Heartworm: to protect or not to protect? That is the question




The heartworm is a parasite that is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The larvae enter the bloodstream and migrate to the heart. The larvae live in the heart for six months before becoming adults. If an animal tests positive for heartworm, it can be treated effectively and safely, unless the infestation has been present for a long time (3-4 years).

Most holistic practitioners and alternative veterinarians will explain that the healthy pet, who eats a good diet, has no vaccinations and is not currently taking any heartworm medications or chemical flea and tick preventatives, most likely has a strong immune system that will fight the heartworm. . None of the larvae will survive and become adults. In the unlikely event that some of the larvae manage to survive to adulthood, it is not the death sentence that many veterinarians and pharmaceutical companies want us to create. A truly healthy dog ​​will not make a hospitable host. Their strong immune system will weaken heartworms and the pet should be able to fight them without lasting ill effects on their health.

Dr. William Falconer, a homeopathic veterinarian from Austin, Texas, states: “As far as we know, the heartworm has been around forever, but we do not read reports of wolves and coyotes being exterminated by the heartworm and, however, domestic dogs are falling prey to it. “

The reason our domesticated pets fall prey to heartworms is because they have weakened immune systems. Canines in the wild eat raw meat and bones and are never exposed to chemical treatments. Their strong immune systems fight the heartworm in the larval stage, or very few heartworms survive and do not threaten the lives of their hosts.

A parasite is not intended to kill the host. The evolution of a parasite depends on completing its life cycle. If it kills the host, it means the end. When the parasites infest and ultimately kill the host, the host must have had health problems to begin with.

Veterinarian Dr. Levy practiced for many years in California and treated many dogs for heartworms. He noted that the only dogs that developed symptoms of heart failure were those on annual vaccinations, fed commercial dog food, and receiving drug treatments for other symptoms, such as skin conditions.

Dr. Levy concluded: “It is not really that different from common roundworms, as most dogs do not show any symptoms. Only a dog whose health is compromised is unable to tolerate some worms. Also, a truly healthy dog. In the first place, it would not be susceptible to either type of worms. It seems to me that the real problem is that allopathic attitudes have instilled in many of us the fear of disease, the fear of pathogens and parasites, the fear of the rage, as if these are evil and malicious entities that only hope to devastate a naive and unprotected public. “

So do we need to use a preventative every year? To see if your pet is at risk, find out how many heartworm cases we’ve had in Ontario over the past few years and where the majority of cases occurred. Infected mosquitoes transmit heartworm, so how about eliminating the risk by keeping your pet safe with a natural mosquito repellent and reducing mosquito populations in the environment? Stagnant water is an ideal breeding ground for them. Get rid of it. When traveling with your pet, find out how high the risk of heartworm is in those areas and take precautions like holistic bug repellants.

Keep in mind that the posters of manufacturers of heartworm preventive drugs are supposed to scare you. And it works, doesn’t it? But is the risk as high as it sounds? Are we buying because we do not know the disease, the product, the side effects and the real risk to our pets? The usual dramatic poster of an open heart full of heartworm is actually the heart of an animal with weak immunity that has been infected with heartworm for years, has never been tested, and has never been treated.

Heartworm pills are not actually preventive, but curative, which are toxic. Would you take toxic leukemia medications every month of every year in case you ever got them? Probably not. Dr. Martin Goldstein, DVM, states in his book The Nature Of Animal Healing that he believes that most of the liver diseases and cancers that we see in dogs today are related to heartworm preventatives. Your own dog and most of the clients in your practice are not treated with heartworm preventives.

As mentioned above, heartworm medications, flea and tick prevention, and annual checkup are a major source of income for veterinarians. You have the option of saying yes or no to the products or services. That doesn’t make you a bad pet owner. That makes for a good and educated pet owner who makes careful decisions when weighing the likelihood of finding illnesses or health problems from toxic preventives. Period.

What is the best remedy for heartworm?

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