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  • Natural Heartworm Treatments that Could Save your Dog’s Life

    Natural Heartworm Treatments that Could Save your Dog’s Life

    Heartworms can be very dangerous for dogs of all sizes and ages. Depending on the stage of heartworms in your dog, the symptoms could vary. In the case of severe heartworm infection, your dog could be displaying a cough, intolerance to exercise, and even weight loss. If your dog has been tested positive for heartworms but has no symptoms, then they are likely still early in the infection.

    No matter what stage your dog is at, there are steps you can take to help them. In addition to the treatments your vet suggests, you can try some of these natural heartworm treatments. In conjunction with traditional treatment, these could even save your dog’s life.

    Natural Heartworm Treatments

    Homeopathic Remedy

    While homeopathic remedies have hit-and-miss results in helping dogs with heartworms, they’re generally quite safe and worth trying. Many suggest using combinations of the following homeopathic treatments in conjunction, using them twice a day and over the course of a few months.

    The remedies suggested to be used in concert are Croton tiglium, Lycopersicum, Tanacetum, Allium cepa and Allium sativum. These are suggested to be mixed together and given to your dog orally via a dropper. Two or three drops twice a day is the suggested dosage.

    While giving these remedies to your dog, it’s recommended you consult your vet and have your dog regularly treated to see if they still have heartworms. In the event that they don’t take to this treatment, consider other remedies.

    In Older Dogs

    If your dog is older, or quite sick, it could be advised to also use Crataegus, or hawthorn, herbal tincture. This herbal tincture has properties that help the metabolism and strengthen the heart. This can be used in conjunction with the above homeopathic remedy, helping your dog’s organs during the progress of the remedy.

    Conventional Treatment

    The reason many owners opt for natural remedies for heartworms is that the conventional remedy can cause organ damage in some dogs. Older dogs, especially, can have a lot of stress put on their heart by such procedures. However, no treatment is without side effects or risks, and heartworms can be life-threatening for your dog.

    When you’re considering how to treat heartworms, make sure you consult your vet. It’s very important that you take the disease seriously and take any steps necessary to protect your dog. Depending on the stage the heartworms are at, it could be better to opt for conventional treatment due to the amount of time your dog might have left to be treated.

  • Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Many dog owners fear the possibility that their dog could have heartworms. Heartworms are a dangerous parasite that can be transferred to dogs via mosquito bites. The worms enter the dog’s bloodstream through the mosquito’s bite as microscopic eggs that grow into large worms that live in the heart of the host dog. Dogs with large amounts of heartworms inside their bodies develop symptoms including weight loss, lethargy and persistent cough. Does your dog have heartworms? And, if it does, how are you going to treat them?

    How to Treat Heartworms: Conventional or Natural?

    Conventional

    Normal procedures used to kill heartworms are often dangerous for dogs. That’s because the active ingredients used in killing the worms can cause organ damage in dogs. This is on top of the damage already done to the dog’s organs by the worms themselves. Further, once the worms die, they usually flow into the dog’s lungs. This can cause even more complications, such as blood clots, blocked airways and even more organ damage.

    The main ingredient in the procedure that kill heartworms has an ingredient called immiticide which is injected over two or three doses, though many vets prefer the three-dose version. This is because the adult worms dying in large groups can cause more damage than them dying in smaller groups. The three-dose treatment occurs over three months.

    Dogs undergoing treatment need to be kept indoors and need to be kept from strenuous activity that could increase heart rate. The risk of an embolism is lessened if the dog is kept from getting an increased heart rate, though this is somewhat difficult for some dog owners.

    While undergoing treatment, dogs should be kept indoors for a month and any physical activity that will increase the heart rate must be strictly avoided. The reason for this is to minimize the above risk of circulatory embolism.

    Ivermectin is often used in dogs who have minor cases of heartworms. That’s because it’s able to kill baby heartworms while also weakening and sterilizing existing heartworms. This prevents new infections from forming and allows your dog to naturally outlive the heartworm infection they have.

    Natural Treatments

    Some dog owners swear by natural treatments for heartworms. One such natural treatment includes the herb black walnut used in conjunction with various homeopathic remedies. These types of remedies tend to be mixed together and given to a dog once or twice a month.

    Another such natural treatment is milk thistle seed and dandelion tea. These types of treatments are often recommended for people who are using conventional treatments for their dogs, too! While the natural treatments have mixed results, some dog owners have reported them as working very well.

    Keep in mind, if you’re thinking about giving your dog natural treatment for heartworms, that you need to keep your vet in the loop. Make sure you have your dog checked up monthly for heartworms and see how your natural treatment is progressing. If your natural treatments aren’t having any effect, don’t hesitate to ask your vet about more conventional treatments.

    Prevention

    It’s actually not hard to help your dog keep from ever getting heartworms in the first place. All you need to do is be aware of some easy ways to prevent them from being infected at all. There are preventative medicines, like Heartgard Plus, that dog owners can use to keep the worms from being able to take root in the dog’s heart. This medication is given orally and must be given to the dog throughout their lifespan.

    Remember: if the area you live in has mosquitos, your dog is at risk for heartworms. You need to take immediate steps to make sure that your dogs don’t have worms. If they do, you need to start treatment right away. If they don’t, you need to get them on a prevention medication right away. Sadly, this is a reality for dogs who live in areas like the American South or other areas where mosquitos are common.

    What Happens if You Don’t Treat Heartworms

    If you don’t treat heartworms, your dog will deteriorate in health over time. As the worms grow and multiply, it becomes harder and harder for them to pump blood to their organs. This results in lasting organ damage that will make them slower, more lethargic and less healthy. As the infection worsens, your dog will eventually pass away from organ failure. Don’t let your dog suffer this fate: begin taking steps today to keep them safe from heartworms. They depend on you to take care of them, so don’t let you down!