80+ Veterinary Keywords to Get Found By Local Pet Owners
If you’re not showing up on Google when pet owners search for a local veterinarian, you’re missing out on real clients.
The good news? A solid veterinary SEO strategy, starting with the right veterinary keywords, can change that fast!
In this post, you’ll get 80+ veterinarian keywords to target in your local veterinary SEO efforts, broken down by category. Plus, we’ll show you how to use these keywords for veterinarians to drive more traffic, rank higher, and fill your appointment book.
Primary Veterinary Keywords
You should choose one primary keyword to optimize your homepage or main website page. This should be a high-volume veterinary keyword that aligns with your core service and location. Some strong options include:
- Veterinarian near me
- Animal hospital
- Emergency vet near me
- Veterinary clinic in [City]
- Pet clinic near me
- Vet clinic [City]
- Dog vet in [City]
- Cat vet near me
- Exotic animal vet [City]
- Mobile vet services in [City]
Be sure to naturally incorporate your chosen keyword into your homepage title tag, H1 heading, meta description, and a few spots in the body content. Avoid keyword stuffing—think strategic, not spammy.
Location-Based Veterinary Keywords
Local intent = high conversion! Location-based queries are a pillar in SEO for vets. Add your city, neighborhood, or region to these common keywords that pet owners search:
- veterinarian in [City]
- [City] vet clinic
- emergency vet in [City]
- mobile vet [City]
- low-cost vet in [City]
- best veterinarian near [Neighborhood]
- [City] animal hospital open late
Species-Specific Veterinarian Keywords
If you’re a mixed or exotic practice, you should create separate service pages and blog content targeting each species. This helps you show up in search results when someone is specifically looking for a vet for their unique pet. It also builds authority and trust with pet owners who want species-specific care.
Here are some examples of species-specific veterinary keywords you can target:
- Horse vet in [City]
- Equine veterinary services [Region]
- Rabbit vet near me
- Avian vet [City] or bird vet near me
- Exotic pet vet [City]
- Hamster vet [City]
- Snake vet near me
- Reptile veterinarian [Region]
- Ferret vet [City]
- Large animal vet services [City]
Service-Specific Veterinary Keywords
Create individual pages for each service and use these common veterinarian keywords depending on your offerings:
Preventive Care Veterinary Keywords:
- pet vaccinations
- cat vaccine schedule
- dog vaccines near me
- flea and tick prevention
- pet wellness exams
Dental Veterinary Keywords:
- dog teeth cleaning
- cat dental care
- veterinary dental services
- pet dental exam
Surgery Veterinary Keywords:
- spay and neuter services
- animal surgery center
- orthopedic surgery for dogs
Diagnostic Veterinary Keywords:
- pet ultrasound
- x-rays for dogs
- blood tests for pets
- vet lab services
Specialty Veterinary Keywords:
- dermatology for pets
- pet cardiologist
- internal medicine vet
- holistic veterinarian
These are just a few popular categories of service-specific keywords. Depending on what your practice offers, you may need to expand or adjust them to better match your services.
Keep reading to learn how to do your own veterinary keyword research!
Educational Keywords for Veterinarians
These are great for blogs or FAQs—use them to boost your veterinary SEO.
To maximize local search visibility, weave in your clinic’s location naturally where it makes sense. Think of them as easy-to-rank, high-value pieces of content that show up when your ideal clients are Googling pet concerns.
Here are some common pet-related, educational veterinary keywords that are perfect for blogs or your FAQ page:
- dog-friendly cafes in [city]
- how often should I take my dog to the vet
- what vaccines do puppies need in [city]
- heartworm prevention [city]
- how to clean my dog’s ears
- what to do if my dog eats chocolate
- senior pet care tips for [breed]
ER & Urgent Care Veterinary Keywords
Use these for service pages and Google Business Profile’s service descriptions:
- 24-hour vet clinic
- after-hours emergency vet
- weekend vet near me
- urgent care for pets
- pet ER near me
- animal hospital [city]
Niche Keywords for Veterinarians
Niche veterinary keywords (also known as long-tail keywords) usually have lower competition but strong intent:
- affordable vet for low-income families
- dog behavior consultation
- travel certificate for pets in [city]
- best vet for anxious dogs
- cat vomiting treatment
- mobile euthanasia service
- holistic flea prevention
How to Find More Veterinary Keywords
Dig deeper into local veterinary searches and uncover even more keywords relevant to your services using Google Ads Keyword Planner. It’s free, easy to use, and perfect for identifying what your ideal clients are searching for in your area. Here’s how:
Step 1: Sign or Create a Google Ads Account
Step 2: Set Your Location
Under Targeting, change the location to your city, region, or service area. For example, if your clinic is in Austin, Texas, make sure you’re only seeing search data for that area.
This ensures you’re viewing localized keyword volume, not national data.
Step 3: Start Brainstorming
Begin typing in keywords related to your practice. You can start with terms in the categories we’ve covered in this guide:
- Niche: mobile vet, holistic vet, 24-hour emergency vet
- Service: dog vaccinations, dental cleanings for pets, spay and neuter
- Species: bird vet, cat clinic, exotic animal vet
- Location: veterinarian in [City], [Neighborhood] animal hospital
- Educational: puppy vaccine schedule, how to tell if my cat is sick
Step 4: Filter & Prioritize
Look for:
- High-volume, low-competition keywords
- Local intent terms (with your city or region in them)
- Service-specific keywords that match your offerings
Save your top picks and categorize them by page type: homepage, service pages, species-specific pages, blogs, and FAQs.
Step 5: Create Content Around Them
Once you have your list of localized keywords, start weaving them into your site—page titles, meta descriptions, H1s, URLs, and naturally within the body text.
How to Use Keywords for Veterinarians to Boost Veterinary SEO Rankings
Here’s how to make these keywords work for you:
Optimize your homepage with your primary veterinary keyword like “veterinarian in [city].”
Create service pages targeting veterinary keywords for each specific service you offer, such as “cat dental cleaning” or “puppy vaccinations.”
Start a veterinary blog to rank for educational searches like “how often should I deworm my cat?”
Optimize your Google Business Profile to rank for these keywords and boost local SEO for veterinarians.
For more information on how to implement keywords optimizations, check out our complete guide to SEO for vets, our top veterinary website optimization tips, and our local SEO for veterinarians blog.
Final Thoughts
Mastering SEO for veterinary clinics doesn’t require a huge budget—just the right strategy and the right keywords.
Use this list of veterinary keywords to:
- Rank for terms pet owners are already searching for
- Increase appointments without paying for ads
- Establish your practice as the local go-to vet