Emergency Vet in Germany: Night and Weekend Help (2026)
If your pet may be in danger, call a veterinary practice or local duty service now.
Do not use this page to decide that a symptom can safely wait. A veterinary professional who can ask follow-up questions should make that assessment.
Germany has no single nationwide veterinary emergency number. Night and weekend care is organised locally through veterinary clinics, practices, duty rosters, and state veterinary chambers. The correct contact can change by city, date, and time.
How to find an emergency vet at night or on weekends
- Call your regular vet. Its voicemail or website may name the current out-of-hours service.
- Use a verified local route. Berlin publishes a chamber list of 24-hour providers, while Hamburg uses a rotating veterinary duty service.
- Check your state veterinary chamber. Emergency arrangements are regional, so use the chamber for the place where you are physically located.
- Call before you travel. Confirm that the service is open, can treat your animal, and wants you to come to that location.
Warning signs in the official veterinary guide
The German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians lists the following examples as signs of an emergency. This is not a complete diagnostic checklist.
- Loss of consciousness or collapse
- Difficulty breathing
- Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding
- Very pale mucous membranes
- Seizures
- Difficulty urinating
- Persistent bloody diarrhoea or vomiting with increasing weakness
- Sudden paralysis of the legs
- Eye injuries
- Swallowed foreign objects or toxins
- Scalds, burns, heatstroke, or a serious traffic accident
If poisoning or a swallowed object is suspected, tell the veterinary professional what substance or object may be involved and follow their instructions. This guide does not publish a national animal poison hotline because no verified nationwide veterinary number was identified.
Call before you travel
Telephone pre-registration lets the service assess urgency, confirm the correct location, prepare for arrival, and give transport instructions. Availability can change, even when an older directory entry or search result says a clinic is open.
Useful German phrase
Hallo, ich habe einen tiermedizinischen Notfall. Mein Hund / meine Katze hat [symptoms]. Kann ich jetzt kommen?
Hello, I have a veterinary emergency. My dog / cat has [symptoms]. Can I come now?
Official GOT emergency-service fees
Under section 4 of the federal veterinary fee regulation, qualifying emergency-service work is billed at two to four times the GOT rate, plus a €50 net emergency-service fee. With 19 percent VAT, that fixed fee is €59.50 gross. Diagnostics, treatment, medicines, materials, and other invoice items are additional, so there is no reliable universal minimum total.
These emergency rules apply only when care is provided as part of a veterinary emergency service during the defined night, weekend, or public-holiday periods. A regular scheduled consultation offered during those hours is not automatically emergency service.
Federal GOT section 4Can you book a same-day vet appointment online?
Some practices offer online booking, but a same-day appointment is never guaranteed and an online calendar should not delay an emergency call. For a non-emergency same-day request, find a nearby practice and call to ask about current availability. For urgent symptoms, use the emergency route above instead.
Find a regular English-speaking vetPrepare before an emergency
- Save your regular vet phone number and ask which service covers nights and weekends.
- Keep a secure carrier or lead where you can reach it quickly.
- Save your pet insurance details, medication list, and important medical records.
- Ask the receiving practice which payment methods it accepts.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Medical Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional veterinary advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian for medical decisions regarding your pet's health.
Emergency Situations: In case of a pet emergency, contact a veterinary professional immediately. The information provided here should not delay seeking professional care.
This content was created with AI assistance and verified by our editorial team. Clinic information is regularly updated, but we recommend confirming details directly with the veterinary practice before visiting.
📚 More Guides for Expats
Emergency Vet Nuremberg: 24/7 Critical Care
Tierklinik Nürnberg Hafen's 24/7 pathway for life-threatening cases, address, call limits, warning signs and GOT fees.
Emergency Vet Hannover: TiHo 24-Hour Help
TiHo's current 24-hour dog-and-cat service, separate exotic-pet emergency access, triage guidance, warning signs and GOT fees.
Emergency Vet Cologne: Official Numbers and 24/7 Help
Official Cologne duty line, two current 24/7 clinics, call-ahead steps, warning signs, English phrases and GOT fees.
Emergency Vet Düsseldorf: 24/7 Clinic Help
A current 24/7 Düsseldorf clinic, the chamber's hotline status, warning signs, English phrases and GOT fees.