In this guide
If you need a vet in San Bernardino, save two contacts today: the clinic closest to your home or holiday house, and one that sees animals at night or at weekends, even if it's in another town nearby. Before you set off, call to confirm a vet is actually there. In summer, the heat and Lake Ypacaraí add risks worth knowing about.
How to check a vet clinic is licensed
In Paraguay, Senacsa (the national animal health service) licenses veterinary clinics. To operate, a clinic needs a technical adviser who is a registered vet (it can be the owner), a municipal business licence and to be set up as a company (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). In that report, Senacsa itself estimated there could be as many unlicensed clinics as registered ones, or more.
- Ask who the responsible vet is and ask to see the licence.
- If something goes wrong, malpractice or animal-cruelty complaints go to Senacsa's Animal Health and Welfare Directorate or to the public prosecutor (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
Is it an emergency? What to do first
Go straight to an emergency vet if your pet is struggling to breathe, having a seizure, ate something toxic, is bleeding heavily, was hit by a car or can't pass urine. While one person drives, another calls the clinic: give the species, rough weight and what happened. If it's poisoning, bring the packaging or a photo of the label.
When you call a clinic that says it's open at night, ask whether a vet is on site or called in from home, whether they can hospitalise, and how you pay. If your regular vet has no night service, ask where they refer patients after hours and save that number.
High season: plan before you arrive
San Bernardino's high season runs from December to mid-February (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). If you're coming for the summer or a weekend with your dog:
- Bring the vaccination booklet and any medicines.
- Find the nearest vet to where you're staying on day one, not when you need it.
- Allow for traffic: on the long weekend at the end of September 2026, there were jams at the Ecovía toll (Luque–San Bernardino) and at the km 48 toll on Ruta PY02 in Ypacaraí (Hoy (opens in a new tab)). An emergency on a holiday can take longer than you expect.
Heat: preventing heatstroke
A vet interviewed by Infonegocios (2026) (opens in a new tab) recommends walking dogs early or at dusk, testing the ground with your palm (if it burns your hand within five seconds, it burns their paws) and never leaving them in the car, not even for a minute. Short-nosed breeds such as French bulldogs, English bulldogs and boxers are at higher risk.
Warning signs: heavy panting, drooling, weakness, very red or bluish gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, staggering or collapse. Move the animal somewhere cool, wet it with cool (not cold) water and go to a vet urgently.
Lake Ypacaraí and your dog
San Bernardino's municipal beach is approved for recreation, but MADES, the environment ministry, said the lake is not fit for bathing because of cyanobacteria levels (ABC Color, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). Cyanobacteria are dangerous to people and animals; in animals they can cause loss of coordination and even death from respiratory failure (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)).
- Don't let your dog swim in or drink from the lake, especially if the water looks green or foamy.
- If it goes in, rinse it with clean water before it licks itself.
- If it later staggers, seems weak or struggles to breathe, go to a vet and say it was in the lake.
Vaccines and check-ups
Rabies vaccination is free at the National Anti-Rabies Centre on the UNA campus in San Lorenzo (Ruta Mcal. Estigarribia km 10.5): Monday to Friday 7:00 to 22:00, and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 7:00 to 19:00. The first dose is from three months of age, with boosters at 30 days and six months, then once a year (Health Ministry, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). Handy if you pass through Greater Asunción on the way to San Bernardino.
For a regular vet, choose one that records everything in the booklet and reminds you when the next vaccine is due, that treats your species (cat, rabbit, bird), and that tells you consultation and vaccine prices up front.
FAQ
Is there a 24-hour vet in San Bernardino?
Call first to confirm a vet is on duty right then. Ask your regular vet where they refer patients at night and save an emergency clinic in the area too.
Can my dog swim in Lake Ypacaraí?
It's not advisable: MADES said the lake is unfit for bathing because of cyanobacteria, which are also dangerous to animals. If your dog goes in, rinse it with clean water.
Where can I get a free rabies vaccine?
At the National Anti-Rabies Centre on the UNA campus in San Lorenzo, every day; it closes at 19:00 on weekends and holidays.
How do I know a vet clinic is licensed?
Senacsa licenses vet clinics and requires a registered vet as technical adviser. Ask who is responsible and ask to see the licence.
