Pet emergencies and after-hours vets in Spain

Key rules

• Save the number: Keep your nearest 24-hour clinic's number in your phone before any emergency.
• Phone first: Call the clinic before you travel so they can prepare and tell you what to do.
• Rural areas: Outside cities the nearest 24-hour hospital may be an hour or more away.
• Out-of-hours cost: Emergency or out-of-hours visits often cost €60–€120 or more, so ask for an estimate on the call.
• Heatstroke: Treat every suspected case as an emergency, even if your pet seems to recover.

Find your emergency clinic before you need it

Save the phone number of your nearest 24-hour clinic today. At 2 a.m. you will not want to search.

Cities have dedicated 24-hour animal hospitals. Outside cities there may be none. In a small town, the local vet may run a rotating on-call system or answer a mobile number. The nearest 24-hour hospital may be in the provincial capital, an hour or more away. If you live in a rural area, work out that drive in advance.

How to search

• Search online for "veterinario urgencias 24 horas" plus your town, and check the results on a map.
• Visit the website of your regional or provincial veterinary college (colegio oficial de veterinarios). It often lists clinics on call (guardias).
• Listen to your regular vet's voicemail or read the sign on the door. They usually name the emergency clinic they recommend.

Always phone before you travel. Clinics can then prepare, and you avoid a long drive to a clinic that is full or closed.

What to do first

1. Stay calm and make the area safe.
2. Check breathing, consciousness and bleeding.
3. Phone the vet or clinic before you leave. They will tell you what to do on the way.
4. Press a clean cloth firmly on any bleeding.
5. If your pet is in pain and may bite, muzzle it gently.
6. Move your pet on a flat surface, or in a carrier or blanket. Use a stretcher if you suspect a spinal injury. Take a second person if you can.
7. Bring the vaccination record or pet passport and the microchip details.

Heatstroke

Summer heat is a common cause of emergencies. Signs are heavy panting, heavy drooling, bright red or pale gums, weakness, stumbling, vomiting or diarrhoea, collapse, seizures and a body temperature above about 40 °C. Flat-faced breeds, overweight, old and thick-coated animals are at higher risk.

Move your pet to shade or a cool place at once. Wet it with cool water, not ice-cold, especially on the belly, paws and armpits. Fan it and offer small amounts of water. Call the vet, and travel with the air conditioning on while you keep cooling.

Treat every suspected case as an emergency, even if your pet seems to recover. Organ damage can appear later.

Poisoning

Bring the product or plant with you. Do not make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to, and do not give human medicines. The national toxicology service in Spain only answers questions about people. Vets use veterinary toxicology services, so phone your vet or clinic.

What it costs

A general consultation at a private clinic typically costs about €30–€50. Emergency or out-of-hours visits often cost €60–€120 or more. Tests, hospitalisation and treatment are billed on top. Big cities usually cost more than rural areas. Ask for the emergency fee and an estimate during your call.

The checklist, warnings and questions below cover the rest.

Checklist

• Save the number of your nearest 24-hour emergency clinic in your phone before you need it.

• Search online for "veterinario urgencias 24 horas" plus your town, or check your provincial veterinary college (colegio oficial de veterinarios) website for on-call clinics (guardias).

• Look at your regular vet's voicemail message or door sign for the emergency clinic they recommend.

• Stay calm, make the area safe, then check breathing, consciousness and bleeding.

• Phone the clinic before you leave so they can prepare and give you instructions.

• Cool a pet with suspected heatstroke gradually using cool water, especially on the belly, paws and armpits, and keep cooling on the way.

• Bring the product or plant with you if you suspect poisoning.

• Move your pet on a flat surface, in a carrier or in a blanket, using a stretcher for a suspected spinal injury, with a second person if possible.

What to watch out for

• Heatstroke can kill, even after your pet seems fine: Heavy panting, drooling, bright red or pale gums, weakness, stumbling, vomiting, collapse or seizures can mean heatstroke. Organ damage can appear later, even if your pet recovers. Move your pet to shade, wet it with cool water, fan it, offer small sips and drive to the vet with the air conditioning on.

• Ice baths and wet towels make cooling worse: Ice-cold water or wrapping your pet in wet towels can do harm. Use cool, not ice-cold, water and keep air moving around your pet.

• Parked cars are deadly: A pet left in a parked car can develop heatstroke within minutes. Never leave animals in a parked car, even briefly.

• Human medicines and induced vomiting can harm your pet: Giving human medicines or making your pet vomit can make poisoning worse. Do not give human medicines. Only induce vomiting if a vet tells you to.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find a 24-hour vet if I live in a small town?

Outside cities there may be no 24-hour vet, so the nearest emergency hospital is often in the provincial capital, an hour or more away. Small-town vets sometimes run rotating on-call arrangements or take calls on a mobile number. Phone ahead before you travel.

Does an out-of-hours vet visit cost more than a daytime one?

Yes, out-of-hours visits usually cost more than daytime ones, often about double or with a surcharge for nights, weekends and holidays.

Is heatstroke still an emergency if my pet seems to recover?

Yes, heatstroke is still an emergency after your pet seems to recover, because organ damage can appear later. Flat-faced, overweight, old and thick-coated animals are at higher risk. Keep cooling with cool water on the way and call the vet.

Can I call the human poison line if my pet eats something toxic?

No, the national toxicology institute's line is for people only, so it will not help for your pet. Phone your vet or emergency clinic, who use veterinary toxicology services. Bring the product or plant with you, and do not induce vomiting unless a vet tells you to.