In this guide
To find a vet in Filadelfia, first decide whether you need care for a dog or cat or for livestock, and phone before you go: in town most businesses close weekdays 12:00 to 14:00, on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays (opens in a new tab). For a night-time or weekend emergency, save the WhatsApp number of a vet who takes urgent calls before you need it.
Pets or livestock?
Filadelfia lives from cattle, farming and dairy (opens in a new tab), and ranching remains one of the town's main activities (opens in a new tab), so tell the vet from your first message whether it is for a pet or for a herd, and ask:
- Pets: whether they see animals at a clinic, do surgery and hospitalisation, and have lab tests or ultrasound or refer you elsewhere.
- Livestock: whether they visit the ranch, how far they travel, what the call-out costs, and whether they work with beef cattle, dairy herds or horses.
- Both: whether they give you an emergency number and when they answer it.
Is there a 24-hour vet in Filadelfia?
Don't assume any vet is open all night: Filadelfia runs on split hours and quiet weekends. Ask at your first visit whether they cover emergencies by phone, and keep a second contact. Loma Plata is 25 km away (opens in a new tab), so a number there is worth having too. If you are driving up from Asunción, it is 470 km via the Transchaco (opens in a new tab): bring your animal's vaccination card and regular medication.
How do you protect a dog from Chaco heat?
Filadelfia has recorded an all-time high of 44.8 °C (opens in a new tab), and the hottest months run from November to March (opens in a new tab). A vet quoted by InfoNegocios in 2026 advised walking dogs early in the morning or at dusk (opens in a new tab) and listed the signs of heatstroke: heavy panting, drooling, weakness, very red or bluish gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, staggering or collapse. If you see them, move the animal to shade, wet it with cool (not cold) water and get to a vet urgently.
Which vaccinations matter most?
- Rabies for dogs and cats: Paraguay's national zoonosis and rabies programme recommends a first dose from three months, boosters at 30 days and six months, then once a year (opens in a new tab). The programme runs free vaccination days in different towns; ask your vet or the municipality when it reaches Boquerón.
- Foot-and-mouth for cattle: Senacsa sets two vaccination periods a year. In 2026 the first ran from 16 February to 20 March and was extended to 1 April (opens in a new tab) because of rain, with registration until 8 April. In 2025 the second period, for calves and weaners, ran from 19 May to 20 June and was extended to 4 July (opens in a new tab). Book your vet before each period opens, not at the end.
How do you know a vet is licensed?
Law 6810/2021 on veterinarians and Senacsa Resolution 1434/21 require vets to register their degree and renew that registration every year (opens in a new tab), without surcharge until 31 March. Ask for their registration number, especially if they will sign certificates or prescribe for your herd.
How do you pay?
Bring cash: in Filadelfia few businesses take cards (opens in a new tab) apart from hotels, larger restaurants and the cooperative supermarket. Ask about QR or bank transfer when you book, and ask for an invoice, especially for ranch work.
FAQ
Is there a 24-hour vet in Filadelfia?
Don't count on it: most businesses close at midday, on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays. Ask at your first visit whether they take emergency calls and keep a second contact, including one in Loma Plata, 25 km away.
How often should my dog get a rabies shot?
First dose from three months, boosters at 30 days and six months, then once a year, according to Paraguay's national zoonosis programme.
When is foot-and-mouth vaccination?
Senacsa sets two periods a year. In 2026 the first ran from 16 February to 1 April after an extension for rain; book your vet before each period opens.
How do I pay a vet in Filadelfia?
Bring cash, since few businesses take cards. Ask about QR or bank transfer when you book and ask for an invoice.
