HEARTWORM PREVENTION AND TREATMENT - NATURALLY
Our experience:
For decades, we followed the traditional advice to use insecticides like Heartguard and Frontline every month to control heartworm and intestinal parasites. We often saw degradation of health over time with chronic immune system issues such as “allergy” symptoms, recurrent diarrhea, thyroid problems and other problems that have been associated with the use of drugs such as Ivermectin, the most commonly used heartworm preventative. When using the preventatives that are dripped onto the withers, we saw skin irritation and massive hair loss at the "treatment" area that sometimes became permanent.
Several years ago, we moved to a more natural approach, transitioning our dogs to a high grade raw diet. We stopped vaccinating and started using immune supports. We started detoxing our dogs regularly not only from toxins in the environment, but heavy metals and poisons such those used for heartworm and parasites. We also adopted natural practices for putting up a non-toxic insect barrier and used sensible methods such as non-toxic herbal insect repellents on ourselves and our dogs. We also run routine hair analysis tests to determine toxin levels and detox livers regularly with products like Livton and Milk Thistle and SAMe. It helps to have the guidance of a holistic veterinarian.
Our protocol:
We’ve been running antigen tests and microfilaria screens regularly, and even though we live in one of the riskiest places for heartworm infection, our dogs have continually screened clear. I first read a great ebook by world-renowned holistic veterinarian Dr. William Falconer, DVM called "Vital Animals Don't Get Heartworm". It really opened my eyes to the risks of giving traditional poisons and the benefits of prevention using natural means.
We detoxed our dogs first from the poisons using homeopathic nosodes from Everglo Holistic Veterinary Services.
Then we administered Heartworm Nosodes, which are given for 3 days, then once a week, then once a month, then once a year.
During heavy mosquito infestations, we use HW Protect. We also spray with an essential oil blend of Purification, Lemon and Lavender.
Our dogs also all wear EMF Tags that last an entire year to provide energetic support to the immune system.
With these protocols, we see that mosquitoes hover but do not land on our dogs. They seek me out instead!
Testing:
The American Heartworm Society is an organization that studies the disease, its treatment and prevention. They also recommend year-round chemical preventatives for every dog over the age of eight weeks, regardless of where they live. The problem is that the AHS has three “platinum” sponsors and five “bronze” sponsors. All of them are major pharmaceutical manufacturers, which creates a huge conflict of interest.
AHS recommends screening a population of asymptomatic dogs or seeking verification of a suspected heartworm infection, antigen testing is the most sensitive diagnostic method. Microfilaria testing should be done in tandem
with antigen testing to determine whether this life-cycle stage is also present in dogs. Because less than 1% of infections are patent but not antigenemic, testing for microfilariae alone is not recommended.
All dogs should also be tested for microfilariae, as microfilaremia validates serologic results, is diagnostic should a dog have antigen-antibody complexes (below detectable limits on antigen tests), identifies the patient as a reservoir of infection, and alerts the veterinarian to a high microfilarial burden, which may precipitate a severe reaction following administration of a microfilaricide.
We run our heartworm antigen tests using the Hemopet Lab. It's a simple test that involves pulling about 8cc
of whole blood, spinning it down to serum and mailing it in to Hemopet. If you know how to pull blood yourself and have a centrifuge, you can do this yourself. If not, your vet should be willing to pull blood and spin to serum for less than $20. Currently, the cost to run the antigen test at Hemopet is around $12.
We run our microfilaria screens at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL). Again, it’s a simple test that requires pulling 2-3 cc of EDTA blood in a red top tube. Your vet can pull blood for you and you can send the test in yourself for a considerable savings. Currently the cost is between $15-$18.
For decades, we followed the traditional advice to use insecticides like Heartguard and Frontline every month to control heartworm and intestinal parasites. We often saw degradation of health over time with chronic immune system issues such as “allergy” symptoms, recurrent diarrhea, thyroid problems and other problems that have been associated with the use of drugs such as Ivermectin, the most commonly used heartworm preventative. When using the preventatives that are dripped onto the withers, we saw skin irritation and massive hair loss at the "treatment" area that sometimes became permanent.
Several years ago, we moved to a more natural approach, transitioning our dogs to a high grade raw diet. We stopped vaccinating and started using immune supports. We started detoxing our dogs regularly not only from toxins in the environment, but heavy metals and poisons such those used for heartworm and parasites. We also adopted natural practices for putting up a non-toxic insect barrier and used sensible methods such as non-toxic herbal insect repellents on ourselves and our dogs. We also run routine hair analysis tests to determine toxin levels and detox livers regularly with products like Livton and Milk Thistle and SAMe. It helps to have the guidance of a holistic veterinarian.
Our protocol:
We’ve been running antigen tests and microfilaria screens regularly, and even though we live in one of the riskiest places for heartworm infection, our dogs have continually screened clear. I first read a great ebook by world-renowned holistic veterinarian Dr. William Falconer, DVM called "Vital Animals Don't Get Heartworm". It really opened my eyes to the risks of giving traditional poisons and the benefits of prevention using natural means.
We detoxed our dogs first from the poisons using homeopathic nosodes from Everglo Holistic Veterinary Services.
Then we administered Heartworm Nosodes, which are given for 3 days, then once a week, then once a month, then once a year.
During heavy mosquito infestations, we use HW Protect. We also spray with an essential oil blend of Purification, Lemon and Lavender.
Our dogs also all wear EMF Tags that last an entire year to provide energetic support to the immune system.
With these protocols, we see that mosquitoes hover but do not land on our dogs. They seek me out instead!
Testing:
The American Heartworm Society is an organization that studies the disease, its treatment and prevention. They also recommend year-round chemical preventatives for every dog over the age of eight weeks, regardless of where they live. The problem is that the AHS has three “platinum” sponsors and five “bronze” sponsors. All of them are major pharmaceutical manufacturers, which creates a huge conflict of interest.
AHS recommends screening a population of asymptomatic dogs or seeking verification of a suspected heartworm infection, antigen testing is the most sensitive diagnostic method. Microfilaria testing should be done in tandem
with antigen testing to determine whether this life-cycle stage is also present in dogs. Because less than 1% of infections are patent but not antigenemic, testing for microfilariae alone is not recommended.
All dogs should also be tested for microfilariae, as microfilaremia validates serologic results, is diagnostic should a dog have antigen-antibody complexes (below detectable limits on antigen tests), identifies the patient as a reservoir of infection, and alerts the veterinarian to a high microfilarial burden, which may precipitate a severe reaction following administration of a microfilaricide.
We run our heartworm antigen tests using the Hemopet Lab. It's a simple test that involves pulling about 8cc
of whole blood, spinning it down to serum and mailing it in to Hemopet. If you know how to pull blood yourself and have a centrifuge, you can do this yourself. If not, your vet should be willing to pull blood and spin to serum for less than $20. Currently, the cost to run the antigen test at Hemopet is around $12.
We run our microfilaria screens at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL). Again, it’s a simple test that requires pulling 2-3 cc of EDTA blood in a red top tube. Your vet can pull blood for you and you can send the test in yourself for a considerable savings. Currently the cost is between $15-$18.
