Bloat in Dogs: What It Is, What to Watch For, and Why You Shouldn’t Wait Let’s set the scene: it’s 10 p.m., your dog just inhaled dinner like it was a competitive sport, and now they’re pacing, drooling, and trying to throw up- with nothing coming out. Your gut says something’s wrong. You hop on [...]

Pet Obesity 101: Helping Your Companion Reach a Healthy Weight It usually starts subtly. Maybe your dog starts skipping a few stairs, or your cat stops leaping up to her favorite perch. At first, it’s easy to brush off—just age, right? But over time, the signs add up: heavier breathing after short walks, trouble grooming, [...]

Separation Anxiety in Pets: Easing the Transition Back to School As the school year kicks off and backpacks head out the door, pets across the country are left blinking in confusion, wondering why the house is suddenly so quiet. For many dogs and cats, the back-to-school season signals more than just a change in noise [...]

Why a Single Sample Tells Such a Big Story At Animal Hospital Southwest in Fort Worth, Texas, we believe that one of the most powerful tools for protecting your companion’s health is a routine blood panel. A few teaspoons of blood allow us to evaluate dozens of values at once—organ function, immune status, hydration, blood [...]

Water is one of the most essential nutrients in your pet’s diet—but it’s also one of the most commonly overlooked. Whether you have a playful pup, a quiet senior cat, or a working breed with endless energy, keeping your pet hydrated plays a major role in their overall health. At Animal Hospital Southwest, we see [...]

As the summer sun shines brightly over Fort Worth, Texas, it's important to remember that the rising temperatures can pose significant risks to our pets. Unlike humans, pets have limited ways of cooling themselves, making them more prone to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and potentially life-threatening heatstroke. Understanding how to keep your pets cool and safe [...]

A sudden yelp, a limp that doesn't go away, or your dog holding up a back leg—these can be early signs of something more serious than just a pulled muscle. One of the most common orthopedic injuries in dogs is a torn ACL—or more accurately, a torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). This ligament plays a [...]

When your pet suddenly seems “off,” how do you know whether it’s something minor—or a true emergency? The answer isn't always obvious, but your response can make a life-saving difference. At Animal Hospital Southwest, we believe in equipping pet owners with the knowledge to act quickly, confidently, and with care when every moment counts. Recognizing [...]