Spain – Veterinary Care

What is the standard of veterinary care in Spain?

Veterinary care in Spain is of a high standard, and the country is home to some of the finest veterinary hospitals and clinics on the continent. The profession is subject to rigorous oversight, with all practising veterinarians required to hold registration with their regional veterinary council. This framework of regulation ensures that pet owners can expect a consistently professional level of care wherever they are in the country.

Spanish veterinary medicine covers not only companion animals but also livestock, wildlife, and exotic species. The country has developed particular expertise in areas such as animal reproductive medicine, animal nutrition, and behavioural science. Specialist referral centres focusing on oncology, orthopaedics, neurology, and ophthalmology can be found in major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville.

Oversight of veterinary medicine falls under the Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, while the professional body governing veterinarians is the Consejo General de Colegios de Veterinarios de España (CGCVE). This structure is broadly equivalent to the way the profession is organised in comparable European countries, such as France’s Ordre National des Vétérinaires or Germany’s Bundestierärztekammer.

In contrast to some countries where after-hours emergency cover can be hard to come by in rural locations, Spain’s cities and larger towns generally have well-developed emergency veterinary provision. That said, in remote inland or sparsely populated areas, round-the-clock emergency services and access to specialist referral may be harder to reach, and you may need to travel to a larger urban centre for advanced care. If you are settling in a rural location, it is wise to identify the nearest emergency clinic before any crisis arises.

Founded in 1964, AVEPA (Asociación de Veterinarios Especialistas en Animales de Compañía) is Spain’s leading association for small animal veterinary professionals, with a membership of more than 5,300. AVEPA has hosted both national congresses and WSAVA World Congresses, and played a founding role in establishing FECAVA (Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations) and FIAVAC (Iberoamerican Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations). These international ties speak to the strength of professional development within Spanish veterinary medicine.

Is there a national veterinary association in Spain?

The veterinary profession across Spain is overseen by the Consejo General de Colegios de Veterinarios de España (CGCVE), the national umbrella body responsible for coordinating the regional colleges, establishing professional standards, and maintaining regulatory oversight of veterinary practice throughout the country. It performs a role comparable to that of bodies such as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the UK or the Ordre National des Vétérinaires in France.

The CGCVE is structured around 52 regional councils, each responsible for registering and regulating veterinarians within its own jurisdiction, as well as providing continuing professional development and education for its members. For practical purposes, the regional college (colegio oficial de veterinarios) for your province is the most relevant point of contact for verifying that your vet holds a valid registration.

A publicly accessible search tool for finding registered veterinarians by province is available through the CGCVE’s single-window platform at vucolvet.org. The platform allows you to select a province and search for registered practitioners. As information may change over time, it is always advisable to consult the official website directly for the most up-to-date details.

In 2014, the Asociación de Veterinarios Especialistas Diplomados de España (AVEDE) was established to act as a liaison between the CGCVE, the profession, and the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS). There is currently no centralised register of veterinary specialists in Spain, so if you require specialist treatment, asking your general practitioner vet for a referral, or consulting the resources available at AVEPA’s website — avepa.org — is the most effective approach.

How do I find a vet in Spain, and are multilingual vets available?

Veterinary clinics and hospitals are plentiful throughout Spain, spread across both urban and suburban locations. Locating a clinic near you is straightforward — a simple Google Maps search for “veterinario” or “clínica veterinaria” will produce a range of nearby options. The regional college websites of the CGCVE also maintain local directories of registered practitioners.

Vets who speak languages other than Spanish are available across the country, which makes accessing care considerably easier for expatriates and visitors. In cities and coastal areas with well-established expat populations — such as Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia, the Costa del Sol, and the Canary and Balearic Islands — finding a vet who speaks English, German, French, or Dutch is usually not difficult.

In smaller towns or remote inland areas, language barriers are more likely to arise. In these situations, bringing a Spanish-speaking companion, using a translation app, or preparing a written summary of your pet’s medical history in Spanish beforehand can be extremely helpful. Many vets will have familiarity with international vaccination records and pet passports even where their fluency in your language is limited.

Useful resources for locating a vet include:

• CGCVE regional college finder: vucolvet.org — search by province for registered practitioners.
• AVEPA: avepa.org — the small animal veterinary association, with resources on specialist care.
• Google Maps and local expat Facebook groups: Particularly valuable for finding multilingual vets in expat-heavy areas. Groups such as “Expats in Spain” or region-specific communities are a reliable source of personal recommendations.
• Idealista and Numbeo community forums: These can include practical suggestions from other pet owners based in specific parts of Spain.

What vaccinations and preventive treatments does my pet need in Spain?

Spain’s climate — especially in southern areas and along the Mediterranean coast — creates favourable conditions for a range of parasites and diseases that are far less prevalent, or entirely absent, in cooler northern European climates. Pet owners arriving from such countries should be prepared for a more comprehensive preventive care regimen than they may have been used to at home.

For dogs, the core vaccines typically recommended in Spain cover distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis (adenovirus), and leptospirosis. Rabies vaccination is required for both travel purposes and registration. Your vet will advise on the appropriate vaccination schedule based on your dog’s age and prior vaccination history. For cats, standard protection covers feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, and panleukopenia (the “tricat” combination), with vaccination against feline leukaemia (FeLV) also commonly recommended.

Beyond vaccination, preventive parasite control is especially important in Spain. Key risks include:

• Leishmaniasis: A serious, potentially life-threatening sandfly-borne disease endemic across much of Spain, particularly in warmer southern and Mediterranean regions. A vaccine (Letifend or CaniLeish) is available and widely recommended. Regular use of sandfly repellents during the warmer months is also advisable.
• Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis): Transmitted by mosquitoes and present throughout Spain, especially in coastal zones. Monthly preventive medication is essential.
• Ticks: A year-round concern in many parts of Spain, carrying diseases including Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis. Consistent tick prevention through spot-on treatments, collars, or oral products is strongly advised.
• Fleas: Common throughout the year given Spain’s warmer climate, requiring more consistent year-round treatment than is typically needed in northern Europe.
• Processionary caterpillars (Thaumetopoea pityocampa): Found in pine forests across Spain, these caterpillars cause severe toxic reactions in dogs that sniff or lick them. Owners should exercise particular caution during spring.

Specific requirements and recommendations vary by region and are subject to periodic updates. Always consult your vet in Spain for a personalised preventive health plan suited to your exact location and your pet’s individual circumstances.

What does veterinary care cost in Spain?

A standard veterinary consultation in Spain typically falls within the €30 to €35 range. For emergency appointments outside normal hours or on public holidays, the average cost rises to approximately €60 (as of 2024). These are general figures, and actual fees vary between practices, cities, and regions.

Where a pet requires specialist treatment, vaccinations, or surgery, costs can reach around €200 or more (as of 2024). Advanced diagnostics such as MRI or CT scanning, or specialist surgical procedures, will be considerably more expensive and are generally available only at larger centres in major cities.

Veterinary fees in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona tend to be higher than in smaller towns and rural areas, in part due to elevated operating costs. Practices in popular expat coastal areas may also charge towards the upper end of the scale, particularly those offering multilingual services. Even so, veterinary care in Spain is widely regarded as good value in comparison with countries such as the Netherlands or Switzerland.

DECO estimates that the total annual cost of keeping a pet — such as a dog or cat — in Spain, when factoring in vaccines, food, veterinary fees, hygiene, grooming, and other day-to-day expenses, amounts to an average of around €900 (based on recent estimates). This figure should be taken as a broad guide only, as costs differ considerably depending on the animal’s size and health status and the owner’s location. Always confirm fees directly with a practice prior to your appointment, as prices change over time.

Is pet insurance available in Spain, and is it worth it?

Spain has a well-established and growing pet insurance market, with products offered by major insurers including SegurCaixa Adeslas, BBVA/Mapfre, Allianz, Caser, and others. A dedicated comparison platform, SegurosVeterinarios.com, allows pet owners to compare policies according to their pet’s breed and age.

Spain’s Animal Welfare Law (Law 7/2023 of 28 March), which came into force on 29 September 2023, introduced a requirement for all dog owners to hold civil liability insurance. This places Spain in a relatively unusual position within Europe, as the obligation applies to all dog owners regardless of breed.

Civil liability insurance for dogs is priced at approximately €25 to €30 per year, rising to around €50 for breeds classified as potentially dangerous — including Pit Bulls, American Staffordshires, Rottweilers, Dogo Argentinos, Presa Canarios, Bull Terriers, and Dobermanns (as of 2023–2024). Policies that include veterinary treatment cover can cost well in excess of €200 per year.

Pet insurance policies in Spain typically cover initial examinations, X-rays, electrocardiograms, surgical procedures, anaesthesia, surgical materials, post-operative care, veterinary consultations, diagnostic tests, laboratory analysis, and hospitalisation. As a general rule, policies do not cover routine or preventive treatments, vaccinations, spaying, castration, flea treatments, grooming, microchipping, parasite control, check-ups, or pre-existing conditions.

In Spain, all pet insurance policies are “time limited” to a twelve-month period, meaning that once the policy term expires — or the fixed benefit amount for a given illness or injury has been exhausted — the pet will receive no further cover for that condition during the remaining policy period. This differs significantly from “lifetime” policies available in some other markets, such as the UK, and is an important distinction to understand before committing to a policy. Spanish insurers require that animals are in good health at the time a policy is taken out; pre-existing conditions are excluded, which is why early insurance is advisable.

There is no legal obligation to take out liability insurance for cats, though health insurance for cats is widely available and can offer useful financial protection against unexpected veterinary bills.

What are the rules for bringing a pet into Spain?

As an EU member state, Spain follows EU regulations governing the entry of pets. The specific requirements differ depending on whether you are travelling from within the EU or from a non-EU country. Failure to comply can result in your pet being denied entry or placed in quarantine, so thorough preparation well ahead of your travel date is essential. Always confirm current requirements with the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture (mapa.gob.es) before you travel, as rules are subject to change.

The general process for bringing a dog, cat, or ferret into Spain is as follows:

1. Microchip your pet first. Your pet must carry an ISO 11784/11785-compliant 15-digit microchip, or a tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 that remains clearly legible. Critically, the microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination is administered; otherwise the vaccination will not be recognised as valid for EU entry.
2. Vaccinate against rabies. A valid rabies vaccination, documented in your pet’s travel paperwork, is required. Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before receiving its first rabies vaccination, and a minimum of 21 days must elapse after that primary vaccination before travel is permitted.
3. Obtain the correct travel document. Pets travelling from an EU country or Northern Ireland require a valid EU Pet Passport. Those arriving from the UK need an official Animal Health Certificate issued by an authorised vet no more than 10 days before entering Spain — UK-issued Pet Passports are no longer accepted as a substitute. Pets from other non-EU countries require an official health certificate that meets EU standards, endorsed by the relevant national animal health authority.
4. Rabies titer test (for pets from certain countries). If you are travelling from a country not listed in Annex II to EU Regulation 577/2013, your pet must have undergone a serological rabies antibody test at an approved laboratory. A blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, confirming antibody levels at or above 0.5 IU/ml. Entry is only authorised three months after the date of the blood sample. Consult the EU’s country classification list to determine whether this applies to you.
5. Arrive through an approved entry point. Pets must be brought in through an approved EU entry point — major airports and ferry terminals are equipped for this purpose. A customs declaration may be required on arrival and spot checks are possible, so all documentation should be kept readily accessible.
6. Register your pet in Spain after arrival. Within one to two weeks of arriving, you should have your pet’s microchip registered on Spain’s regional database, which is connected to the REIAC (Registro Español de Identificación Animal) national system. Your local vet can guide you through this process.

No quarantine is required when bringing pets into Spain provided all entry conditions are met — namely a valid microchip, rabies vaccination, and approved health documentation. If arriving from a non-EU country, begin preparations eight to twelve weeks before your travel date to allow sufficient time for microchipping, vaccination, the 21-day waiting period, certificate issuance, and travel logistics.

Exotic animals may also be brought into Spain, but the requirements are substantially more complex and vary considerably by species. Many exotic animals require CITES documentation, dedicated health certificates, and in some cases quarantine. Contact the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and your home country’s wildlife authority well in advance if you are planning to bring an exotic pet.

Are there any animal welfare laws or pet ownership regulations I should know about in Spain?

Spain’s landmark Animal Welfare Law — Law 7/2023 of 28 March on the protection of the rights and welfare of animals — entered into force on 29 September 2023. This wide-ranging legislation has significant implications for all pet owners in Spain, including those arriving from abroad.

Civil liability insurance for dogs became a legal requirement under the new Animal Welfare Act from 29 September 2023. This obligation does not extend to other pets such as cats or birds. Penalties for owners found without the required insurance range from a formal warning through to fines of between €500 and €10,000, particularly where the dog has been involved in an accident.

All dogs must be registered on a national microchip database, with Spain’s REIAC (Registro Español de Identificación Animal) system linking regional databases across the country. Registration is carried out through your vet and tied to the local municipal animal register (padrón municipal de animales). Some municipalities additionally require a separate local registration. Check with your ayuntamiento (town hall) for the specific rules in your area, as these can differ between regions and municipalities.

Under article 2.2 of Law 50/1999, the breeds legally defined as potentially dangerous include the Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, and Akita Inu. While the new Animal Welfare Law has moved away from a rigid breed-specific list, it does take into account the largest breeds and their suitability for particular living situations. Owners of dogs in the “potentially dangerous” category are subject to additional requirements, including a special licence, mandatory muzzling in public, and higher minimum liability insurance.

If your dog falls within the potentially dangerous classification, you may be legally required to hold public liability insurance with cover of at least €120,000 in some Spanish regions and at least €175,000 in others. Requirements vary between autonomous communities, so always verify the applicable rules with your regional government (comunidad autónoma) and local authority.

Certain crossbreeds — such as wolf-dog hybrids, most pit bull types, and some exotic cat breeds — face restrictions or are not permitted entry under Spanish rules. If you own an unusual breed or hybrid, check its status with the Spanish authorities before relocating. Regarding behaviour in public spaces, dogs must be kept on a lead in most areas, and many beaches prohibit dogs during the summer season. Dog parks (“zonas caninas”) are common in urban areas and provide designated off-lead spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to re-vaccinate my pet when I arrive in Spain?

Not necessarily. Provided your pet’s vaccinations are current and properly documented, your Spanish vet will take them on record and continue from where your previous vet left off. That said, your vet will very likely recommend additional preventive measures specific to Spain — such as protection against leishmaniasis and heartworm — that may not have featured in your pet’s care routine at home. Bring all existing vaccination records and your pet’s full health history to your first appointment.

Is there a national pet microchip database in Spain?

Yes. Spain operates the REIAC (Registro Español de Identificación Animal) system, which connects regional databases across the country into a single national network. Once you arrive in Spain, you should ask your vet to register your pet’s existing microchip on this system. Some regions maintain their own additional databases; your vet will be aware of what is required locally. Registration is a legal obligation and also greatly improves the chances of being reunited with a lost pet.

Can I get my pet’s EU Pet Passport in Spain?

A European Pet Passport is a standardised identification document required for travel between EU member states, and it is issued exclusively to pet owners who are resident within the EU. Once you are resident in Spain, any authorised vet with permission to issue passports can provide one for your dog, cat, or ferret. A pet passport remains valid for the animal’s lifetime, provided that the health information it contains — such as the anti-rabies vaccination — is kept up to date.

Are emergency veterinary services available at night and on weekends in Spain?

In major cities, dedicated 24-hour emergency veterinary clinics (clínicas veterinarias de urgencias) are available and can be found through an online search. Certain pet insurers in Spain, including SegurCaixa Adeslas, also provide access to emergency veterinary services around the clock across a network of more than 500 clinics. In rural or sparsely populated areas, out-of-hours provision may be limited, and a journey to the nearest city could be necessary. It is a sensible precaution to locate your nearest 24-hour clinic shortly after arriving, rather than searching under pressure in an emergency.

What is leishmaniasis and do I really need to protect my dog against it in Spain?

Leishmaniasis (Leishmania infantum) is a serious parasitic disease spread through the bites of infected sandflies. It is endemic across large parts of Spain, most notably in the south, along the Mediterranean coast, and in central regions. Left untreated, the disease can cause severe damage to the kidneys, skin, and immune system and may prove fatal. Unlike most of northern Europe, where this is largely a theoretical concern, in Spain it represents a genuine, everyday risk for dogs. Your vet will recommend a combination strategy involving sandfly repellent products and vaccination using either Letifend or CaniLeish. This is a conversation to have at your very first appointment after arriving in the country.

Is it compulsory to neuter my pet in Spain?

Spain’s Animal Welfare Law 7/2023 introduced provisions relating to sterilisation, but the mandatory requirements in this area are still undergoing regulatory development and are not uniformly applied. As of 2025, there is no blanket national obligation to neuter all pets, though the law discourages uncontrolled breeding. Individual regions may have stricter local rules in place. Speak to your vet and check with your local ayuntamiento for the current position in your specific area, as this remains an evolving aspect of the legislation.

What happens if I bring a restricted breed into Spain?

For domestic dogs belonging to restricted breeds, you will be required to comply fully with Spain’s regulations for potentially dangerous dogs. This includes registration, obtaining a special owner’s licence, holding appropriate liability insurance, keeping the dog on a lead and muzzled in public spaces, and in some cases observing breed-specific local restrictions. Wild-caught species, protected wildlife, invasive species, and animals listed under CITES Appendix I without the necessary permits are either prohibited or subject to stringent restrictions. If you have any uncertainty about your animal’s status, contact the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture or your relevant regional authority before you travel.

How do I find a vet who speaks my language in Spain?

In major cities and popular expat destinations — including Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia, the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca, and the Balearic and Canary Islands — vets who speak languages other than Spanish, most commonly English, German, French, or Dutch, are relatively straightforward to find. Practical ways to locate one include posting in local expat community groups on Facebook or on platforms such as Internations or Expat.com, conducting a Google Maps search using terms like “English speaking vet [city name]”, or asking neighbours and local expat associations for their personal recommendations.