Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with approximately 900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. It is one of three general commonly referred to as sage.

Ehrlichia canis is an intracellular gram-negative bacterial blood parasite transmitted by ticks. It belongs to the order Rickettsiales, which also includes Lyme's disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It is a particularly difficult parasite to deal with because most dogs do not build immunity. They can get infected, be treated and cleared, and be reinfected shortly thereafter. Repeatedly. Many dogs do not even produce antibodies. The purpose of this article is to try to educate the dog owners so that they may better understand and recognize this disease and learn to deal with it. The area we live in is an endemic zone for canine ehrlichiosis; most all dogs are going to be exposed sooner or later.