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07/09/2025

🐾 Ringworm in Dogs: Fungus Among Us! 🧼
Despite its name, ringworm isn’t a worm — it’s a contagious fungal infection that affects your dog’s skin, fur, and nails.
🦠 What Causes It?
Ringworm is usually caused by Microsporum canis, but other fungi can be involved too. It spreads fast through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated objects like bedding, brushes, or even floors.
🩺 What Does It Look Like?
✔️ Circular hair loss (alopecia)
✔️ Scaly, crusty, or inflamed skin
✔️ Dry, brittle nails or nail bed inflammation
✔️ Sometimes itchy, sometimes not!
✔️ May affect face, paws, ears, tail, or nail beds
🚨 Some dogs show no symptoms but can still spread it.
🧪 How Is It Diagnosed?
Your vet may use:
🔦 Wood’s lamp – for glowing hairs
🔬 Microscopic exam – for infected hairs
🧫 Fungal culture – the most reliable (but slowest) method
🧬 PCR testing – fast but can’t tell if the fungus is still alive
💊 How Is It Treated?
A mix of topical and oral antifungal treatments:
🛁 Medicated shampoos or lime-sulfur dips
💊 Oral antifungals like itraconazole or terbinafine
🧴 Topical creams for localized lesions
🏠 Quarantine your dog & disinfect everything (bleach or accelerated hydrogen peroxide recommended)
🧹 Environmental Cleanup is Key:
Vacuum daily. Wash bedding in hot water. Steam clean carpets. Discard what can’t be cleaned.
Spores can survive on surfaces for over a year — don’t skip this!
👨‍👩‍👧 Ringworm is Zoonotic!
That means it can spread to humans. Wash your hands after handling infected pets and follow vet protocols closely.
📅 Recovery takes time – Treatment may continue for weeks to months, and it’s not officially over until 2 negative cultures confirm your dog is clear.
📣 When in doubt — always consult your vet.

06/09/2025

🦠 Anaplasmosis in Dogs: The Tick-Borne Trouble You Might Miss 🐶
Not all bugs cause itching—some cause far worse.
👉 What is Anaplasmosis?
Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne bacterial infection caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (most common) or Anaplasma platys. It's transmitted by deer ticks, black-legged ticks, and brown dog ticks.
📍 Where it’s found: Worldwide — but especially common in areas where Lyme disease is also prevalent.
🕷️ Co-infections with Lyme disease are common.
🔍 Symptoms to Watch For:
✔️ Lethargy
✔️ Lameness or joint pain
✔️ Fever
✔️ Loss of appetite
✔️ Vomiting or diarrhea (less common)
✔️ Bruising or nosebleeds (with A. platys)
⚠️ Some dogs show no symptoms at all — but still carry and transmit the bacteria.
🧪 Diagnosis & Testing:
✅ In-clinic blood tests
✅ Lab testing (PCR, ELISA, IFA)
✅ Sometimes visible under microscope during active infection
💊 Treatment & Prognosis:
The go-to treatment is doxycycline for 2–4 weeks.
💡 Most dogs respond very quickly — often within 48 hours.
Even after recovery, dogs may still test positive but are not necessarily sick or contagious.
🛑 What If My Dog Tests Positive But Feels Fine?
👉 Don’t panic. Many dogs are exposed and never develop disease.
📌 No need for antibiotics unless clinical signs appear.
📌 However, aggressive tick prevention is essential.
🛡️ Prevention is Key:
Keep pets out of tall grasses and brush.
Use vet-approved tick preventatives that kill within 24 hours.
Check your dog for ticks daily during high season.
Keep up with yearly testing for all tick-borne diseases.

05/09/2025

🚨 Is Your Dog Straining to P*e or Having Bloody Urine?
It could be Cystitis — a painful inflammation of the bladder that’s more common than you think.
💡 What is Cystitis?
Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder, often caused by bacterial infections, bladder stones, or abnormal anatomy (especially in females).
🔍 Signs to Watch For:
🐾 Bloody urine (hematuria)
🐾 Straining to p*e (dysuria)
🐾 Frequent urination (pollakiuria)
🐾 Dribbling small amounts of urine
🐾 Strong-smelling urine or signs of discomfort
🐕‍🦺 What Causes It?
Bacterial infections 🦠
Bladder stones 🪨
Tumors or polyps
Congenital defects (like bladder pouches)
Allergies or autoimmune issues
Secondary to diabetes or kidney disease
🧪 How Is It Diagnosed?
Urinalysis and urine culture
Bladder palpation
Ultrasound or X-rays
Contrast imaging if needed
Bloodwork to rule out systemic illness
💊 Treatment Options:
✅ Antibiotics for infections
✅ Special diets or surgery for stones
✅ Surgery for tumors, diverticula, or polyps
✅ Pain relief + anti-inflammatories
✅ Increased water intake & moist food

04/09/2025

🩺 Does Your Dog Eat a Lot but Still Lose Weight? It could be EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency).
🐶 What is EPI?
EPI is when your dog’s pancreas doesn’t make enough enzymes to properly digest food. That means poor nutrient absorption, no matter how much they eat.
🔍 Common Signs of EPI:
Big appetite, but losing weight
Pale, soft, greasy p**p (fatty stool)
Chronic diarrhea
Poor coat quality, especially near the tail
Occasional vomiting
📋 Breeds at Higher Risk:
German Shepherds, Collies, Corgis, Terriers, Australian Shepherds, and more.
🧪 Diagnosis:
A simple blood test (cTLI) confirms the condition, often along with B12 & folate testing.
💊 Treatment:
Pancreatic enzyme supplements with every meal (e.g., Viokase®, Pancreazyme®)
Vitamin B12 injections or supplements
Special diets – low fat, highly digestible
Lifelong management, but most dogs respond very well!
📌 Important: EPI is not curable (except in rare cases due to pancreatitis), but with early diagnosis and proper care, your pup can live a happy, healthy life.
🐾 Think your dog might have EPI? Talk to your vet today.

03/09/2025

👩‍⚕️🐶 Understanding Your Dog’s Heat Cycle: What Every Pet Parent Should Know
When female dogs hit puberty (usually between 6 to 24 months), they begin having estrous cycles—aka their “heat.” Knowing what to expect can help you plan for breeding, spaying, or just managing your pup’s health and behavior.
🔁 How often do dogs go into heat?
Most dogs cycle every 5–11 months (about twice a year). Smaller breeds often start earlier than large ones. Some breeds, like Basenjis and Tibetan Mastiffs, may only cycle once a year.
🩸 Signs of heat?
The most noticeable is bloody discharge and swollen v***a, lasting 14–21 days.
🧬 The 4 Stages of a Dog’s Heat Cycle:
Proestrus (6–11 days)
🔺 Estrogen rises
🩸 Bloody discharge
👃 She attracts males but won’t mate yet
Estrus (5–9 days avg.)
💥 Ovulation & hormonal changes
🤝 Receptive to males
💛 Discharge may turn straw-colored
Diestrus (60–90 days)
📉 No longer interested in mating
🤰 Progesterone rises—even if not pregnant
Anestrus (4+ months)
🛌 Reproductive rest
🩺 The uterus recovers before the next cycle
✅ Want to breed responsibly?
Your vet can run hormone tests or vaginal cytology to track fertility windows more precisely.
❌ Want to prevent pregnancy?
Spaying is your best option. It stops heat cycles, prevents pregnancy, lowers cancer risk, and avoids serious infections like pyometra.
⚠️ If your dog is currently in heat, it’s safest to wait 2 months before spaying to reduce bleeding risks.

02/09/2025

🐶💼 From Crime Scenes to Beehives — Meet Maple, the Dog Who Never Quit 💛🐝
Not all heroes hang up their gear when the job ends. Take Maple, a 9-year-old English Springer Spaniel from Michigan. She once worked as a K-9 officer, trained to detect human remains. But after an injury ended her police career, Maple found a surprising new mission…
💥 Saving honeybees.
Now teaming up with researchers at Michigan State University, Maple uses her powerful nose to sniff out American foulbrood — a deadly disease that threatens bee colonies. Dressed in her own tiny beekeeper suit (yes, including a veil!), she alerts her handler by sitting when she picks up the scent.
What used to take human inspectors days to detect, Maple can find in seconds — helping protect pollinators that are essential to our food supply and ecosystems. 🌎🌼
From police dog to pollinator protector, Maple is proof that retirement doesn't mean the end. Sometimes, it’s just the beginning of a whole new purpose. 🐾💪

01/09/2025

🐾 Puppies Looking for Loving Homes! 🏡
We have adorable Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies — both males and females — ready to join their forever families!
They are 8 weeks old, vaccinations are up to date, and dewormed.
📞 For enquiries, please contact:
📱 +263 734 815 849 / +263 776573737
🚫 Please note: We do not respond to inquiries on Facebook. Thank you for understanding!

01/09/2025

📣 Get Ready, Harare!
The Boerboels are back and bigger than ever! 🐾
Join us for the Harare SABBS Show 2025 — a day of power, pedigree, and passion!
📍 Harare Kennel Club
📅 6 September 2025
Whether you're a breeder, owner, or fan of the majestic Boerboel, this is the event you don't want to miss! 💪🐶

30/08/2025

Which breed are you picking as your home protector, Rottweiler, Cane Corso, or German Shepherd?!!!

26/08/2025

26/08/2025

Who you got, as your family companion, Rottweiler or American Bulldog?!!

23/08/2025

🐾 From rescue to waves — meet Cherie, the French Bulldog who rode her way into surfing history! 🌊✨
Once a shelter pup, now crowned Top Dog at the World Dog Surfing Championships. Proof that with love and courage, every dog can catch their big wave. 🏆🐶
Who else believes every dog has a hidden superpower? 🙋‍♀️🐾