People who move to Spain with a dog or a cat from northern Europe usually arrive well drilled in the risks back home and barely prepared for the ones here. The climate redraws the map: heat, the pine processionary caterpillar and seasonal parasites account for a great many veterinary emergencies every year, and most of them are avoidable.
This guide runs through the seasonal risks that matter most in Spain, how to spot them in time, and where insurance comes in when prevention falls short. It is not a substitute for your vet’s judgement — it is meant to get you into their consulting room sooner.
Heatstroke, the most underestimated risk
Dogs do not regulate temperature the way we do. They sweat very little and rely mainly on panting, a mechanism that loses efficiency when the air is hot and humid. A temperature that merely feels uncomfortable to you can be dangerous for your animal, and within minutes.
The risk concentrates in particular profiles: brachycephalic breeds — the short-muzzled ones such as bulldogs, pugs and boxers; overweight animals; puppies and older dogs; those with heart or respiratory conditions; and dogs with very dense coats. It is less common in cats but does happen, especially in closed flats with no ventilation.
The two commonest causes are both avoidable. First, the midday walk in summer: on top of the heat, tarmac stores it and burns the pads. If you cannot hold the back of your hand on the ground for a few seconds, your dog cannot walk on it either. Second, leaving an animal in a parked car. Even in the shade with the windows ajar, the interior reaches lethal temperatures very quickly.
Recognising it, and the first few minutes
It starts with heavy panting that does not settle, thick drooling, very red gums and restlessness. Then come weakness, loss of coordination, vomiting or diarrhoea, and finally collapse. Do not wait for the late signs: by the time an animal is unsteady on its feet, this is already serious.
If you suspect heatstroke, move the animal into shade or somewhere cool and ventilated, wet it with cool — not ice-cold — water, concentrating on the neck, armpits, groin and pads, and offer small amounts of water if it is conscious and able to drink. Do not wrap it in soaked towels, which trap the heat in.
Then go to the vet even if the animal seems to have recovered. Heatstroke can cause internal damage that only shows hours later, and that assessment is what makes the difference. Phone ahead so they are ready for you.
The pine processionary caterpillar: a winter and spring risk
This is probably the hazard that most surprises new arrivals, because it does not exist in much of northern Europe. The caterpillar of Thaumetopoea pityocampa lives in pine woods, forms visible white nests in the trees and, in late winter or spring depending on the region and the weather, descends in single file to bury itself.
Its urticating hairs are the problem. The dog does not need to bite one: contact is enough, or even putting its nose near a recent trail. The reaction is immediate and severe — heavy drooling, a swollen tongue and muzzle, pain — and it can cause necrosis of the tip of the tongue if not treated quickly.
This is a genuine veterinary emergency. On the way in you can rinse the mouth with plenty of lukewarm water, without rubbing and with your hands protected, since the hairs irritate human skin too. What matters is reaching the practice fast. In season, keep your dog on the lead in pine woods and watch the ground as much as the branches.
Ticks, fleas and sandflies
The mild climate stretches the parasite season until, in many areas, it is effectively continuous. Ticks can transmit diseases such as ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, and fleas do not disappear in winter when the house is warm.
To that add the sandfly, which transmits leishmaniasis, active from spring to autumn and above all at dusk. Not every antiparasitic has a repellent action against it, so it is worth asking specifically.
The practical consequence is that a northern European parasite calendar does not transfer here as it stands. Ask your vet for a schedule built for your province and your animal’s way of life, and review it at least once a year.
Beach, pool and standing water
Water brings risks of its own. Drinking seawater in quantity can cause digestive upset and disturb sodium levels, sometimes needing veterinary attention, so always carry fresh water and offer it often.
In summer, warm standing fresh water can develop cyanobacteria blooms, potentially very toxic if the animal drinks or licks its coat after a swim. Faced with greenish or foamy water, the simple rule is not to let them in.
In swimming pools the problem is usually not swimming but getting out. Many accidents happen because the animal cannot find the steps and exhausts itself. Show them where the exit is, and rinse the chlorine or salt off the coat afterwards.
What of this an insurance policy covers
The distinction is straightforward. Treatment arising from an accident or an illness — heatstroke, a reaction to processionary caterpillars, a tick-borne disease — falls within covered veterinary costs, subject to the policy’s limits and terms. Prevention does not: worming and flea control are excluded, as are vaccines, unless you add the optional vaccination plan.
With Petplan, reimbursement can reach 100% of covered costs, with an annual limit of €3,100 and a €45 excess per illness rather than per visit, at the vet of your own choosing. It is also worth remembering that each injury or illness is covered for 12 months from the date it occurred or first showed clinical signs.
And the usual rule applies: cover protects what has not happened yet. Taking out a policy in July, with the heatwave already under way and the animal showing symptoms, solves nothing.
A simple calendar for the year
January to April: watch for processionary caterpillars in pine areas and review the parasite schedule before the season starts. May to September: walk early and late, keep shade and water available at all times, use a sandfly repellent, and take care around cars, beaches and pools.
October to December: annual check-up and prevention brought up to date. It is also the best moment to take out or review a policy — no emergency in sight, the animal well, and time to read the terms without hurrying.
