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Veterinary emergencies · Barcelona

24-hour emergency vet in Barcelona

In short

A veterinary emergency is any sudden and serious problem with your dog or your cat that needs rapid medical attention. If you are in doubt, call a vet immediately: that call can help you decide what to do next. Centres that are open 24 hours do exist, and it is worth knowing which one is closest to you before you need it.12345678

By Mejores Barcelona, text generated and verified automaticallyUpdated

Centres that publish 24-hour emergency vet in Barcelona

Each entry shows the centre's address, the services it publishes and the link to its website.

Informational list of centres entered in the public register, without recommendation or assessment. If you are a professional and want to correct or remove your entry, see the methodology.

Do you want to know how we choose and order the centres? This is how we do it.

What counts as a veterinary emergency?

A veterinary emergency is a sudden and serious problem that needs rapid medical attention, such as a serious injury from an accident, a burn, poisoning, a new and sudden illness or the rapid worsening of a chronic illness.1

The sources list these problems as reasons for immediate care:

  • Trauma, shock, severe burns and suspected broken bones or a limb that cannot be moved.23
  • Poisoning or intoxication.2
  • Severe pain and serious or uncontrolled bleeding.2
  • Difficulty breathing, continuous seizures and loss of consciousness.3
  • Eye injuries.2
  • Blocked urine flow, possible snake bite and difficult labour.3
  • Heatstroke.3

Sudden changes in appearance, the way of walking, activity, feeding, elimination habits or grooming can also be signs of a medical problem.1 If you do not know whether it is that serious, the sources' answer is to call and describe what you see.1

Should you call before going to the emergency vet?

Yes, calling before going to the emergency vet is usually the first step. Emergency care often starts with a call: the vet can give you first-aid and safe transport instructions, and help identify serious airway, breathing or circulation problems while you talk.2

The call also allows the clinic to prepare for the animal's arrival. Think in advance about how to describe what has happened.2

It is worth knowing before an emergency happens which number to call outside your clinic's usual hours and where the nearest centre open 24 hours is.1

Basic first aid: what you can and cannot do

First aid in a veterinary emergency has clear limits, and the safest course is to follow the vet's instructions by phone.2 Your safety comes first: any injured animal or one in pain may bite or scratch.2

  • Muzzle on dogs: used only when it is safe. It is never put on a dog with chest injuries or on a short-nosed breed, such as a pug or a bulldog, and a muzzled dog is not left alone.2
  • Cats: they can be wrapped in a towel to limit movement and placed in a dark box with ventilation holes.2
  • Bleeding: press firmly on the wound with clean gauze, towels or cloths and apply a firm but not too tight bandage. If it soaks through, do not remove it: add more material on top and keep up the pressure.2
  • Embedded objects: objects embedded in the skull, chest or abdomen are not removed. Prevent them from moving and go to the vet.2
  • Moving an injured animal: minimise movement of the head, neck and spine, and use a flat, firm surface, thick cardboard or a folded blanket as support.2

First aid does not replace veterinary care, it only helps you get to it.2

Heatstroke and short-nosed dogs

Heatstroke is an emergency, and the animal must be taken to the vet immediately.2 Its signs include hot skin, vomiting, drooling, rapid panting, distress, uncoordinated movement, collapse or loss of consciousness.2

Some breeds, above all short-nosed ones, can overheat from stress or excitement even on cold days.2 That is why a short-nosed dog with rapid panting and distress may be at risk even when it is cool. A muzzle is not used on these dogs.2

If you see breathing with the mouth open and a bluish tone to the gums or skin, there is a serious lack of oxygen.3 Call the clinic and go immediately.2

What to bring and what to say on arrival

On arrival at the emergency vet, the veterinary staff carry out a quick check, prioritise what is most urgent and ask you to describe what happened and give a brief medical history of the animal.3 Potentially life-threatening problems are seen first, so another animal may go before yours.3

Before leaving, if you can, have this information to hand:

  • What happened, when and how the animal's condition has changed.2
  • The animal's medical information and the phone number of your usual vet.1

Once the animal is stabilised, the vet asks in more detail about previous illnesses, medications, allergies and latest vaccines.3 If you have that information written down, the conversation is quicker.

An animal that seems fine after a blow may not be. Some injuries or illnesses do not show all their effects until 24 to 48 hours have passed, and the outcome depends, among other factors, on how long treatment is delayed.1 That is why pets with trauma often have to be closely monitored in a hospital.3

When to go to the emergency vet?

Go to the emergency vet when the problem is sudden and serious, and call first to receive instructions.12 These are the criteria:

  1. Suspected poisoning or intoxication: immediate veterinary care. Call first to receive instructions.2
  2. Difficulty breathing: breathing with the mouth open and bluish gums or skin indicate a serious lack of oxygen.23
  3. Serious or uncontrolled bleeding: while you are on your way, press on the wound as described.2
  4. Severe pain: immediate veterinary care.2
  5. Heatstroke: hot skin, vomiting, drooling, rapid panting, distress, lack of coordination or collapse.2
  6. Trauma: requires immediate treatment.3 Some injuries do not show all their effects until 24 to 48 hours have passed, so the animal seeming fine is not enough to rule out the problem.1
  7. Suspected fracture, a limb that does not move or an eye injury: immediate veterinary care.2
  8. Continuous seizures or loss of consciousness: immediate treatment.3
  9. Blocked urine flow, possible snake bite or difficult labour: immediate treatment.3

If the animal has a problem that is not on this list but you see it suddenly getting worse, call the clinic.1

Are there vets open 24 hours?

There are centres that handle emergencies 24 hours a day, and it is worth knowing which one is closest to you.1 If you are looking for an on-call vet or a 24-hour veterinary hospital in Barcelona, the list of centres on each area page shows which ones open 24 hours. A centre being open 24 hours is not to be taken for granted, so call before going.2

Signs to seek care without waiting

  1. Suspected poisoning: immediate veterinary care; phone the clinic first to get instructions.
  2. Difficulty breathing: breathing with the mouth open and bluish gums or skin point to a serious lack of oxygen.
  3. Heatstroke: hot skin, vomiting, drooling, rapid panting, distress, loss of coordination or collapse; the animal must be taken to the vet immediately.
  4. Continuous seizures or loss of consciousness: they need immediate treatment.
  5. Severe or uncontrolled bleeding, severe pain or a suspected broken bone: immediate veterinary care.
  6. Trauma, even if the animal seems fine: some injuries do not show their full effects until 24 to 48 hours have passed.

24-hour emergency vet by area

24-hour emergency vet by area

24-hour emergency vet by areaSchematic map with 16 areas; the full list is in the data table. Outside the map: Sant Cugat del Vallès, to the north-west; Badalona, to the north-east; Terrassa, to the north-west; Sabadell, to the north; Cornellà de Llobregat, to the south-west; L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, to the north-west.Ciutat VellaEixampleSants-MontjuïcLes CortsSarrià-Sant GervasiGràciaHorta-GuinardóNou BarrisSant AndreuSant MartíCiutat VellaEixampleSants-MontjuïcLes CortsSarrià-SantGervasiGràciaHorta-GuinardóNou BarrisSant AndreuSant MartíL'Hospitalet de LlobregatSant Cugat del VallèsTerrassaSabadellBadalonaCornellà de Llobregat

Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Open Data BCN (CC BY 4.0). Contornos simplificados.

View data
Map data: 24-hour emergency vet by area
Area
Ciutat Vella
Eixample
Sants-Montjuïc
Les Corts
Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
Gràcia
Horta-Guinardó
Nou Barris
Sant Andreu
Sant Martí
Sant Cugat del Vallès (outside the map, to the north-west)
Badalona (outside the map, to the north-east)
Terrassa (outside the map, to the north-west)
Sabadell (outside the map, to the north)
Cornellà de Llobregat (outside the map, to the south-west)
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (outside the map, to the north-west)

Frequently asked questions

Are there vets open 24 hours?

There are centres that handle emergencies 24 hours a day, and it is worth knowing which one is closest to you before you need it. The list of centres for each area shows each one's emergency hours, and it is best to call to confirm.

When should I take my pet to the emergency vet?

When the problem is sudden and serious, for example poisoning, severe pain, serious bleeding, difficulty breathing, an eye injury or a suspected broken bone. If you are in doubt, call the clinic and tell them what you see.

See vets in Barcelona

Authorship
Mejores Barcelona, text generated and verified automatically
Updated

How this content is produced and verified

Sources

  1. Introducción a las urgencias (versión para propietarios de mascotas)https://www.msdvetmanual.com/es/temas-especiales-para-mascotas/urgencias/introducci%C3%B3n-a-las-urgenciasAccessed: October 10, 2026
  2. Qué hacer en caso de urgencia para perros o gatos (versión para propietarios de mascotas)https://www.msdvetmanual.com/es/temas-especiales-para-mascotas/urgencias/qu%C3%A9-hacer-en-caso-de-urgencia-para-perros-o-gatosAccessed: October 10, 2026
  3. Evaluación y tratamiento inicial de urgencias en perros y gatos (versión para propietarios de mascotas)https://www.msdvetmanual.com/es/temas-especiales-para-mascotas/urgencias/evaluaci%C3%B3n-y-tratamiento-inicial-de-urgencias-en-perros-y-gatosAccessed: October 10, 2026
  4. Cercador de centres veterinaris (registro de centros RACPA)https://www.covb.cat/serveis-a-particulars/cercador-de-centres-veterinaris/Accessed: October 10, 2026
  5. Hospital Veterinario L'Arca, Badalona, abierto 24 horashttps://www.hospitalveterinariarca.es/Accessed: October 10, 2026
  6. Hospital Veterinario Montigalà, urgencias 24hhttps://grupveterinarisantfrancescdassis.es/hospital-veterinario-montigala/Accessed: October 10, 2026
  7. Abat Marcet, veterinarios en Terrassa (24 horas)https://www.unavets.com/abatmarcet/Accessed: October 10, 2026
  8. AniCura Vet's Avinguda Hospital Veterinari, urgencias 24Hhttps://www.anicura.es/clinicas/vets-avinguda-hospital-veterinari/Accessed: October 10, 2026

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