Astonlee Veterinary Hospital

We found Astonlee vets on line after desperately searching for a solution for our beloved Labrador Mollie who our own vets had twice suggested we consider “doing the kindest thing” in other words putting her to sleep. Their suggestion was made from a good place as she was clearly in some pain and was depressed. The diagnosis was a ruptured cruciate ligament! But we could not consider this without first searching for an alternative. After finding Astonlee on line we arranged to take Mollie in to meet Paul. It’s the best decision we could have ever made. A week later she had surgery using Paul’s skin graph technique - mollie is 3 weeks away from the crucial three month recovery period and so far so good. Her personality has returned she’s happy and she’s walking on her bad leg. I wholeheartedly recommend anyone whose dog has the same issue to meet and speak to Paul at Astonlee.

We have been going here for over 25 years and would never consider going anywhere else. All our cats and kittens have received excellent care over the years and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this practice.

I have been with this practice from the very beginning, and must be well over 30 years and would not trust of go anywhere else in my area. I have taken litters of puppies for normal inoculations to having major surgery for a string of many problems. Always treated with an understanding smile. Have received follow up telephone calls to see how my pet is doing. Have had call outs late at night. Just wished my own doctor was as tentative as the professionals in this practice. Being a dog breeder, we have over the years had a number of dogs, but have reduced our numbers now, and have recently taken up the offer of the neutering for £99 for the smaller dogs. That`s a huge saving from well over £200 plus, so we have had all our girls done. Different schemes are run to help with payments for regular customers but also for preventative measures.

'I cannot speak highly enough about the crusiate ligament operation performed at Astonlee. My vet referred to a clinic for TPLO but I was worried about sawing bone as a result of soft tissue damage. I went with my instinct and Poppy recovered well. My vet even said that the op replacing ligament with skin would break down - 5 years later its good as new. Needless to say have changed vet. I was swayed by knowing that if by any chance the op failed by dog would have a limp - not a possible amputation. It also cost almost half the price!'

I would give even 1star. Don't use these. They charged me 1300 pounds or to have the dog put to sleep. The vet man was so rude certainly don't care about animals just money grabbers. Took her to another vets charged a lot less and op on her straight away. If I was so stupid enough to take his advise summer would not be here now. Certainly going further about this.

I had been taking my King Charles here for years. She was very poorly for the last two years of her life. They did everything they could for her and I never fretted when I had to leave her in their care over night. On my last visit with her I new she had to be allowed to pass on. I can't express how compassionate the vet was. He allowed me to cradle her and let me tell him when I was ready. There was no rushing to get the next patient in. Afterwards the care was still there but for me. I Now have a new best mate to help with my loneliness and this is where he will be coming. If you want your pet to be cared for with love and kindness then Please don't go anywhere else.

My dog Buddy under went surgery on his cruciate ligament and the result has been amazing. Following advice regarding his recovery Buddy is now back to his old self. Can't thank the team enough for their care and attention. This surgery is so much more than I hoped for and no stressful recovery for Buddy being cooped up in a cage for 6 weeks post operation. Would definitely recommend this procedure.

Astonlee Veterinary Hospital Do not hesitate to have this brilliant operation for your dog if it suffers from a cruciate ligament failure. It has been 1 year 5 months since our boxer cross Indi had this operation carried out by Paul Manning. Indi began limping after a ball game and we thought the limp would go away, but she became quite lame. Our vet referred us to a Cheshire veterinary hospital and they wanted to cut her bones, realign them and screw on plates to keep them in place with nothing in between the bones. We did not like the idea of this type of op of which there are several (major surgery) seemingly copied from the USA. After surfing the internet we found Astonlee, phoned, and Paul who discussed the op with us, and then booked Indi in for the Friday of the same week. Paul explained that if the op did not work it could be redone. This particular operation nearly never fails seemingly. The 3 months of no visitors, no games, no toys, no stairs and we kept her on the lead in the house for the whole 3 months as she is a boisterous breed, was hard on all of us. As we have quarry tiles throughout the downstairs we bought and laid rubber type camping mats throughout and stuck them down with gorilla tape to stop them moving. The mats stopped Indi slipping/falling and undoing the op. At night we boxed her in where she slept so that she did not wander around the house on her own while we slept. Following Paul’s advise we then took short walks outside while supporting her hip in a sling. The walks gradually got increased and longer, plus getting her to go up kerbs or the like to exercise her leg. Started small and increased. She had a hitch in her step for some time after the op, which has mostly gone now except when she has had a long game (and she does not want to stop!) it shows slightly but then disappears. We were worried that she would not again be able to run and jump as she had before the op, but really she is just about as good as new. She tends to get a bit stiff after she has been for a long run and play/game and we give her Loxicom supplied by our vets. She is in her 11th year now and going strong. A brilliant, brilliant op by a sincere and dedicated veterinary surgeon, underrated by bone cutting vets. Thank you Paul and your team. Val and Ralph Roberts North Wales

Bailey is a 9 year old Bedlington Terrier. In December his cruciate exploded, my local vet suggested 2 options but I did not want the invasive surgery that involved bone sawing. Horrified at the thought of this surgery I searched the internet for alternatives and saw Dr Paul Manning performed an older procedure that transplants the dog own tissue and replaces the cruciate ligament. I got to speak to Dr Manning and his calm professional touch persuaded me that he was the surgeon I wanted to do Bailey's procedure. The surgery was done a week later, I travelled 400 miles roundtrip on 2 consecutive days to ensure that Bailey had the best treatment. Dr Manning was professional at all times and even came across as an eccentric boffin, I mean this with the utmost respect what I am trying to say is that he is so confident and assured with his procedure that it was assuring to see. Baileys recovery period was difficult as is any recovery after such surgery, the first night was spent sleeping on the living room floor as he was in some discomfort. I was determined that the wound would not be infected and also that his surgery would not be damaged due to jumping on furniture etc. Gradually Bailey found his legs and after 2 weeks was walking 400m a couple of times a day. Now 6 months after the operation, he is back to the fit, life loving dog he was prior to the operation. We have just returned from a weeks beach holiday and to see him running on the beach like an excited pup filled my heart with pleasure... highly recommended, thank you Dr Manning

Last Sunday evening our little nearly 19 year old cat's kidney's finally failed and we had no option but to ring the vet to have her euthanized. Despite it being late on a Sunday evening the vet on duty, Charlotte met us straight away at the surgery where Georgi was also manning the surgery. We cannot thank them enough for their kindness, sympathy, efficient and respectful way in which they dealt with Boadicea and us. Quietly and calmly Charlotte administered the drug whilst I held her in my arms and she passed peacefully and quickly with no distress to her at all. In addition they organised the cremation and return of ashes with a lovely card with no fuss nor any difficulty. Once again out heartfelt thanks to Charlotte and Georgi.