Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center

06/18/2026

Humidity exacerbates heat stroke risks dramatically!!! 🐕🐩🐈🐈‍⬛ Stay cool and share these tips.

06/14/2026

If you are in a movement restricted zone, TAHC will work with you to continue business as usual. 🐂🐴🐏🐐

Worried about a quarantine? New World screwworm movement restriction zones work much different than other infectious disease quarantines.

✅Animals can still move! Animals are able to move into and out of the zone as soon as they meet TAHC requirements.

✅Checkpoints are quick and simple! Trailers moving through an infested zone must stop at TAHC checkpoints. If animals are coming from outside of an infested zone and intend to keep moving through the zone to an address outside of the zone, they will receive educational outreach and be allowed to keep moving.

✅TAHC will work with you to avoid interrupting continuity of business! Call the TAHC as soon as you know you want to move animals out of an infested zone. We will schedule an inspection and advise you on how to meet requirements to keep your animals moving safely.

06/14/2026

Healthy Skin Is Protection.

Keeping your pet’s skin healthy is one of the simplest ways to help protect them from preventable problems.
Fleas, ticks, allergies, and chronic itching can lead to irritated skin, hair loss, scabs, hot spots, and open wounds.

In South Texas, any wound or irritated area deserves attention — especially during times of increased concern about New World Screwworm Infestations 🐛🪰.

The good news! Most skin problems are easier to manage when they are addressed early.

At SWTVMC, we can help with:
• Flea and tick prevention 🐈‍⬛🐈🐩🐕
• Allergy management
• Itchy skin and hot spots 🔥
• Hair loss, scabs, and skin irritation
• Mange evaluation and treatment when needed

Please check your pets regularly, especially around the ears, neck, tail base, belly, feet, and any areas they are scratching or licking.
If your pet is itchy, losing hair, developing sores, or has a wound that is not healing, give us a call. Prevention and early care make a big difference.

06/12/2026

Ask us about getting your dog protected with yearlong prevention for fleas, ticks, and screwworms! 🪰🐛

06/05/2026

New World Screwworm Control Starts with Prevention! 🐴🐶🐄

In both large animal and small animals screwworm flies are attracted to open wounds, cuts, scrapes and surgery sights. Unlike common fly larvae that may infect a wound with dead tissue the screwworm larvae invade and consume living flesh, turning even small wounds into a large problem.

🐶 For Dogs and Cats:
We use and recommend Simparica monthly flea tick preventative or the yearly injectable Bravecto Quantum flea tick preventative product because medications in this class have been proven to kill the larvae before they can become a problem.

We use and recommend Revolution plus for monthly flea and tick control in cats. The ingredients in Revolution plus will also kill the larvae, but prompt veterinary care, wound management, and physical removal of maggots remain essential. If you notice any suspicious wound or maggot infestation, contact your veterinarian immediately.

🐴🐄 For Horses and Cattle:
✅ Check animals daily for cuts, scrapes, surgical sites, or any draining wounds.
✅ Treat wounds promptly.
✅ Catron® IV spray Wound Dressing, can help protect wounds from flies and is approved for use inside the wound.
✅ For cattle, Exzolt is a longer lasting approved insecticidal treatment available through your veterinarian.

🚨 Watch for signs of screwworm infestation:
• A wound that suddenly gets larger
• Foul odor or unusual discharge
• Excessive licking, biting, or irritation
• Visible maggots in a wound

At Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center, we're closely monitoring the situation and are here to help protect your pets and livestock. Prevention, daily observation, and prompt wound care remain our best defenses against screwworm.

📞 Have questions about wound care products or parasite prevention? Give us a call!

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

Important update!

06/04/2026

Cases confirmed today. Please contact us if you need help or more information.

AUSTIN, TX- On June 3, 2026, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received confirmation of a detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Zavala County, Texas. A sample collected from a three-week-old calf with an umbilical lesion was identified and confirmed as NWS by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. There are currently no further confirmed detections in animals in Texas.

Read the full press release here: https://bit.ly/6-3-26NWS

05/30/2026

Help us welcome our 2026 summer veterinary student intern, Michaela!!!

She jumped right in this week helping us with medical and surgical cases including donkeys, horses, dogs, cats, bunnies, chickens, a duck, a rooster and even a Cara Cara. 🐶🐱🐰🐔🦅🦆🐎🐩🐈‍⬛🐈🦮🐓🐇🩺🔬🩻🦠💉🧪🐴🦄

Michaela Moreno grew up in Utopia, Texas where she developed a passion for animals, agriculture, and the outdoors. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Agronomy from Texas A&M and is currently a member of the Class of 2029 at the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine.

Michaela has spent the last 3 years working in the Texas A&M Large Animal ICU working with neonatal foals 🐴and providing emergency care for horses and production animals. 🐄🐂🐖🐏🐑

Michaela is interested in rural mixed animal practice with an emphasis on equine medicine. Her experiences growing up in the Texas hill country fostered the importance of access to veterinary care.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Michaela enjoys hiking, fishing, hunting, and spending time outdoors. Her love of animals continues to inspire her pursuit of a career, where she hopes to make a meaningful impact on animal health and rural communities.

05/22/2026

Yesterday Dr.Stofas performed another successful C-section at SWTVMC 📦 🐶 Birkin is a first time Mama to two healthy boys and two healthy girls.