Emergency Vet Phone Number: Free 3115, 24/24 Hours, 7/7 Days
A call handler assesses how serious the signs you describe are and directs you to an on-call veterinary facility that can see your pet.
The emergency vet phone number to call in France is 3115. A call handler assesses how serious the signs you describe are and directs you to an on-call veterinary facility that can see your pet.
Key takeaways
- 3115: free, 24 hours out of 24 and 7 days out of 7, for dogs, cats, and exotic pets.
- Call immediately: trouble breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, a swollen abdomen with unsuccessful attempts to vomit, or poisoning.
- Never do this: induce vomiting without veterinary instructions or give a human medication (acetaminophen is dangerous for cats).
- On the phone: give the animal’s species, symptoms, and when they began.
- 15 and 112 do not handle animal emergencies.
What number should you call to reach an on-call veterinarian?
To reach an on-call veterinarian, dial 3115. It is a national number operated by the private veterinary emergency network Emergence, not a public service. Someone assesses the situation and directs you to a facility that can see your pet.
Call cost and hours
Calling 3115 costs nothing, whether from a landline or a cell phone. The service answers 24 hours out of 24 and 7 days out of 7: at night, on Sunday, or on a public holiday, someone will answer. Only the call itself is free. If your pet needs to be seen, ask about the fee for the on-call consultation and accepted payment methods to avoid surprises when you arrive.
Which animals are covered
3115 takes calls about dogs, cats, and exotic pets (NAC): rabbits, ferrets, rodents, birds, and reptiles. For exotic pets, call as soon as the first signs appear. A rabbit that has stopped eating and producing droppings for a few hours, for example, often has a gut slowdown that worsens quickly. For a horse or farm animal, call your equine or farm veterinarian directly; they arrange their own on-call coverage.
Note: 15 and 112 are reserved for human emergencies. They will not connect you with a veterinarian, even if your pet is in danger.
What signs mean you should call the emergency vet phone number right away?
Call immediately if your pet is struggling to breathe, having a seizure, or losing consciousness; if your dog’s abdomen is swelling; or if you think your pet swallowed something toxic. These situations can threaten your pet’s life within hours, sometimes minutes. The French National Council of the Order of Veterinarians’ guide to recognizing an emergency lists breathing problems and seizures among the warning signs.
| Sign you notice | Why it’s serious | While you wait | How soon to act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noisy or rapid breathing; a cat breathing with its mouth open | The organs are not getting enough oxygen | Let the animal stay in the position it chooses, in a quiet place | Immediately |
| A seizure lasting more than 5 minutes or several seizures in a row | A prolonged seizure damages the brain and raises body temperature | Move objects away, keep your hands out of the animal’s mouth, and time the seizure | Immediately |
| Loss of consciousness | It may signal heart or brain failure, or poisoning | Lay the animal on its side with its neck straight, and check that it is breathing | Immediately |
| A swollen abdomen and unsuccessful attempts to vomit (dog) | Possible stomach twisting | Give no food or water | Immediately |
| A toxic product swallowed or licked | Symptoms from some poisons do not appear until several hours or even several days later | Keep the packaging | Immediately, even if the animal seems fine |
| Heatstroke (heavy panting, a very red tongue, staggering) | Body temperature rises beyond what the organs can tolerate | Move the animal into the shade, wet it with cool water (not ice-cold water), and fan it without covering it with a wet towel | Immediately |
Also call without delay if bleeding does not stop after 5 minutes of pressure, if your pet has been in a road accident (even if it gets back up), or if an animal in labor has been pushing for more than 30 minutes without a birth. A cat, especially a male, that repeatedly goes to the litter box and strains without passing urine may have a urinary blockage: this is life-threatening. After surgery, a wound that bleeds or opens, or an animal that is very lethargic, also warrants a call. The guidance on dog spay recovery helps you distinguish what is normal.
Breathing difficulties and seizures
Signs of breathing difficulty include sides that pull inward with each breath, an extended neck, elbows held away from the body, and bluish or gray gums. For a cat, breathing with its mouth open is never normal at rest. Do not force the animal to lie down or hold it tightly against you: restraint makes it harder for the animal to breathe.
During a seizure, an animal cannot choke on its tongue. Never put your hand in its mouth, as it may bite without realizing it. Dim the lights, reduce noise, note when the seizure starts and ends, then call.
A swollen abdomen in dogs and suspected poisoning
In a dog, a swelling abdomen together with unsuccessful attempts to vomit suggests a twisted stomach (gastric dilatation-volvulus). The stomach fills with gas, then twists: its entrance and exit close, the gas cannot escape, and major blood vessels are compressed. Large, deep-chested dogs are most at risk, such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, and pointers, often after a large meal. No home remedy works. The veterinarian first treats the shock with IV fluids, takes an X-ray, releases the gas from the stomach, then performs surgery to return it to position and secure it to the abdominal wall (gastropexy). Do not wait for the dog to “get relief” or give your dog anti-nausea medicine: surgery is urgent.
In a suspected poisoning, 3115 provides immediate veterinary advice. Never make your pet vomit without veterinary instructions. A caustic product (drain cleaner, bleach) burns the esophagus a second time on the way back up, and a drowsy animal may inhale vomit into its lungs. Home remedies (salt water, milk, oil) often make things worse. Do not give any human medication without a prescription: acetaminophen causes serious poisoning in cats, even at a low dose, as the French agency ANSES notes. The veterinary poison centers at veterinary schools (CNITV in Lyon and CAPAE-Ouest in Nantes) can also provide information about a product’s toxicity.
Read also: Cat Pill: Treatment, Care, and Risks for Female Cats
What happens during the call before your pet receives care?
The call handler assesses the severity based on what you describe, then tells you whether to leave immediately, where to go, or whether your pet can wait until your veterinary practice opens. The more precise your description, the better the guidance. Always call before setting out: you will know where your pet can be seen, and the team can prepare for your arrival.
Assessing the emergency
Have this information ready before you dial, or ask someone else to write it down while you stay with your pet:
- the species, age, approximate weight, and sex;
- the specific symptoms: what you see, how many times the animal has vomited, what its breathing looks like, and the color of its gums;
- when the signs began and how they have changed since;
- anything the animal may have swallowed, along with the packaging or a photo of the label;
- its known illnesses and current treatments.
The call handler does not make a diagnosis over the phone: they triage by severity. If you are told to come in, follow the transport instructions. Put a cat or exotic pet in a closed carrier and cover it with a cloth to calm it. If your dog is injured, carry it on a taut blanket or a board, keeping its back as straight as possible. An animal in pain may bite, even its owner: a muzzle or a tie around its snout protects whoever handles it. Do not use one if the animal is vomiting or struggling to breathe. Bring its health record.
How can you find out about your veterinary practice’s on-call arrangements?
Call your usual veterinary practice during business hours and ask how it handles nights, weekends, and vacations. Some practices provide their own on-call care; others share duties with nearby veterinarians or refer patients to an emergency clinic. Outside business hours, the voicemail message often explains what to do. Listen to the whole message and write down the number it gives before you need it.
Your practice knows your pet’s medical history. If your pet is being treated for a chronic condition (diabetes, heart or kidney failure, epilepsy), ask in advance which symptoms should prompt a call and whom to contact. If no facility in the Emergence network is available near you, 3115 looks for a nearby option through its agreements with local on-call veterinary services.
A good habit: save these numbers before you need them
Take two minutes today so you are not searching in the middle of the night:
- save 3115 in your phone’s contacts and in the phones of loved ones who look after your pet;
- add your veterinary practice’s number and its on-call number;
- keep a carrier, a blanket, and your pet’s health record within easy reach;
- write down your pet’s weight, medications, and medical history.
To find your pet’s health history and treatments quickly when you call, you can record them in the Papatte app.
Frequently asked questions
3115 is the national veterinary emergency number for the Emergence network. It connects pet owners with a call handler who directs them to an on-call facility. It does not replace your regular veterinarian for routine care.
Call 3115 for a dog, cat, or exotic pet at any hour. During business hours, your usual veterinary practice remains your first point of contact because it knows your pet. For an injured wild animal, contact a wildlife rehabilitation center.
No, unless the animal is trapped in a dangerous situation (a well, a waterway, a fire) or threatens people’s safety. Firefighters then respond to rescue the animal, not to provide medical care. For a health problem, you need to contact a veterinarian through 3115 or your practice.
Yes. An apparent improvement does not mean the danger has passed. After an animal ingests an anticoagulant rat poison, bleeding may not appear for several days. A twisted stomach can also bring a brief respite before shock sets in. Describe the signs anyway: the call handler will tell you whether monitoring at home is enough.
Stay on the line and call back if the call drops, as the service operates continuously. While you wait, if the animal has stopped breathing or has been having a seizure for several minutes, call your veterinary practice’s on-call number or go directly to an emergency clinic you know. Someone else can also get the carrier and car ready so you can leave without delay.