Finding a vet in Spain and how vet care works

Key rules

• Cost: You pay for your pet's care yourself, because there is no public cover for pets.
• Vet licence: Ask for the vet's colegiado number or check it with the provincial vets' association.
• Translation: You do not need a sworn translation of your pet's records.
• Spanish summary: A short Spanish summary of your pet's history and symptoms makes the first visit much easier.

You pay the vet yourself

Vet care in Spain is private. There is no public health cover for pets, so you pay the clinic directly. Pet insurance exists, but it is optional and private.

There are a few cheaper routes. Some town halls and animal-protection centres run low-cost or free microchipping, sterilisation and vaccination campaigns, often for strays or low-income owners. Animal charities and some university veterinary hospitals also charge less. Conditions vary by town hall, so ask yours what it offers.

How to find a clinic

Start with people. Ask neighbours, dog-walkers and other owners who have a similar pet to yours. That is the most reliable route.

Online reviews help, but they can be skewed. Local expat groups tend to favour English-speaking clinics, which is useful if you need one but not a full picture.

What to compare

• Opening hours, and whether you need an appointment or can walk in.
• Emergency cover: a 24-hour service at the clinic, or a named 24-hour hospital it sends you to.
• Species treated. Dogs and cats are standard. Rabbits, birds, exotics and horses are not always seen.
• Prices: a published fee list, quotes before procedures and payment options.
• Equipment: laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound, surgery and overnight care.
• Languages spoken.
• Distance and parking.

A "clínica" is usually smaller. A "hospital veterinario" is larger and has more facilities and specialists. The decision box below helps you choose between them. A good vet explains the treatment options to you.

Check the clinic is licensed

Every practising vet must be a member of the vets' association for their province. This membership is the vet's colegiado status. Ask the clinic for the vet's colegiado number, or check with the provincial association. A national registry of members can also be searched.

The clinic itself must be authorised by its regional government. It must also display the name of its responsible vet. If you cannot see this, ask.

Bring a usable history

Bring the vaccination record or EU/UK pet passport, the microchip number and its registration details, and the date of the last rabies vaccination. Add anything else you have: neutering, past surgery, chronic conditions, current medication and test results. The documents list below has the full set, and the health record template can help you pull it together.

Records in English, French, German or Portuguese are usually accepted as they are. You do not need a sworn translation. A short summary in Spanish of your pet's history, vaccinations, medication and current symptoms is a big help.

Handle language at the first visit

• Ask when you book whether anyone speaks English. English-speaking clinics are common on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, the Balearics, the Canaries and in big cities. Many reception teams speak some English.
• Bring your Spanish summary.
• Bring a bilingual friend or neighbour, or use a translation app on your phone.
• Learn a few words: vacuna (vaccine), desparasitación (worming or flea and tick treatment) and analítica (blood or lab test).

The FAQ below covers more useful vet words.

Choosing between options

What kind of vet clinic should you choose in Spain?

• An English-speaking clinic: You do not speak Spanish yet. These are common in expat areas such as the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, the Balearics, the Canaries and big cities.

• A local Spanish-speaking clinic: You can manage in Spanish, or can bring a bilingual friend, a translation app and a written Spanish summary, and a nearby clinic suits you better.

• A larger veterinary hospital: Your pet may need an in-house laboratory, X-ray, surgery, hospitalisation, specialists or 24-hour cover, or is an exotic, bird, rabbit or horse.

Pick the clinic that covers your pet's species and emergency needs first, then language, then price transparency and distance. Whichever you choose, confirm the vet is a registered member of the provincial vets' association.

Documents you need

• Vaccination record or EU/UK pet passport, including the rabies vaccination date. Records in English, French, German or Portuguese are usually accepted as they are.

• Microchip number and registration details for your pet.

• Any medical history you have: neutering, past surgery, chronic conditions, current medication, and test results such as leishmania, heartworm, FIV or FeLV.

• A short summary of your pet's history, vaccinations, medication and symptoms in Spanish. No sworn translation is needed.

Checklist

• Plan to pay the vet yourself, because there is no public cover for pets in Spain.

• Check that the clinic shows the name of its responsible vet and is registered with the regional government.

• Gather your pet's vaccination record or passport, microchip number, rabies date and any medical history.

• Ask whether the clinic has English-speaking staff, or bring a bilingual friend or a translation app to the first visit.

Pet health record to bring to a new vet

Pet health record to bring to your new vet

Fill this in before your first appointment. Print it or save it on your phone, and bring any vaccine cards, passport and lab results with it. Leave a blank where you don't know the answer.

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1. About your pet

• Name: ______________________
• Species (dog / cat / other): ______________________
• Breed: ______________________
• Sex: ______________________
• Date of birth: ______________________
• Colour and markings: ______________________
• Spayed or neutered? Yes / No. Date: ______________________
• Microchip number: ______________________
• Date the microchip was implanted: ______________________
• Pet passport number (if you have one): ______________________

2. About you

• Your name: ______________________
• Phone: ______________________
• Email: ______________________
• Address in Spain: ______________________
• Pet insurance company and policy number (if any): ______________________

3. Vaccinations

4. Parasite treatments

5. Leishmania

• Has your pet been tested? Yes / No
• Date and result: ______________________
• Any treatment or prevention used: ______________________

6. Health history

• Past illnesses: ______________________
• Surgeries (what and when): ______________________
• Allergies (food, medicine, other): ______________________
• Chronic conditions: ______________________
• Recent test results (blood, urine, X-ray, other), with dates: ______________________

7. Current medication

Brand names often differ between countries, but the active ingredient is the same. Copy the active ingredient and strength from the label or leaflet of any medicine from abroad. Your Spanish vet can match it to an authorised product and will tell you whether it needs a prescription. The vet can also check it against CIMAVET, the national online database of authorised veterinary medicines.

8. Food and weight

• Food brand and type: ______________________
• Amount per day: ______________________
• Weight history (date and weight): ______________________

9. Behaviour and notes

• Behaviour at the vet, with other animals, with strangers: ______________________
• Anything else the vet should know: ______________________

10. Previous vet

• Clinic name and country: ______________________
• Phone or email: ______________________
• Records attached? Yes / No

Frequently asked questions

Do Spanish vets need my pet's records translated?

No, Spanish vets do not need a sworn translation of records in English, French, German or Portuguese. They can usually read vaccination names and dates as they are.

Is there any public help with vet bills in Spain?

There is no public health cover for pets, but some low-cost schemes exist. Some town halls and animal-protection centres run cheap or free microchipping, sterilisation and vaccination campaigns, sometimes only for low-income owners or registered strays. Animal charities and some university vet hospitals also offer reduced prices.

Which Spanish words help at a first vet visit?

Words such as vacuna (vaccine), desparasitación (worming treatment) and analítica (blood or lab test) help most. Many clinics have reception staff who speak some English. A translation app on your phone covers the rest.