Animal Hospital Care Across Wyoming's Wide-Open Counties

Wyoming has fewer residents than any other state, but its veterinary needs are far from small. Ranches, energy towns, tourist gateways and growing small cities all depend on a limited number of hospitals. That mix explains why a Wyoming clinic might spend Monday on vaccinations and spays, then spend Thursday on a sick horse or a difficult calving. This page explains how animal hospitals here are organised, so you can choose the right one without wasting a long drive.

Our database lists 37 animal hospitals and veterinary clinics across 15 cities. Treat those listings as a starting point. The sections below cover who licenses veterinarians, how city and rural practice differ, and what to do before you head to an appointment.

Who Licenses and Oversees Veterinarians in Wyoming

Veterinarians in Wyoming are licensed by the Wyoming Board of Veterinary Medicine under the state's Veterinary Practice Act. The board sets licensing standards, takes complaints and can discipline license holders. You can contact the board to confirm that a veterinarian holds a current license, or to file a complaint about care. The clinics themselves are private businesses, so each hospital sets its own fees, hours and emergency policies. No state office sets a price list.

Livestock health sits with a different body. The Wyoming Livestock Board, whose staff includes the State Veterinarian, handles reportable animal diseases, brucellosis surveillance in the Greater Yellowstone area and the rules for moving animals across state lines. A small-animal hospital such as Yellowstone Animal Hospital in Cheyenne rarely deals with that office. Large-animal practices often do, especially when they prepare health papers for cattle or horses.

Pet licensing and rabies rules are mostly local. Cities and counties set their own dog license, leash and vaccination requirements, and animal control usually belongs to a city department or the sheriff's office. Before you register a new dog, or bring one into the state, call your city clerk or county office and ask what proof of vaccination they want.

Wyoming has no veterinary college of its own. The University of Wyoming in Laramie does host the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, a diagnostic lab that serves the whole state. Clinics in small towns send samples there when a case needs more than an in-house test.

Casper, Cheyenne and Cody: Where Wyoming's Hospitals Cluster

Casper has the most listings in our database. Practices in Natrona County include All Creatures Veterinary Hospital on East Yellowstone Highway, Westside Animal Hospital on South Ash Street, Eastside Veterinary Hospital & Clinic on Legion Lane, Altitude Veterinary Hospital on CY Avenue, Animal Hospital of Casper on Fairgrounds Road and Ark Animal Hospital on Swingle Road. With that many options, you can compare locations, ask who is accepting new patients and pick the clinic closest to home or work. The full list is on our Natrona County page.

Cheyenne, the state capital, has four listings in Laramie County. Yellowstone Animal Hospital on Kornegay Court and Dell Range Animal Hospital on Dell Range Boulevard handle everyday pet care. Bi-State Large Animal Hospital on Polo Ranch Road and Tri-State Large Animal Hospital on East Riding Club Road serve livestock and horse owners on the rural edges of the county.

Cody, in Park County, also has four listings, three of them on Big Horn Avenue: Blessing Animal Hospital, Chadwick Veterinary Hospital and Cody Equine Hospital. A dedicated equine hospital in a town this size shows how much horses are part of daily life in the Bighorn Basin. If your animal is a horse, confirm that the vet treats equines before you book.

Other towns have at least one established hospital in our listings:

Rural Wyoming: Distance, Weather and Mixed Practice

Outside the main towns, the nearest hospital may be an hour or more away. Big Horn Veterinary Hospital on U.S. 16 in Buffalo and Powder River Veterinary Clinic in Kaycee, both in Johnson County, serve ranch country where towns are far apart. Riverbend Veterinary Hospital covers Douglas in Converse County, and Owl Creek Veterinary Service serves Thermopolis in Hot Springs County. In Fremont County, Lander Valley Animal Hospital and Riverview Veterinary Hospital sit in Lander and Riverton. Carbon County Veterinary Hospital on Airport Road is in Rawlins.

Rural clinics are often mixed practices that treat dogs and cats alongside horses and cattle. That flexibility keeps them viable in small markets, but it means the vet may be on a ranch call when you phone. Expect to leave a message, or to speak with staff who schedule around field work. Phone first rather than driving in.

Weather and Wildlife Hazards Wyoming Vets See

Weather is a real factor. Wind and snow can close highways such as I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins for hours. Check the Wyoming Department of Transportation's 511 road report before any long trip with a sick animal, and keep a blanket, water and a carrier or leash in the vehicle.

Wildlife brings its own risks. Prairie rattlesnakes are found across much of the state in warm months, grass awns can lodge in ears and paws, and skunks and bats are the wild animals most often linked to rabies here. Keep your pet's vaccinations current. Call a clinic promptly after any bite or contact with wildlife.

Finding the Right Wyoming Hospital for Your Animal

Start with the kind of animal you own. Small-animal hospitals handle dogs, cats and sometimes exotic pets. Large-animal and equine hospitals handle horses, cattle, sheep and goats, and many will travel to your property. Mixed practices do both, which is common away from Casper and Cheyenne.

Next, ask about capacity. Many Wyoming clinics have small staffs, and new-patient appointments can be limited, particularly in tourist towns such as Jackson and Cody in summer. Ask whether the clinic takes walk-ins, what it does after hours and which hospital it refers to for overnight care.

Finally, confirm the practical details by phone. Ask which payment methods the clinic accepts, whether it will send records to another clinic, and whether it can issue a health certificate if you plan to travel out of state. A two-minute call saves a wasted trip.

Animal hospitals in Wyoming are licensed by the state veterinary medical board and may also hold accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association. State regulations govern facility standards, controlled substance handling, and continuing education requirements for all licensed veterinary professionals.

Animal Hospital locations are available in 15 cities across Wyoming. They are spread across 13 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Casper, Jackson, Cody, which tend to have more animal hospital facilities due to higher pet ownership rates and the presence of veterinary specialty practices in metropolitan areas.

Pet owners in Wyoming should identify both a primary care veterinarian and the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital before a health crisis arises, as preparation can be critical during after-hours emergencies.

Animal Hospital by Counties

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Pet owners in Wyoming can verify a veterinary facility's license status through the state veterinary medical board's online directory. Many animal hospitals in Wyoming also offer telemedicine consultations for follow-up care and minor health concerns, reducing the need for in-person visits.

Browse Animal Hospital by county across Wyoming to find the nearest location.

Planning an Animal Hospital Visit in Wyoming

Bring your pet's vaccination record, a list of current medications and any earlier test results. If you are new to a clinic, ask the front desk to request records from your previous vet before the visit. For livestock calls, have the animal confined and the gate or loading area ready, so the vet can work safely.

Wyoming does not set what veterinary hospitals charge, so prices differ from clinic to clinic. Ask for an estimate before treatment and ask what payment options exist. Many hospitals expect payment at the time of service.

Smaller towns often rely on an on-call vet rather than overnight staff. Learn your clinic's after-hours process before you need it, and save the number of the nearest hospital in a bigger town, such as Casper or Cheyenne.

Visitors heading to Yellowstone or Grand Teton with pets should know that national parks restrict where pets can go, usually to roads and developed areas. Teton Animal Hospital in Jackson and the Cody hospitals on Big Horn Avenue are the nearest listings for travellers on those routes. Listings on this site come from public records, so confirm hours by phone.

Wyoming Animal Hospital Questions

Veterinarians in Wyoming are licensed by the Wyoming Board of Veterinary Medicine, which administers the state's Veterinary Practice Act. To check a veterinarian, contact the board and ask whether the license is current and whether any discipline is on record. If you have a complaint about care, start by speaking with the clinic's practice manager. Contact the board if the problem is not resolved. Keep your invoices and medical records, because the board will want to see them.

Look for hospitals that describe themselves as large animal, equine or mixed practice. In our listings, Cody Equine Hospital in Cody, and Bi-State Large Animal Hospital and Tri-State Large Animal Hospital in Cheyenne, are named for that work. Clinics such as Powder River Veterinary Clinic in Kaycee and Big Horn Veterinary Hospital in Buffalo are in ranch country, so ask which species they treat. Ask whether the vet makes farm calls, what the trip charge is and how far they travel. Have your location and gate directions ready.

Call your regular clinic first, even at night. Many have a recorded message with an on-call number or a referral. Smaller towns often rely on an on-call vet rather than a staffed overnight hospital, so the nearest round-the-clock care, if available, may be in a larger city and a long drive away. In winter, check the Wyoming 511 road report before you leave, and call ahead so the team can prepare. For suspected poisoning, an animal poison-control hotline can advise you on the way, though it usually charges a fee. Do not give human medicine unless a vet says so.

Pet rules are largely set by cities and counties, so requirements can differ between Casper, Cheyenne and rural areas. Check with your city clerk, county office or animal control before you license a pet. Many local ordinances ask for current rabies vaccination, particularly for dogs. Your veterinarian can give the vaccine and a certificate to show animal control. Even where it is not mandatory, vaccination is strongly advised because skunks and bats carry rabies in Wyoming. If your pet is bitten by wildlife, or bites a person, call your vet and local animal control promptly.

Yes, if the veterinarian is USDA-accredited. A health certificate, also called a certificate of veterinary inspection, follows an exam, and many Wyoming hospitals that see pets can arrange one. Ask when you book. Requirements depend on the destination state or country and on any airline, and may include proof of rabies vaccination and an exam within a set window before travel. For horses and livestock, the Wyoming Livestock Board and the receiving state's animal-health agency set the import rules, so check before loading animals. Allow several days for paperwork.

Casper leads our listings with seven hospitals. Cheyenne, Cody, Jackson and Sheridan follow with four each. Smaller communities such as Buffalo, Douglas, Kaycee, Thermopolis, Lander and Riverton each have a hospital or clinic listed. If your town has none, your regular vet may be in the next town or county. Ask that clinic about farm calls, drop-off hours and telephone advice, and keep a backup option in a larger city. Check winter road conditions before you travel.