How to Treat and Prevent Heartworms Naturally

Are You Wondering If There is a Natural Treatment for Heartworms in Dogs?

Is there a way to treat and prevent heartworms naturally without nasty side effects? In this article we’ll be answering these questions. Let’s explore this topic in depth…

So what exactly are heartworms?

Some types of mosquitoes carry a parasite that becomes heartworm once it enters your dog. There they begin to grow and can reach up to 14 inches in length.  When the worms mature, they can eventually end up in the heart and pulmonary arteries, causing lung, heart and organ damage. This is what is referred to as “heartworm disease”.

Fact: Dogs cannot catch heartworms from other dogs. The only way they can get heartworms is to be bitten by an infected mosquito.

Conventional heartworm treatment.

Most vets prescribe heartworm “preventive” drugs to be given to your dog year round. Whether they need it or not! Thing is, those heartworm drugs don’t “prevent” anything– they just kill the heartworm larvae if it is already present in your dog. Makes sense that if they can kill heartworm larvae, then they can also harm your dog!

Side effects of conventional heartworm treatment.

Just google “adverse reactions after taking heartworm meds” and you’ll find plenty of reports of dogs suffering . Below is a list of popular heartworm prevention drugs and adverse reactions that have been reported after they were given to dogs:

• REVOLUTION® (selamectin), Topical Parasiticide For Dogs and Cats:  Loose stool or diarrhea with blood, vomiting, anorexia, lethargy, salivation, tachypnea, and muscle tremors, pruritis, urticaria, erythema, ataxia, fever, and rare reports of death and seizures in dogs.

• HEARTGARD and TriHeartPlus (ivermectin): Depression/lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, mydriasis, ataxia (staggering), convulsions and hypersalivation.

• INTERCEPTOR (milbemycin oxime): Depression/lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, mydriasis, ataxia (staggering), convulsions and hypersalivation plus weakness.

• SENTINEL (milbemycin oxime): Vomiting, depression/lethargy, pruritus, urticaria, diarrhea, anorexia, skin congestion, ataxia, convulsions, hypersalivation and weakness.

• Proheart 6 (moxidectin): Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis): facial swelling, itching, difficulty breathing, collapse; lethargy,not eating or losing interest in food; seizures; vomiting and/or diarrhea, weight loss, increased thirst or urination, weakness, bleeding, bruising; some instances of death. 

How to Treat and Prevent Heartworms Naturally

“More and more I’m coming to think that heartworm is really a man-made disease. The heartworm has been out there forever as far as we know, but we don’t read reports of wolves and coyotes being wiped out by heartworm, and yet domestic dogs are falling prey to it. It speaks volumes to what we’re doing wrong in raising these animals.” Dr. William Falconer, a veterinarian with a homeopathic practice in Austin, Texas.

---

Read: Easy Natural Flea Prevention for Dogs and Cats

---

Should You Be Concerned About Your Dog Getting Heartworms?

Learning how to treat and prevent heartworms naturally requires an understanding of why domesticated dogs are susceptible in the first place. It really comes down to modern dog keeping methods. Poor quality dog food, over vaccination, and using topical pesticides to control fleas weakens their immune system.  It’s a healthy immune system that’s necessary for your dog to be able to deal with heartworm and keep them from becoming a problem. 

Fact: Wolves, Foxes and Coyotes don’t get Heartworm Disease.

Canines living in the wild eat mostly raw meat, are un-vaccinated, and don’t get exposed to toxic chemicals used to kill fleas and ticks. They are able to fight off heartworm infestation, or are able to host the parasite, but in small enough numbers so that their health is never threatened.

Our dogs truly have the cards stacked against them unless we start making better choices in our dog keeping practices.

The national average for canine heartworm disease cases is 1.16%.

States most likely to have heartworm infection are – Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Montana and Puerto Rico

States with moderate likelihood to have heartworm infection are – New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C., Maryland, Wyoming, Michigan, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Hawaii and Alaska.

States with low chances of getting heartworm disease are: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota West Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey.

Parasite prevalence map: https://www.petsandparasites.org/parasite-prevalence-maps#2012/all/heartworm-canine/dog/united-states/

If you live in an area that has a risk of heartworm disease you’ll want to follow these guidelines to treat and prevent heartworms naturally to keep your dog heartworm free:

• Feed a high quality diet including raw meat and bones
• Avoid over vaccination
• Eliminate areas of standing water where mosquitoes can breed
• Use a natural product like Bug Zap Naturally to repel fleas and mosquitos
• Use HWF as maintenance instead of dangerous Heartworm meds 

Heartworm Free – HWF Natural Heartworm Treatment for Dogs

HeartWorm Free™ contains Organic Herbal ingredients. HWF was studied for 4 years for use as a natural heartworm preventative for dogs with 100% success, prior to being retailed as a heartworm preventative.  HWF is an excellent effective natural heartworm treatment for dogs. 

---

---

Frequently Asked Questions about Heartworm Treatment & Prevention