New Title holder!!!
Tundra Winds' Prairie SnoLord WSX

"McKensie"
(Irish meaning "wise leader")


photo taken by Scott Vail
Evergreen, CO

June 18, 2001

sire:  Am. Ch. Tundra Winds Storms A-Bruin WSXM  "Bruin"

dam:  Am. Ch. Tundra Winds Kinnikinnick WSXM  "Nikki"

click here for new pictures of Kenser.

2002 training pics of McKensie

McKense has been diagnosed with sebaceous adenitis (SA).  At present time, November 2004, he has only lost hair on his muzzle, with skin discoloration and lesions on his face.  We are seeing areas at the base of his ears and around his neck now too.   SA is an autoimmune disease, that has been found to be autosomal recessive in Standard Poodles and Akitas and the belief it is autosomal recessive in Samoyeds.  It is NOT just a cosmetic disease of hair loss but also dogs are at higher risks for skin infections (bacterial and/or fungal), sores/lesions on the skin, total hair loss (multiple times) with hair regrowth uncertainity, arthritis, vaccinations are not recommended, heartworm treatment is not recommended and flea/tick control needs to be done but not with chemicals to the skin because a SA dog's skin is very sensitive and you increase the chance for the disease to flare up.  There is no cure, no genetic marker or testing at this time for Samoyeds.  Dogs can only be diagnosed by skin biopsy of a possible afflicted area.  Subclinical cases can occur, where the dog has the disease but shows no outward signs.  The skin biopsy will NOT tell you if a dog is a carrier of the disease.  The disease raises it's ugly head usually between the ages of 1 to 4 years of age but can occur later in life.  Dogs with this condition should be removed from any breeding program.

Treatment for SA is oil baths every week until the condition is brought under control then one may increase time between oil baths based on the condition of the
dog's skin and coat (if there is any coat left).  People with SA dogs (poodles, akitas, samoyeds, etc.) have found they can go 3 to 5 weeks between oil baths. Supplements usually are added to the dog's diet.
 


McKensie summer of 2004 at age 3 years old

             

The beginning of SA on McKensie's muzzle and lesions on his upper lip and the same is on his jaw.    Sept 2004

Summer of 2005 pictures of lesions and sores from SA out of remission

                                               


                                       




McKensie's treatment to date: 

Vitamin A - 16,000 IU per day
Vitamin E - 800 IU per day
Ester C -  1000 mg per day
Fish Oil - 1000 mg per day
Flax Oil - 1000 mg per day 
Milk thistle


Oil bath:  First putting pure Emu oil on the discolored and hair loss areas and letting that soak in--about 10 minutes.  Then soaking entire skin and coat with olive oil and allowing to set for about 30 minutes.  Keep the dog in the booster bath or put in a crate with towels you do not mind getting oily.  McKensie then gets a bath with dilute Dawn soap to remove the excess oil from the hair.  Second washing is with Suave Humectant shampoo and then Suave humectant conditioner is rubbed into the coat and left on for a few minutes.  Rinse well!  When dry, the most afflicted areas are again rubbed with Emu oil and/or vitamin E oil.

McKensie is still working in harness and we will monitor his coat and skin condition whether he can continue working.  He is checked over carefully after removal of his harness for any sign of harness rubbing that could cause a lesion or infection.

Research in Samoyeds needs to be done and hopefully in the next year or so that will happen.  To learn more about SA click on the following links:
SA info

SA links
McKensie was staying at Tundra Winds till the Samoyed Club of America Nationals to be held in Denver, CO this past October.  At that time he meet his fellow Prairie Isle teammates and came home to the Isle to live.

Watch for progress reports for this inspiring new Prairie Isle sled dog!!  McKensie has settled into the Prairie Isle routine quite well.  He is growing fast and is now 6 months old (Dec. 2001)

Here are some pics of McKensie taken this fall with his best buddy, Naoisha.  The center photo is a shot of McKensie's side gait.

                                                      
 

McKensie has been learning about being a sled dog too.
Thanks to Scott Vail for taking this photo of McKensie at the 2001 SCA Nationals in Denver, CO sitting on Don Duncan's sled.


 
 

Here is Helen with her new sled with Callie (left lead) and McKensie (r) with Naoisha at wheel

 
 

McKensie says, "wow, we are almost home, let's go!"

Helen with her new sled, made by Jim Miller of PrairieBilt, with Naoisha, Callie and McKensie