Tone Veterinary Centre

- End-of-life care draws very different reactions: one owner describes a gentle, respectful euthanasia appointment with clear explanations, plenty of time to say goodbye, a condolence card, and thoughtful handling of ashes; another says they felt pressured toward euthanasia for an elderly dog later treated successfully with antibiotics. - Referral when something more serious is suspected: one review says a worsening dental case was promptly referred for advanced imaging, with the eventual diagnosis being an abscess rather than a tumour. - General service can be warmly received: a cat owner says staff were welcoming, helpful, and handled their pets with care and respect from the start.

Tone Veterinary Centre is a CVS-owned practice in Taunton treating dogs, cats, rabbits, small pets, reptiles and tortoises, and backyard poultry. Website-listed services cover routine care, dentistry, imaging and in-house testing, nurse clinics, pet travel paperwork, and home visits. Reviews point to a mixed recent picture: some owners describe thoughtful, compassionate support, while others report concerns about communication and decision-making.

Services

•Routine and preventive care: consultations, vaccinations, microchipping, parasite control, nurse clinics, blood pressure checks, and six-month health checks.
•Diagnostics and treatment: dentistry, diagnostic tests and imaging including X-ray and ultrasound, plus an in-house lab. Reviews also mention a dental case being escalated quickly for referral and CT imaging when a more serious problem was suspected.
•Referral and additional services: a dermatology referral service, grooming, nail clipping, anal sac expression, pet travel documentation / animal health certificates, and home visits.
•Species seen and emergency arrangements: the practice lists dogs, cats, rabbits, small pets such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and ferrets, as well as reptiles, tortoises, and backyard poultry. During opening hours clients are asked to call the practice for emergency advice; out of hours, emergency consultations and free telephone advice are provided by The Mount Veterinary Hospital.
•Accreditations: RCVS General Practice and Cat Friendly Clinic (Silver).

Pricing

Published prices suggest the clinic sits above average, based on a partial sample of comparable services. One fee mentioned in reviews was £260 for an Animal Health Certificate, and recent feedback includes complaints that this was expensive compared with alternatives elsewhere.

People

•Kelly Foden (vet): named in reviews. One owner credits her with acting quickly and arranging a referral that led to CT imaging and diagnosis of a facial abscess after concern about a possible tumour; another owner says they felt strongly pushed toward euthanasia for an elderly dog that later improved with antibiotics.
•Kobus Engelbrecht: named by a reviewer as the person who replied to a follow-up complaint email, saying he trusted the vet’s professional opinion.
•Wider team: reviews also praise a caring receptionist and respectful support from the broader team during euthanasia and aftercare.

Reviews

Google rating: 4.5 stars from 97 reviews. Recent written feedback is mixed, with strong praise for compassion and quick referrals alongside some sharp complaints.

•End-of-life care draws very different reactions: one owner describes a gentle, respectful euthanasia appointment with clear explanations, plenty of time to say goodbye, a condolence card, and thoughtful handling of ashes; another says they felt pressured toward euthanasia for an elderly dog later treated successfully with antibiotics.
•Referral when something more serious is suspected: one review says a worsening dental case was promptly referred for advanced imaging, with the eventual diagnosis being an abscess rather than a tumour.
•General service can be warmly received: a cat owner says staff were welcoming, helpful, and handled their pets with care and respect from the start.
•Cost and stock concerns also appear: one reviewer calls the animal health certificate fee too high, and another says a requested genetic medication was not stocked.

Reviews for Tone Veterinary Centre

Note: Showing the 10 most recent Google reviews out of 97 we track in total. Recent reviews may not be representative of overall sentiment.

Andrew Hall

8 months ago

Charlotte Valentine

I visited Tone Vets on 5th July 2024 with concerns for my elderly dog, Mungo, who was weeing blood and showing signs of a possible UTI. This was our first visit after moving to the area and transferring from our previous vets, with whom we had always had a brilliant and compassionate relationship. We saw Kelly Foden, whose advice was to immediately “do what was right” and have Mungo put to sleep. I was taken aback by how strongly this was suggested and how I was made to feel selfish for questioning it. I explained that I wanted to try antibiotics first, and that if the infection didn’t clear or became recurrent, I would of course reconsider. I found Kelly’s attitude dismissive and lacking in compassion. It was extremely upsetting to feel pressured into such a serious decision when Mungo was otherwise a happy, loved, and well-cared-for dog. I was even sent a “quality of life” questionnaire afterwards, despite explaining several times that he still enjoyed his meals, walks, playtime and cuddles. I would never put my own emotions above my animal’s welfare, and being made to feel like I was being selfish for not wanting to euthanise him at that stage was completely unacceptable. When the time does come to say goodbye, it will be a decision made with him in mind, out of love and compassion — not pressure. Thankfully, after one course of antibiotics — and even by the next day — Mungo was back to his usual self. He has since had no further issues, and more than a year later, he is still happy and healthy. I sent an email a month after the appointment to express my concerns and received a reply back from Kobus Engelbrecht which essentially said he trusted Kelly’s professional opinion. We have since moved to a different practice. Had I followed the vet’s advice that day, my dog would have been unnecessarily put to sleep for what turned out to be a simple, treatable UTI.

Anthony Atyeo

11 months ago

We wanted to use the vets our dog is registered at for an animal health certificate however at £260 we decided to travel to PassPets in Bristol for £99. Extortionate inflated fees for the same job.

John Porter

1 year ago

Just rang for a genetic medication for my Frenchie and they don't stock it ( really )

Phoebe Winsor

I have used Tone Vets over the last few years and the service has always been brilliant. Unfortunately, I lost my dog recently and the compassion and kindness from Tone Vets has been more than I could have wished for. The receptionist who booked that final appointment was so caring and gentle. The vet who helped us was so respectful and explained everything clearly so I understood what was happening. I was reassured that I was making the best decision for my dog and I was given as much time as I needed to say goodbye. I think I stayed nearly an hour after they had closed. I even had a card of condolences posted to my house. When it came to collecting the ashes, the staff were so respectful and always referred to my dog by his name which felt very personal and showed acknowledgment of how much he means to me. They made a very tough time that little bit easier and I will forever be grateful for that. Thank you very much to all the team.

Chantelle Lloyd

We recently registered our kitties here and since day 1 we’ve been impressed. Best vets out there! Staff are so welcoming and helpful, they treat our boys with upmost care and respect. Our kitties absolutely love going to the vets because of these guys. Highly recommend.

Trish / Nick Whitemore

3 years ago

Last week we booked Betty in to have her teeth done as we thought there was a problem as she came became worse during the week. We contacted vets explaining what happened on our concerns they got her in on Thursday. Thursday afternoon we were given really upsetting news that Betty may have a growth behind the eye, and that Tone Vet could not pick up exactly what was going on. We were referred up to Bristol by Kelly did say it could be a tumour behind the eye, With her immediate action, it actually saved Betty‘s life The referral vets were so impressed with Kelly’s actions, she had to have a CT scan to find out what it was it was Betty had an abscess on the side of the face. I can’t thank Kelly enough for her quick action, even the vets in Bristol said, she basically saved her life by acting on it immediately . Thank you again Kelly and the Tone Team yours sincerely Trish Nick and Emma whitemore and Jake Roberts