My vet referred my lame dog to dovecote veterinary hospital, saying that my dog needed an MRI. I was told they could book me in for the following day.
At 9am the next day I took my dog to dovecote for a consultation with a neurologist. My dog was examined by a neurologist vet. He told me that my dog would probably recover in a couple of weeks and that I should continue to walk him to help him recover, but nothing to strenuous. He said they could do an MRI to rule out anything else at a cost of about £3000.
I decided to take my dog home without having an MRI and paid the consultation fee £469.
The fee was shock to me. £141 of the fee was an emergency surcharge. When my vet 4 pets bulwell made me the appointment I was not informed it would be classed as an emergency appointment. I am happy to say my dog has recovered and is doing well.

To be honest, that cost is about right for a specialist referral. Glad to hear your dog has made a good recovery.

As an emergency that is about what I would expect from experience. As a normal.referral nearer  200 or less is what I have paid on a number of occasions.
vet should have explained it was an emergency  referral really

At our local referral hospital a consultation (not emergency) is about £250. One arranged as a matter of urgency will be more.

I had to pay around £250 to see one of the BVA/KC Eye Specialists.  What I didn't like was the fact that over 50% of the visit was taken up with my hound's information, which he could have got from his regular vet.   In the end I came away with a small bottle of Metacam + some eye drops.   And none the wiser re what my hound was suffering from - which resolved, possibly from the eye drops?   I didn't give him the Metacam at that time.

'Specialists' = £££

I have had a few referrals over the years with a couple of my dogs to specialist vets close to us. One was classed as emergency as she couldnt walk and we went the same day, another was when we had to be seen the next day for a dog that had pneumonia (although my stupid vet at the time said her X-ray showed enlarged heart and stuck her on heart pills!) Anyway both these visits cost no more than the usual consultation fee of about £250.
MRI is expensive but I don't think I paid more than £1000 but I guess its how long it takes and what area that may put the cost up.

My main gripe is with the referring vets that I have used that charge for the referral to be done. One practise was £45. To me this is ridiculous, they have you well and truly trapped as they cannot treat your pet any further so in order to be able to get a specialist opinion you have to be referred or you can't go! I understand paper work has to be sent but most of the time its by practise receptionist that emails everything and the actual referral form is done on line by a vet or by phone. If you change vets the new vets requests your pets history which old vets then send the whole lot ...NO Fee is charged to the customer leaving. Doesn't make sense to me.

I've never known a practice to charge for a referral!

My last vets were £45, but i didnt know until there was an outstanding balance on my account. I tried to dispute it but they said its admin time for the vet. My current vet is £35 i think. The trouble is you dont know these things until you need that referral.

My previous vets started charging £30 for referrals.  I've no idea what my current one does but I imagine they wouldn't charge much if at all, they are superb about that sort of thing.