Services

Southwest Animal Hospital offers a wide range of veterinary services for our patients. Just a few of our wellness and preventive care services are listed below. For more information on these or other services, please call (702) 367-6700.

It is necessary to have all available personnel on deck for individuals who are born via caesarean section, particularly for Frenchies (French Bulldogs)

Dental Care

Dental care is vital to the overall health of any pet. Dental disease has the potential to allow bacteria into your pets bloodstream which can lead to health issues with their heart, liver and kidneys. In fact, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats over three years of age suffer from some form of dental disease, making it the most common pet health issue among our pet population and the easiest to prevent.

Before Dental Cleaning

Before cleaning, some of the teeth are almost completely covered with tarter. Periodontal disease like this contributes to bacteria entering into the bloodstream through the gums.

After Dental Cleaning

The teeth are now clean. If the condition was not treated, this dog would have been at high risk of losing some of his teeth. We’re also sure his breath smells much better.

Surgery & Related Services

Most pets will have at least one surgical procedure in their lives… neuter or spay. Unless you are planning to intentionally breed your dog or cat, they should be neutered or spayed to prevent unwanted pregnancy and help your pet live a healthier and longer life. Clark County and Las Vegas regulations both require this at four months of age. Neutering at a young age prevents testicular cancer and will contribute to improved behavior (aggression, spraying in the house, roaming to search for a mate, etc). Spaying helps prevent mammary tumors and uterine infections as well as preventing your female from going into heat. It is best if they are spayed before their first heat.

Our veterinarians, in addition to performing routine surgical procedures like neuters and spays as most veterinarians do, have many years of experience with non-routine procedures, like:

Tumor removal
Ear hematoma repair
Cherry eye restoration
Cystotomy (bladder stones)
Caesarean
Splenectomy (spleen removal)
Laceration repair
Entropian eye surgery
Abscess repair
Gastric dilation (bloat)
Foreign body removal
Fracture repair
Enterotomy (Intestinal Blockage)
Hernia Repair

We also have a large group of referral veterinarians for specialty needs.

Vaccinations

At Southwest Animal Hospital in Las Vegas, NV , we believe that one of the most important aspects of caring for your pet’s health is vaccinating him or her against possible diseases. There are a variety of diseases which affect our pets, and other animals, so proper vaccination is vital to protecting them from many types of illnesses.

For Canines: In order to board and groom your pet must have the following vaccinations:

Rabies
Parvo
Distemper
Bordetella
Leptospirosis

We also offer Lyme and Canine Influenza vaccination

For Felines: In order to board and groom your pet must have the following vaccinations:

Rabies
Distemper
Bordetella

We also offer Feline Leukemia vaccination

Microchipping

Dog and cat microchipping is a quick and easy procedure that provides safe and permanent identification for your pet.  The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the skin between the shoulder blades.  It is similar to a vaccination, takes only seconds and no anesthesia is needed.

A microchip will last the lifetime of your pet. The chip will not cause an allergic reaction or deteriorate over time. The type we use at Southwest Animal Hospital has a patented anti-migration feature to help prevent the chip from migrating. Each one has a unique ID code that identifies your pet if he or she is ever found and taken to another veterinarian or animal shelter. An electronic, hand held scanner is used to read the code.

One of the benefits of having a microchip implanted at Southwest Animal Hospital is that we take care of adding your pet to the  national registry for you.  This ensures that your pet is properly enrolled.  If the microchip company is informed about your missing pet, they immediately send out alerts to shelters and veterinarians in the area where  your pet was lost.  They also have a lost pet poster that you can easily personalize and use to post in the neighborhood.

We recommend that your pet wear a collar with their rabies and an id tag, but collars can slip off and tags can become worn and hard to read. A microchip cannot be altered or easily removed.  It is the only permanent and safe means of pet identification.  The key is to provide the best possible tool for being united with your beloved pet.

Wellness Exams

It is a common myth that one dog year equals seven human years. In actuality, it’s closer to 10-15 years for each of the first two years and then drops gradually until about 4 years later in life. Cats mature even more quickly in their first few years. So you can see why regular exams by your veterinarian are so important. Each exam is an opportunity to catch medical problems and many treatable diseases early before your pet feels pain or becomes seriously ill.

Each time one of our doctors conducts a physical exam, they check the:

  1. Weight and temperature (nutritional counseling);
  2. Eyes;
  3. Ears;
  4. Mouth, teeth and gums (dental care);
  5. Lymph nodes and glands;
  6. Gastrointestinal system;
  7. Respiratory system;
  8. Heart;
  9. Abdomen;
  10. Coat and skin;
  11. Urogenital system;
  12. Skeleton and muscles;
  13. Neurologic/behavioral systems.

Questions your doctor asks about your pet’s habits and activities at home along with the examination help put together a total picture of your pet’s overall health.

We recommend a physical exam at least once a year and more often in certain cases. We want your pet to maintain a healthy life.

Boarding

Going away on vacation or just need someone to watch your pet during a day or weekend away? What is your biggest concern about your pet while you are gone? That they are safe and happy in your absence. At Southwest Animal Hospital, we consider it an honor and a privilege to take care of the pets that stay with us. Our staff plays music in the kennels and are generous with their attention to each pet.

We require pets to be up-to-date on vaccinations both for the protection of your pet and the other pets at our facility. We are open Monday – Saturday for pick up and drop off. Pets are still attended to on Sunday even though the hospital is closed.

Southwest Animal Hospital has large boarding kennels to accomodate your needs. We have runs for large dogs, large double door cages for medium or multiple smaller dogs and regular cages for small dogs and cats. Generally, we can accommodate any requests, but at certain times we are totally booked so make your reservation as soon as your plans are known.

Dogs are walked three times every day and cages are disinfected each time.
Pets who live together may board together if that is your preference.
Dogs receive a complimentary bath at the end of their boarding after a five night or longer stay.
We feed Science Diet or Prescription Diet tailored to your pet’s needs. If you prefer that we feed anything else, you are welcome to bring your own food.

Our large indoor play area

Grooming

We consider ourselves fortunate to have such a terrific groomer in Kay. She has been with Southwest Animal Hospital since 2002 and has been grooming professionally for over 25 years. She grooms both dogs and cats and has a special way with animals.

Emergency groom!
This poor dog was rescued by one of our clients from a shopping center parking lot. She was terribly matted, filthy and the smell was horrendous. She seemed old and sad (wouldn’t you be if you looked like that?). Matts like this can cause the skin to break down and sores to develop. We couldn’t even hazard a guess as to what breed she might be. Although our groomer had a full schedule, we couldn’t turn down this pathetic face.

Hard to believe she’s the same dog!
After grooming, an exam, and vaccinations, she’s a happy, healthy 2-3 year old adorable pet. The matts had to be carefully removed first. Its slow and tedious work to make sure the dog’s skin doesn’t get cut and to watch for areas where the skin might be damaged. Fortunately. this dog was basically healthy and well nourished in spite of her condition. Then she was carefully bathed and hand dried. Lastly, the remaining hair is brushed and shaped. She was amazing afterward…wagging her tail and happy to see her new owner. We named her Eliza and it stuck.