Sweden promises veterinary care at any hour when an animal needs it, but not a clinic around the corner. Here is how the system works in 2026, where it has holes, and what to do about adders and poisoning.
When you need this
- Your dog is ill or injured on holiday and you don’t know who to call
- It’s evening, night or a weekend and the nearest clinic is closed
- Your dog was bitten by an adder or ate something it shouldn’t have
- You’re heading into rural areas and want a plan before you go
- You need a vet to certify tapeworm treatment before driving on to Norway
- You want to know how paying and foreign insurance work
Who to call, and who not to
Sweden has no emergency number for animals. 112 and the medical advice line 1177 are for people. For a sick or injured pet, you phone a vet directly.
Phone first, even in an emergency. Say what happened, the dog’s size and age, and where you are. The vet will tell you whether to come in, which location is open, and what to do on the way. Many clinics — including some of the state’s own — only accept booked visits, so turning up unannounced can cost you a second drive.
Swedish vets generally speak English. Having the dog’s weight, age, vaccinations and medicines written down saves time on the phone.
How out-of-hours cover works
The state carries the ultimate responsibility. Under a 2025 ordinance, Förordning (2025:683), Jordbruksverket (the Swedish Board of Agriculture) must make sure that animals can get veterinary care “at any time of day” when animal welfare requires it.
How that happens depends on where you are. Sweden is divided into 21 veterinary areas matching the counties:
| Where | Who covers evenings, nights and weekends (jourtid) |
|---|---|
| Some districts | Distriktsveterinärerna — the state’s own vets, part of Jordbruksverket, first in line for emergencies |
| Other districts | Private vets and animal hospitals hold the on-call duty |
| Where private providers aren’t available | Distriktsveterinärerna step in to support individual emergencies |
Distriktsveterinärerna run about 64 locations and treat dogs, cats and small pets as well as farm animals and horses, with a vet on standby around the clock for acutely ill animals. Their find-a-vet page lists local numbers.
Where cover is thin in 2026
This is the part older guides miss. Jordbruksverket keeps a list of districts where round-the-clock cover has been cut. As of its August 2026 review:
- Tranås, Aneby, Eksjö and Nässjö: no 24-hour service since 10 March 2025; cover roughly 06:00–21:00
- Vetlanda and Sävsjö: no 24-hour service since 10 March 2025
- Hallstahammar: no night cover (22:00–07:00) since 1 September 2025
- Dingle: weekend cover only, since September 2023
In those districts, Jordbruksverket tells owners to contact a vet early if an animal is getting worse, find out which services exist locally, and expect longer journeys and waits. The same advice holds anywhere sparsely populated, where private night-time care is hardest to sustain.
More change may come. A government memorandum, Ds 2025:27, proposes that from 1 January 2027 the state’s out-of-hours duty should cover only farm animals and horses in underserved areas, leaving pets to private emergency care. It has been out for consultation; no decision has been made. We will update this page when one is.
Clinic or animal hospital
You’ll see two kinds of place on the map:
| Swedish | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| djurklinik | Vet clinic, like primary care; mostly booked visits | Illness or injury that isn’t extensive |
| djursjukhus | Animal hospital with wards, continuously staffed intensive care, emergency service, specialists, CT and MRI | Serious illness, surgery, admission, night emergencies |
Big cities have private animal hospitals with emergency departments. Smaller towns more often rely on a clinic by day and a shared on-call vet at night. Either way, phone to confirm that a place is actually open and staffed before you set off.
Adder bites
Adder (huggorm) bites on dogs are common in summer. One university animal hospital in Uppsala had treated 78 bitten dogs by 16 July 2025. Adders are active from late February or March through autumn, basking on warm, sunny days.
If your dog is bitten:
- Keep it as still as possible — movement spreads the venom faster.
- Carry it if you can.
- Phone a vet immediately and head in.
- Don’t bandage, cool or try to suck out the bite.
In adder season, keep the dog on the path and away from sun-warmed stone walls and heather edges.
Poisoning
Call a vet or animal hospital. Sweden’s Poisons Information Centre, Giftinformationscentralen, stopped answering questions about poisoned animals on 1 July 2018 because of rising numbers of calls about people. Its line is now for human poisonings only, and calling it about a dog costs time you don’t have. Keep the packaging or a sample of what the dog ate to show the vet.
Paying and insurance
Expect to pay at the visit, before the animal leaves, and to pay by card — some hospitals take no cash. If your pet is uninsured, the clinic can ask for advance payment (förskottsbetalning) before tests or treatment continue, so carry a card with enough limit.
Foreign pet insurance rarely works at the counter. Direktreglering (direct settlement) depends on arrangements between clinic and insurer, and at least one university hospital charges an admin fee for it even when the insurer declines. The dependable route is to pay, then claim at home with an itemised receipt and the case notes. Ask your insurer before the trip whether it covers treatment in Sweden and what documents it wants.
There is no national price list for pet care; each provider sets its own fees. Ask for an estimate before non-urgent treatment.
Diseases a vet must report
Swedish vets must report specified animal diseases to the authorities. For the most serious — epizootic diseases such as rabies, and diseases not normally found in Sweden — they must raise the alarm immediately on mere suspicion. Owners who suspect such a disease must contact a vet. As a rule, the vet or laboratory files the report, not you.
Rabies has not occurred in Swedish domestic animals since 1886, which is why suspicion is taken seriously and why dogs’ entry papers matter (see bringing your dog to Sweden). A dog with an MRSA or MRSP infection also triggers specific hygiene measures for the owner.
Heading on to Norway? Sweden requires no tapeworm treatment on entry, but Norway does: book a Swedish vet to give and certify praziquantel 24–120 hours before you cross.
Practical information
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Emergency number for animals | None — phone a vet directly; 112 and 1177 are for people |
| Out-of-hours (jourtid) | Evenings, nights and weekends |
| State vets | Distriktsveterinärerna, about 64 locations, 24/7 standby for acutely ill animals |
| Reduced-cover districts | Listed on Jordbruksverket’s “Veterinär service” page (checked 2026-09-24) |
| Pending change | Ds 2025:27 proposal, from 1 January 2027 if adopted |
| Poison advice for animals | Not from Giftinformationscentralen since 1 July 2018 — call a vet |
| Payment | Card at the visit; advance payment possible if uninsured; no national price list |
| Adder season | Late February/March to autumn |
| Norway tapeworm dose | 24–120 hours before entering Norway, by a vet in Sweden |
FAQ
How do I find an emergency vet in Sweden at night?
Phone before you drive. In the evening, at night and at weekends the state’s Distriktsveterinärerna handle emergencies first in some districts, while private vets and animal hospitals cover others; the state must ensure access at any hour when animal welfare requires it. Cover has gaps and some districts have lost night service, so identify the nearest option in daylight.
What is the difference between a djursjukhus and a djurklinik?
A djurklinik works like primary care: mostly booked visits for illness or injury that is not extensive. A djursjukhus, an animal hospital, adds wards where an animal can be admitted, continuously staffed intensive care, emergency service, specialists and imaging such as CT and MRI. For a night-time emergency, phone to confirm that a place is actually open and staffed.
What should I do if my dog is bitten by an adder in Sweden?
Keep the dog as still as possible, carry it if you can, and contact a vet immediately, because movement speeds the spread of venom. Do not bandage, cool or try to suck out the bite. Adders are active from late February or March through autumn, especially on warm, sunny days, and bites on dogs are common in summer.
Who do I call if my dog has eaten something poisonous in Sweden?
A vet or animal hospital. Sweden’s Poisons Information Centre, Giftinformationscentralen, stopped answering questions about poisoned animals on 1 July 2018 because of rising numbers of calls about people, so its line is for human poisonings only. Call the nearest vet straight away and keep the packaging or a sample of what the dog ate.
Can I use my foreign pet insurance at a Swedish vet?
Usually not at the counter. Expect to pay the clinic yourself, by card, before the animal leaves, then claim from your insurer at home with an itemised receipt and the case notes. Direct settlement depends on arrangements between clinic and insurer, and an uninsured animal can be asked to pay in advance before tests or treatment.
Does a Swedish vet have to report my dog’s illness to the authorities?
Only for listed diseases. Swedish vets must report specified animal diseases, and for the most serious, such as rabies, they must alert the authorities immediately on mere suspicion. Owners who suspect such a disease must contact a vet. Rabies has not occurred in Swedish domestic animals since 1886, which is why suspicion is taken seriously.
Related guides
- Bringing your dog to Sweden — the entry papers, and why Sweden needs no tapeworm dose
- Ticks in Sweden — the other summer risk, for you and the dog
- The leash law — what 1 March to 20 August means on a walk
- Dogs in nature — where adders and wildlife live
- Bringing medicines to Sweden — your dog’s prescriptions at the border
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Jordbruksverket (Swedish Board of Agriculture), Distriktsveterinärerna, Sveriges riksdag, Giftinformationscentralen, SVA (National Veterinary Institute), Mattilsynet — full register in this topic’s source file. No clinic on this page is a recommendation. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.