For owner Kristina Simmons, a camel seemed a natural choice for a pet.

“I’m not sure what spurred the thought, but I decided one day I would like to have a camel,” says Simmons. She tracked down a Michigan breeder, attended a camel clinic, and went to a silent auction where it was love at first sight. One-week old Mirage was the only baby camel there. Simmons and her husband were excited to add Mirage to their farm, and eventually brought in another camel named Baboo to keep Mirage company.

The now adult camels are close friends, enjoying each others’ company. Usually, life on the farm is quiet. But in early 2015, Mirage began acting differently. Her owners discovered her lying down out in the pasture, positioned strangely and flailing around. It also appeared that Mirage was suffering from diarrhea, which could cause dehydration. The couple knew it was serious. They tried getting Mirage up, but she couldn’t move. A local veterinarian arrived to help transport the camel on his trailer. Then it was straight to the Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center.

By the time they arrived at the Large Animal Clinic, Mirage was minimally responsive. Drs. Vanessa Cook and Jamie Kopper took immediate steps to diagnose and stabilize her. The veterinarians administered a variety of fluids to prevent cardiac arrest and combat Mirage’s severe dehydration and sever hyperkalemia, which is a high level of potassium in the blood.

It was a tense situation. Mirage became non-responsive several times during initial treatments. But once the treatments started to take effect, Mirage became increasingly bright and alert. She stood up on her own and continued to make improvements over the following 24 hours.

The veterinary team ran tests to see what had caused Mirage’s dehydration and other complications. They discovered that Mirage was infested with two kinds of parasites. Drs. Cook and Kopper implemented a strategic deworming program. Mirage stayed at the clinic for several days while she regained her strength and the ability to eat and drink on her own again.

Today, Mirage is back to her normal self. “Fantabulous,” says Simmons. “She’s enjoying the summer and all of the yummy grass it offers to her and Baboo. Plus all the spectators. Baboo does tricks, like picking up his foot, and Mirage is learning from him.” Simmons says they’re keeping a much closer watch over Mirage to make sure she remains a happy, healthy camel.