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Noah's Ark Veterinary Services

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Noah's Ark Veterinary Services

Noah’s Ark Veterinary Services is a mixed practice veterinary service dedicated to wildlife, poultry, farm animal, and companion animal health.

We provide veterinary care, disease prevention, advisory services, and One Health-centered solutions.

13/08/2026

DOWNER COWS: WHY EARLY ACTION MATTERS

One of the cases I take very seriously in cattle practice is the downer cow (part of the reason is my case fatality has been higher than normal), an animal that is unable to stand or remains recumbent for a prolonged period.

A downer cow is not a diagnosis on its own. There can be many underlying causes, including metabolic problems, trauma, nutritional deficiencies, infections and tick-borne diseases, that's why it's regarded as a syndrome.

Recently, I was called to a farm where a cow had gone down. This particular cow was pregnant, making the situation even more urgent.

Rather than treating the individual animal blindly, we looked at the herd as a whole and collected blood samples from 10 of the 13 cattle.

The results revealed Theileria parva in 4/10, confirming East Coast Fever in the herd.

This gave us something important: we knew what we were treating.

Treatment was started, while we also worked on the cow's nutritional and energy requirements and tried to get her standing again.

Then she calved while still down.
That created another emergency.
The cow's milk let-down was poor, but the calf needed colostrum as soon as possible. We manually milked the cow and fed the calf using a feeding bottle over the following three days while treatment of the cow continued.

Today, I received the news every livestock farmer and veterinarian wants to hear:
THE COW IS UP AND WALKING.
And the calf is bright, alert and active.

THE LESSON FOR FARMERS

If your cow goes down, please don't wait for several days before seeking veterinary assistance.

The longer a heavy animal remains on the ground, the greater the risk of secondary muscle and nerve damage from prolonged pressure on the limbs and tissues. At some point, even if we successfully treat the original disease, the animal may no longer be physically capable of getting back up.

Early veterinary intervention allows us to:

✅ Identify the underlying cause
✅ Treat infectious and tick-borne diseases early
✅ Correct nutritional or metabolic problems
✅ Protect the animal from secondary complications
✅ Provide appropriate nursing and positioning
✅ Monitor the rest of the herd where a herd-level disease may be involved
✅ Protect pregnant cows and newborn calves from additional complications

And importantly: don't assume that because only one cow is showing signs, only one animal is affected.

Some diseases, particularly infectious and tick-borne diseases, can affect the wider herd even when only one animal is visibly sick.

Good livestock management is not just about treating sick animals.

Early detection + early veterinary intervention + good nursing care = better chances of saving the animal.

This case reminded me once again that sometimes the difference between a loss and a success is simply acting early enough.

If you have a downer cow, call your veterinarian early. Don't wait until the animal has been down for a week.

07/08/2026

How many workshops does it take to stop one child from dying of rabies?

The statistics are staggering! In Zambia, 1 person dies from Rabies every week, 2 kids are bitten every hour by a dog, mostly in rural areas.
That's a question I've asked myself repeatedly over the past year.

We've become very good at talking about

We produce strategies.

We hold consultative meetings.

We attend conferences (I for one, have attended very impactive meetings with life changing presentations & high energy colleagues), We agree that collaboration is important.

Then everyone goes back to their respective offices.

Meanwhile a two-year-old child in Nyimba died from a disease that is almost entirely preventable.
That bothered me. It still bothers me...
Not because we lacked knowledge...
Not because we lacked policies...
But because somewhere between the meeting room and the village, something kept breaking down.

So we decided to test something.

Could a private veterinary practice (with the infamous label) work alongside government, public health, wildlife authorities, conservation organisations, universities and local communities, not in theory, but in the field?
Not perfectly, some of the questions that arose, were, what's in it for Noah's Ark Vet Services?

This model was not implement with unlimited funding.
We were compelled by a shared understanding that doing something was better than waiting for perfect conditions.

The answer surprised even me.

Over the following months we mobilised more than 8,500 rabies vaccine doses.

More than 8,000 dogs were vaccinated.

Districts that had never previously worked together around rabies found themselves sitting around the same table.
EHTs were discussing surveillance with Vet officers.
Wildlife officers were contributing to conversations on disease prevention.

Communities that initially questioned why dogs should be vaccinated began bringing them voluntarily.

Was everything smooth?
Absolutely not.
Some communities believed the vaccine would kill their dogs.
Data didn't always come back when it should have.
Resources were stretched (in literal sense).
Plans changed.
There were moments when it would have been easier to accept that "this is just how things are."
But here's what We've learnt.
One Health doesn't fail because the science is weak.
It struggles when coordination ends at the workshop door.
This experience has convinced me of one thing:
The next frontier isn't writing better One Health policies.
It's building systems that allow ordinary people, district officers, conservationists and veterinarians to work together consistently, even when budgets are tight and circumstances are far from perfect.

The report is finished.
The numbers have been counted.
But for us, this was never about vaccinating dogs.

It was about asking whether we can build a model that protects children, safeguards wildlife and strengthens communities at the same time.
We think we're beginning to answer that question.
And believe you me! we're only getting started.

02/08/2026

One child. One district. One decision to act.

When a two-year-old child in Nyimba District lost their life to rabies, it was a heartbreaking reminder that this is a disease we already know how to prevent.
As Noah's Ark Veterinary Services, we received a request from the District Veterinary Office to support the emergency response. We knew this would require more than vaccines, it would require people working together.
Over the months that followed, we were privileged to work alongside district authorities, veterinary professionals, environmental health teams, wildlife officers, conservation organisations, universities, veterinary students and many dedicated partners who believed that protecting communities also means protecting animals.
Together, we helped mobilise over 8,000 rabies vaccine doses, raised operational funds and supported vaccination activities across Nyimba, Lusaka, Chongwe and Itezhi-Tezhi, and contributed to the vaccination of more than 8,000 dogs, helping reduce the risk of rabies transmission to people and wildlife.
This journey was filled with long days, difficult roads, logistical challenges, countless conversations and an unwavering commitment from many individuals who gave their time and expertise to protect their communities.
To everyone who welcomed us into your villages, brought your dogs for vaccination, supported the field teams, and believed in this shared mission, thank you.
This is only the beginning.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing the story behind this campaign, introducing the incredible people and partners who made it possible, and reflecting on what it truly takes to build a One Health Public–Private Partnership in Zambia.
Because ending rabies is not the responsibility of one organisation.
It is everyone's responsibility.
📍 Zambia 🇿🇲

21/07/2026

Something bigger than a vaccination campaign is coming...

Over the past several months, Noah's Ark Veterinary Services has been working quietly behind the scenes alongside government, academia, conservation organisations, veterinary professionals, and community leaders to respond to one of Zambia's most pressing yet neglected public health threats, rabies.

What began with the tragic loss of a 2 year Toddler evolved into an emergency campaign that tested what true One Health collaboration looks like under real-world conditions.

In the coming days, we will share our reflections on:

• How public and private institutions worked together.
• The challenges of responding to a time-sensitive rabies emergency.
• Lessons from implementing One Health at the human–wildlife–domestic animal interface.
• Why partnerships will determine whether Zambia achieves the goal of Zero by 2030.

This is more than a campaign report. It is a story about coordination, resilience, and what is possible when sectors unite around a common purpose.

We look forward to sharing the journey with you.

18/07/2026

As a field Practicioner, what are some of your "To - Go Field" meals you eat to energise you for the day?

15/07/2026

We join the nation in mourning the passing of Zambia's former Vice President and First Acting President, Dr. Guy Scott.

Dr. Scott dedicated decades of his life to public service. As Minister of Agriculture in the early 1990s, he helped steer Zambia's agricultural sector through one of the country's most difficult drought periods and contributed to policies aimed at strengthening food security and agricultural recovery.

As Vice President of the Republic of Zambia from 2011 to 2014, he served with distinction, and following the passing of President Michael Sata, he assumed the role of Acting President, guiding the nation through a constitutional transition with calmness, stability and respect for democratic principles.

Dr. Guy Scott will be remembered as an intelligent, hardworking and principled statesman whose contributions to agriculture, governance and Zambia's democratic development have left a lasting legacy.
May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may God comfort his family and the people of Zambia during this difficult time.
Rest well, Dr. Guy Scott. Your service to the nation will not be forgotten. 🕊️🇿🇲

17/06/2026

"The A Team" (Dr Mbawe Zulu description),
In service to Country.
Paid a courtesy call on Professor
Changula Katendi at the University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine Paraclinical Studies Department, A maverick and kind enough to have us over.

Thanks Prof for the time and continued contribution to Veterinary Science public health and one health in Zambia and the world at large.

12/06/2026

I had the pleasure of being invited and representing Noah's Ark Veterinary Services at the just ended VAZ AGM joining fellow veterinarians as a panelist to discuss the future of our profession.

As I reflected on the discussion, I was reminded that many of the opportunities we receive are not accidents. They are built through years of service, volunteering, advocacy, collaboration, and a willingness to show up when the profession calls.

My message was simple:

Veterinarians are not merely animal doctors.

We are public health practitioners.
We are wildlife conservationists.
We are food security actors.
We are disease detectives.
We are policy contributors.
We are One Health professionals.

Whether discussing rabies at the human-wildlife-domestic animal interface, emerging disease threats such as Ebola, wildlife conservation, or access to veterinary services, the veterinary voice deserves a seat at the table.

I am grateful to the mentors, colleagues, institutions, and organizations that continue to create opportunities for meaningful engagement. More importantly, I am encouraged that veterinary professionals are increasingly being recognized as credible partners, trusted voices, and solution providers in national conversations.

The profession has a bigger role to play.

The work continues.

🐃 The Buffalo Chaser

24/05/2026

NSONTWA “The Chosen One” 🦁

Some moments in a career stay with you forever.

One of mine was being entrusted with the privilege of naming this tiny lion cub, the smallest of four. I called her Nsontwa.

The name means “The Chosen One.”

For me, it carries a story much older than this moment. Back in nursery school, when I was around 3 years old, I had a little friend named Nsontwa, playful, kind, always full of life. Strangely, I can no longer remember his face, but I remember his spirit. Funny how life works; sometimes we forget details, but never the feeling people leave behind.

Years later, during one of the more difficult seasons of my life, the name quietly found its way back into my thoughts and stayed there almost like a reminder of resilience, innocence, and hope.

So when I looked at this tiny cub, so small, vulnerable, yet quietly determined the name came naturally: Nsontwa.

I visited again 3 months later and found her thriving.

And maybe that is the lesson.

Never underestimate small beginnings. Never underestimate what survives hard seasons. Sometimes the tiniest among us carry the fiercest spirit.

Some names become memories. Others become reminders of who we are, what we survive, and what we are still becoming.

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305a Ndemba Silverest, Chongwe
Lusaka
10101

Telephone

+260975022166

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