Mirage Samoyeds

Pam Barbe

Pam Barbe is one nice person who has had more than her share of experience with the devastation of tick disease.

Kodi, in Pam's arms and smiling almost as broadly as she is, was infected with Ehrlichiosis canis, another tick-borne disease. By the time it was diagnosed, the E. canis was advanced and left him with spinal arthritis and hips that looked, on radiographs, as if they were full of moth holes.

Dani, Pam's youngest snowball, (down below in a mud-free moment) never showed any obvious symptoms, but alert to the smallest signs, Pam had her blood tested and, as a result, Dani was treated with doxycycline for Ehrlichiosis, then Imizol for the babesiosis for which she also titered positive. Since Dani has never had one tick on her, the suspicion is that she received the infection transplacentally from her mother. She seems to be free of tick disease now and has titered negative many times because Pam was so quick to take action when her suspicions were aroused. Dani is proof that tick disease can be beaten.

Pam is a fighter and she loves her breed. MIRAGE SAMOYEDS, her website, has become a tremendous, very well done reference on Samoyed Health that addresses the most prevalent health problems in the breed, but any dog owner ought to bookmark this site.

In particular, she's assembled a webpage full of facts about tick borne diseases together with many links to sites that go into more detail about symptoms to watch for, diagnosis and treatment. IMO, for general information and a really good jumping off point to further knowledge on TBDs, you can't do better than to start on Pam's website.

And while you're there, treat yourself to a look at more of her beautiful, white Arctic dogs.

Here's your ticket! Just click on Mirage.

Casey, to the left there with his snowman, contracted Lyme disease which reached the chronic stage before it was detected, which means he will never be any better. If you look closely at the photo, you can see where the fur looks almost sheared around his pastern because Casey will take his whole foreleg in his mouth and hold it, warm it, in an effort to ease the pain.