Getting pet medicines and prescriptions in Spain

Terms used

• Receta veterinaria — The receta veterinaria is a prescription written by a vet who has examined your pet.
• Farmacia — A farmacia is a pharmacy, which can sell veterinary medicines.
• AEMPS — The AEMPS is Spain's medicines agency, which keeps the list of authorised sellers and the CIMAVET database.
• CIMAVET — CIMAVET is the AEMPS online database of authorised veterinary medicines in Spain.

Key rules

• Prescription: Antibiotics and most other pet medicines need a prescription from a Spanish vet who has examined your pet.
• Antibiotic validity: An antibiotic prescription is valid for about 10 days, so fill it quickly.
• Where to buy: Buy from a vet clinic, a pharmacy or an authorised seller, never from an unlicensed website.
• Medicines from abroad: Bring only enough for the trip or treatment, then get a Spanish prescription for longer use.

Do you need a prescription?

Most pet medicines in Spain need a prescription (receta veterinaria). That includes all antibiotics and any medicine with narcotic or psychotropic ingredients. Some products, such as many external parasite treatments, are sold without one.

Only a Spanish vet who has examined your pet can write the prescription. It goes into a national electronic prescription system, so you do not need to carry paper. Book an exam first. A vet will not prescribe for an animal they have not seen.

Antibiotic prescriptions stay valid for a short time, about 10 days. Fill them quickly. Ask the vet how long any other prescription lasts.

Where to buy

• a vet clinic
• a pharmacy (farmacia)
• an authorised shop, for non-prescription products only

Online, buy only from licensed pharmacies, authorised shops or registered websites. Check the seller against the AEMPS list of authorised sellers, and look for the EU common logo on the site. Prescription medicines online need a valid prescription. General online marketplaces may not sell them, so do not order prescription medicine there.

Medicines you bring from home

Bring only enough for the trip or the treatment. For a longer stay, plan to get a new prescription from a Spanish vet, often for the Spanish equivalent product. Rules for medicines coming from outside the EU are stricter, so check with customs before you travel.

A prescription from a vet in another EU country can be recognised in Spain. The Spanish pharmacy or vet still decides whether to fill it, so do not count on it.

Do not buy prescription medicine for your pet from unlicensed foreign websites. That is not allowed.

Finding the Spanish version of a medicine

Brand names change between countries, but the active ingredient is the same.

1. Read the active ingredient and strength on the label or leaflet.
2. Search for that ingredient in CIMAVET, the AEMPS online database of authorised veterinary medicines. It shows brands, species and whether a prescription is needed.
3. Take the match to a Spanish vet. They confirm it suits your pet and write the prescription if needed.

The timeline, documents, checklist and questions below cover the steps in more detail.

Timeline and deadlines

• Ask the vet to examine your pet and issue the prescription: before you buy any prescription medicine

• Fill an antibiotic prescription at a clinic or pharmacy: within about 10 days of it being issued

Documents you need

• A veterinary prescription (receta veterinaria) from a Spanish vet who has examined your pet, needed for antibiotics, medicines with narcotic or psychotropic substances and any product whose authorisation requires one. The vet issues it through the national electronic prescription system.

• A prescription from a vet in another EU country, if you want to use it in Spain. A Spanish pharmacy or vet decides whether to dispense it, so be ready to get a new Spanish prescription.

Checklist

• Book a vet exam before you ask for any prescription-only medicine, because only a vet who has examined your pet can prescribe it.

• Buy from a vet clinic, a pharmacy or an authorised shop for non-prescription products.

• Collect an antibiotic prescription quickly, as it stays valid only about 10 days.

• Note the active ingredient and strength from the label or leaflet of any medicine you bring from home.

• Search that ingredient in CIMAVET and take the match to a Spanish vet to confirm it suits your pet.

• Bring only enough of your pet's medicine for the trip or treatment, and ask a Spanish vet for a new prescription if you are staying long.

Frequently asked questions

Will a Spanish pharmacy accept my vet's prescription from another EU country?

Maybe: a prescription from an EU vet can be recognised in Spain, but the Spanish pharmacy or vet decides whether to dispense it. For a long stay, a Spanish vet will normally issue a new prescription instead.

How do I find the Spanish version of my pet's medicine from home?

Find the active ingredient and strength on the label or leaflet, then search for it in CIMAVET, the official online database of authorised veterinary medicines in Spain. Brand names often differ between countries, but the active ingredient is the same. Show the match to your Spanish vet.

Can I order my pet's prescription medicine from a foreign website?

No, buying prescription medicines from unlicensed foreign websites is not allowed. Use a licensed Spanish pharmacy website with a valid prescription, and check the seller on the official list of authorised sellers.

Can I buy my pet's prescription medicine on a general online marketplace?

No, selling prescription medicines through general marketplaces is not allowed in Spain. Look for the EU common logo on the website before you order from any online seller.