What vet visits cost in Spain and how to pay

Terms used

• IVA — IVA is Spain's value-added tax, added to most goods and services.
• Factura — A factura is a formal invoice you can use for insurance claims or tax records.
• Presupuesto — A presupuesto is a written estimate of what treatment will cost before it is done.
• Bizum — Bizum is a mobile app for instant payments between phones and to shops, linked to your Spanish bank account.

Key rules

• Consultation: A general consultation at a private clinic typically costs €30–€50.
• Emergencies: Emergency or out-of-hours visits often cost €60–€120 or more.
• IVA: Vet services and pet medicines carry 21% IVA on the mainland and Balearics.
• Payment: You normally pay in full at the end of the visit, then claim on insurance if you have it.

What a vet visit costs

Private vets set their own prices, so there is no official tariff. Expect a general consultation to cost €30–€50, with the higher end in big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Emergency or out-of-hours visits often cost €60–€120 or more.

Prices on this page are typical 2025 ranges for dogs and cats. Ask the clinic for a quote before you agree to anything beyond a simple check.

Routine costs to budget for

• Vaccines: about €25–€45 for a dog's polyvalent vaccine (distemper, parvovirus and others), about €25–€45 for a cat's trivalent vaccine, and about €20–€40 for rabies. Clinics often add a consultation fee or sell a combined package.
• Rabies: it is compulsory in some regions and is required for travel. Ask your clinic what applies where you live.
• Annual health check: this is a general exam (weight, heart and lungs, teeth, ears, eyes, skin, joints). It is often combined with the yearly boosters and parasite advice. Blood tests are extra and more common for older pets.
• Parasite protection: deworming tablets cost about €5–€15 a dose. Flea and tick products cost about €10–€25 per month of cover. A year of full protection for a medium dog usually comes to €120–€300. Cats are cheaper, and large dogs cost more. Heartworm and leishmania prevention is also common in much of Spain.
• Neutering: cats cost about €50–€90 (male) and €80–€150 (female). Dogs cost about €100–€200 (male) and €150–€350 (female), rising with size. Fees often include the anaesthetic and sometimes pre-operative blood tests. Municipal and charity clinics run cheaper campaigns, especially for strays and community cats.

IVA on vet bills

Vet services and pet medicines carry IVA at 21% on the mainland and the Balearics. The Canary Islands use a different tax (IGIC), and Ceuta and Melilla use another (IPSI). Check whether a quote already includes it.

How you pay

Most clinics expect full payment at the end of the visit. Cards and cash are accepted, and often Bizum. Ask for a factura at the end of each visit, as you need it for insurance claims.

For costly treatment or surgery, expect a presupuesto and sometimes a deposit. Instalments are not standard. Some larger clinics and hospitals offer payment plans, so ask before treatment starts.

Pet insurance

Insurance is optional. It usually reimburses you after you have paid, though some insurers pay the clinic directly.

• Basic plans: these cover civil liability, which is compulsory for dogs classed as potentially dangerous. They cost roughly €10–€20 a month, as do accident-only plans.
• Mid plans: these add accidents and surgery.
• Comprehensive plans: these add illness, consultations, hospitalisation and diagnostics, and cost roughly €25–€60 or more a month depending on species, breed and age.

Common exclusions are pre-existing conditions, neutering, dental work not caused by an accident, breeding and some hereditary conditions. Waiting periods for illness are typically 15 days to 3 months. The checklist and timeline below cover what to ask and check before you buy.

Timeline and deadlines

• Check the age limit for taking out a policy, often 8–10 years, and whether the insurer accepts your pet: before you choose a policy

• Wait for cover on illness to start, as set by the policy: typically 15 days to 3 months after taking out the policy, longer for some conditions

Checklist

• Ask the clinic whether the annual health check is charged as an ordinary consultation or bundled with the yearly booster vaccines.

• Ask for a quote for blood tests before agreeing, as they are extra and more common for older pets.

• Ask what the neutering fee includes, such as the anaesthetic and pre-operative blood tests.

• Read the policy wording for exclusions, waiting periods and age limits before you buy pet insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay my vet bill in instalments?

Usually no, because most clinics expect payment in full at the end of the visit. Some larger clinics and hospitals offer payment plans or financing, so ask before treatment starts. For costly surgery, expect to be asked for a deposit or given an estimate (presupuesto) first.

Will my pet insurance pay the clinic directly?

Usually not: most pet insurers reimburse you after you have paid the bill, though some pay the clinic directly. Ask the clinic for a factura (invoice) when you pay, since you will need it to claim. Check with your insurer before treatment which way it works.

How much does it cost to neuter a dog or cat?

Neutering costs about €50–€90 for a male cat and €80–€150 for a female cat. For dogs it is about €100–€200 for a male and €150–€350 for a female, rising with size. Ask what is included, such as the anaesthetic and blood tests, and look at municipal or charity campaigns for cheaper options.

How much does parasite protection cost for a year?

A year of full parasite protection for a medium dog usually comes to about €120–€300. Flea and tick products cost about €10–€25 per month of cover, and deworming tablets about €5–€15 per dose. Cats are cheaper, while large dogs and combined products cost more.