In Style Mobile Pet Grooming by Dawn

05/29/2026

Ginger loved her Gift-a-Groom spa day.

05/29/2026

Phoebe appreciated her Gift-a-Groom spa day so much she actually fell asleep.

04/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1aTQh4mGcc/

02/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CPCNHmGSA/

Hess Equine experienced a tragic first this week. With a combined 50+ years of practicing equine veterinary medicine, our team saw the first (and hopefully last!) case of equine rabies.

The reality is that rabies is 100% preventable with adequate annual vaccination.

The truth is that rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms develop.

The brutality is that there is no way to test for rabies in a living animal.

Pennsylvania was one of the top six states reporting the greatest number of rabies cases in 2022. The commonwealth continues to have a very high incidence of the disease in wild and feral animals.

EVERY mammal is susceptible to the rabies virus.

Horses by their very existence are in close proximity to wild animals that may carry rabies (notably: raccoons, foxes, skunks, bats, groundhogs, etc). We generally see very few cases of equine rabies because most horse owners follow veterinary recommendations and annually vaccinate against rabies.

There are two forms of the rabies virus:

1. Furious: this is marked by significant aggression, abnormal vocalization, foaming at the mouth, fear of water (especially human cases), the classic “old yeller” version. Furious rabies accounts for about 80% of rabies cases, making it recognizable with the single most common factor among domestically affected animals being the lack of proper vaccine administration.
2. Paralytic: these animals become weaker and weaker, eventually paralysis sets in, and finally coma & death.

The incubation period from the time of exposure to the saliva of an infected animal through a break in the skin (typically a bite or scratch) is normally 2-3 months but can be as soon as one week and may take up to one year for central nervous system infection and resulting symptoms. NOTE: this is NOT like “old yeller”, this is a disease that takes time to manifest.

The bottom line in preventing the unnecessary and tragic loss of your equid to rabies is PROPERLY VACCINATING THEM EVERY YEAR UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF YOUR VETERINARIAN.

If you believe you may have been bitten by a rabid animal or come into contact with the saliva of a potentially rabid animal please seek medical attention immediately and contact your local health department.

If you would like to learn more about the rabies virus and how it affects humans worldwide please visit https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies.

02/25/2026

URGENT ALERT: Two separate incidents of rabid raccoons have been confirmed in northern Harford County. The first in Jarrettsvile and the second in Churchville.

Please keep an eye on your pet’s surroundings and keep them leashed at all times. Do not leave your pets unattended. Any animal may be infected!

It is believed that pets and people may have been exposed in both incidents.

Rabies is fatal unless immediately treated!

Symptoms of rabies include; wandering in circles or appearing “drunk”, seemingly confused, extreme aggressive behavior, excessive salivation (often referred to as foaming at the mouth) and behavioral changes such as approaching animals normally avoided. Should you observe an animal you suspect may be rabid immediately contact animal control or local police department.

Harford County Animal Control at 410-638-3505.

02/23/2026

"My dog had to be shaved because it was matted. Did my groomer cause these areas that look like bruising?"

After a shave-down on a severely matted dog, it’s very common to see dark areas on the skin that can look like bruising. In many cases, this is actually hyperpigmentation, not true bruising.

Bruising comes from a recent injury and is usually tender, red/purple, and changes color as it heals.
Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin that happens over time from constant pulling, pressure, and trapped moisture under tight mats. Once the coat is removed, that previously hidden skin is finally visible — which can look alarming, but isn’t caused by the grooming itself.

This is a good example of how matting can affect a dog’s skin underneath, even when it’s not obvious from the outside. The shave allows the skin to breathe and begin recovering.

It’s still important to monitor healing. Contact a vet if you notice:
• Increasing redness or swelling
• Warmth, odor, or discharge
• Open sores or scabbing
• Pain, excessive licking, or scratching
• Behavior changes or lethargy

Most of the time, with time, cleanliness, and regular grooming moving forward, the skin improves significantly as the coat grows back. 💛

01/27/2026

These vans are not going anywhere this week. These temperatures are BRUTAL! Filling water tanks requires connecting a garden hose from my outdoor faucet to the fill valve on the vans. Both ends of the hose will freeze to the connection, causing damage to the vans, the hose and my home. Attempting to keep the grooming areas warm enough for your dog and my staff to be comfortable and safe would be nearly impossible. Keeping the water lines inside the vans from freezing would be impossible. The generators don't even want to start or stay running in these temperatures. I'm not willing to risk damage and expensive repairs.

01/17/2026

We do our very best to make it to every appointment. Sometimes Mother Nature doesn't cooperate though. We can't rent a grooming van if we have an accident so please be patient and understanding when we decide it's safer to reschedule.

01/14/2026

Gift-a-Groom recipient, Sadie is all ready for a new home!

12/18/2025

ELEVEN Gift-a-Grooms have been donated this season! There's a few more days to go. Can we get to 20?!

12/18/2025

Gift-a-Groom recipient, Marty
(Unfortunately there's no "after" pic as he was unable to tolerate the dryer) He’s very new to the idea of humans being kind creatures. 🥲 At least he’s clean and fresh now!