offers routine and surgical care for cats, dogs, rabbits and other small mammals, with diagnostics available on-site (in-house lab and X‑rays). The practice also trains veterinary nurses.
Based on recent owner reports, this clinic seems set up to handle both planned care and urgent problems: one review describes a same-day operation after staff “acted quickly,” and another mentions support with an insurance claim. Owners also describe thorough routine appointments where the vet explains what they’re doing step-by-step, helping pets stay calm. For out-of-hours issues, the practice directs clients to a Medivet 24‑hour clinic; consultations are charged, but phone assessments are not.
Medivet Hemel Hempstead Risedale Road is part of the Medivet group and offers routine and surgical care for cats, dogs, rabbits and other small mammals, with diagnostics available on-site (in-house lab and X‑rays). The practice also trains veterinary nurses.
Based on recent owner reports, this clinic seems set up to handle both planned care and urgent problems: one review describes a same-day operation after staff “acted quickly,” and another mentions support with an insurance claim. Owners also describe thorough routine appointments where the vet explains what they’re doing step-by-step, helping pets stay calm. For out-of-hours issues, the practice directs clients to a Medivet 24‑hour clinic; consultations are charged, but phone assessments are not.
Our Score (90/100)
Berry House Veterinary Practice is a veterinary clinic that (from available data) provides emergency veterinary services and operates as a veterinary nurse training facility. Owners most often describe clear, unpressured decision-making and support through both routine and difficult visits—examples include discussing treatment options and costs without pressure, giving two antibiotic injections for a cat’s abscess after puncture wounds became infected, and taking time to talk through euthanasia decisions with keepsakes provided (fur clipping and multiple paw prints). Its ownership model (independent vs corporate group) isn’t stated in the information provided.
Berry House Veterinary Practice is a veterinary clinic that (from available data) provides emergency veterinary services and operates as a veterinary nurse training facility. Owners most often describe clear, unpressured decision-making and support through both routine and difficult visits—examples include discussing treatment options and costs without pressure, giving two antibiotic injections for a cat’s abscess after puncture wounds became infected, and taking time to talk through euthanasia decisions with keepsakes provided (fur clipping and multiple paw prints). Its ownership model (independent vs corporate group) isn’t stated in the information provided.
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