Pet owners

If you feel that your pet would benefit from a referral to Coast then please discuss this directly with your own vet who will be able to arrange this for you.

Your vet may decide that your pet would benefit from the skills and expertise provided by Coast. A referral appointment allows you to obtain expert advice from a Veterinary Surgeon who is a specialist in orthopaedics.
We put aside 45 minutes for each consultation which allows us to ask you many questions, perform a clinical examination and discuss investigations and treatment options with you. There is no obligation to proceed with anything further at this stage. The consultation may provide you with a lot of new information that you may wish to reflect upon.
This will be discussed with you during the consultation. Your pet may be admitted for surgery to take place promptly or it may be appropriate for surgery to be planned for a future date.

On-site overnight care is available if it is required. A member of the Coast team will contact you in the morning following an overnight stay to discuss your pet’s progress and arrange a suitable collection time.

6 St Anne’s Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 2DJ

Prior to your consultation your vet will have been asked to provide us with all relevant clinical information including any radiographs that have been taken. In case your pet needs to stay with us please bring any special diet or medication that they are receiving.

If your pet is insured please also bring a claim form and original insurance documents and read our Guide for Pet Insurance.

Please report to the main reception and let the reception team know that you have an appointment with Coast.

The surgeon will have contacted you following your pet’s treatment and this information will be provided to you as written discharge instructions when you collect your pet along with any relevant medication. A member of staff will go through this information with you at the time of collection. You will be asked to settle your invoice in full at the time of collection unless alternative arrangements have already been made.

We will provide your own vet with details of any investigations and surgery that have been performed and with a detailed post-operative plan.

In many cases the follow up care will be provided entirely by your own vet. In some situations we may suggest that additional follow up examinations are performed by ourselves. Coast will remain in close communication with your own vet throughout your pet’s entire recovery.

If you are concerned about your pet after it has been discharged then please contact Coast on 01323 431312. It may be that we can re-assure you over the phone or we may ask you to return to your own vet for an assessment. In some situations, we may ask you to visit us again.

Referral treatment can be expensive and we will be able to give you a guide to the costs of any investigations and treatments that your pet may need. If you have pet insurance this may help to cover these costs. Please read our Guide for Pet Insurance.

Please read our Guide for Pet Insurance.

Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA) Preferred Referral Network
Royal and Sun Alliance underwrite a number of pet insurance policies. RSA have introduced a
‘Preferred Referral Network’; a list of referral veterinary practices they would prefer you to use for
your pet’s treatment. This list is not an indication of specialist qualifications or of experience and it
does not include many of the largest referral practises in the United Kingdom; Coast is not currently
on this list.
If your policy is underwritten by RSA then you will need to contact them prior to the referral
appointment with Coast. Your insurance company may encourage you to take your pet to a
‘preferred practice’ from their list. Please remember that you can choose where your pet is treated.
If you choose to be referred to Coast then your insurance company may seek to withhold £200 from
your claim since we are not on the ‘Preferred Referral Network’. This will be in addition to your
normal excess as detailed in your policy documents. In the following circumstances RSA have stated
that this additional £200 may not be withheld:
• If it is an emergency situation
• If you would otherwise have to travel a long distance to a ‘preferred referral’ practice
Coast does not believe that you should be restricted in your freedom to choose the most
appropriate care for your pet. If your Insurance Company chooses to withhold £200 from your claim
Coast will assist you in meeting this cost. We will be happy to reimburse this £200 if:
• Your pet’s treatment cost with us exceeds £1200
• You forward us documentation from your insurance company stating that this £200 payment
has been withheld

Revised May 2022