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 Hello Friend,
One of the more common questions I receive is about Heartworm prevention in dogs.
Many pet owners are told:
"You NEED to have your dog on a Preventive Heartworm medication."
BUT do you REALLY need this?
What about the RISKS?
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Heartworm increases in Ontario
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I am reprinting part of this newsletter, but adding in some new changes in the disease.
A study on “Heartworm in dogs in Canada in 2010” published by the Ontario Veterinary College’s Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph has revealed a 60 per cent increase in the number of dogs in Ontario with heartworm since the last study of its kind was conducted in 2002.
The Canada-wide study showed that 564 dogs tested positive for heartworm in Canada in 2010; 431 of those dogs were located in Ontario (that’s over 75 per cent of the total). Also of concern is that eighty per cent of animals that were found to have heartworm had not been on a heartworm preventive medication. In a few cases, pets that had been receiving heartworm preventive medication also tested positive for the disease; the most common reason for this was that the pet owners indicated they had forgotten to give their pet the preventive medication at the prescribed intervals.
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The CHANCE of your Dog EVER getting Heartworm
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Here's the KEY point:
What you need to be aware of is the INCIDENCE of Heartworm in your area, and whether or not your pet really is at risk of Heartworm disease.
For example in Canada, Heartworm is difficult to acquire, and usually NOT fatal, far less than the dire warnings and marketing claims of the Heartworm preventive companies.
For heartworm to be transmitted to your pet, you need the correct temperature for a long enough period of time, the right climate, and the correct species and sex of mosquitoe.
In Ontario for instance there are approximately 3000,000 ( 3 MILLION) dogs.
( Ontario's human population is 13 million, and the dog population in Canada and the U.S. is approx 1/4 of the human population)
The number of dogs aquiring Heartworm: 431
The Chance of getting heartworm in Ontario is then...
.014%
My point here is that the chance is VERY low, but you need to decide if the risks of taking the preventive drug outweigh the disease..
Your dog has a FAR greater chance of getting a whole host of OTHER diseases- even if is ISN'T on Heartworm meds..
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What is Heartworm?
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Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a parasitic worm which infects mostly dogs. Although all internal parasites can be harmful to the health of your pet, heartworm infestation is serious and can be fatal unless treated in a timely fashion.
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What causes Heartworm?
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Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes. Not all mosquitoes carry heartworm, but when an infected mosquito bites your pet, it can transfer larvae to the animal’s tissues. These larvae then
migrate through the body, until they reach the animal’s heart and lungs. There the adult worms will grow. They can grow to 70 - 110 long and cause a great deal of damage to the heart and lungs.
If untreated, the animal may die.
Most (certainly not all) holistic veterinarians consider the use of pharmaceutical preventatives to be less harmful than a heartworm infection.
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Holistic Heartworm Prevention
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Avoid unnecessary vaccines- keep your dog’s immune system healthy. Avoid repeated uses of steroids, or conventional antibiotics.
•excellent nutrition:
feeding home diets and raw food
top quality commercial food
•regular exercise
•providing quality health supplements hint: for dogs try Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Canine Health Formula at http://www.thedogsupplement.com
•for cats try Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Feline Health Formula at http://www.thecatsupplement.com
•avoiding conventional medication that causes side effects
•Mosquitoe Control- this is the insect that spreads heartworm.
I have had some great success with a Natural Flea repellent using Cedarwood Oil.
•Using natural alternatives when possible – this can mean using nosodes and herbal supplements, while also having your dog tested for heartworm. This is better under the guidance of a holistic veterinarian.
•If you are in a high risk area, use the conventional preventives, BUT for as short a duration as possible- ie when the conditions really exist to transmit the disease.
•Use the lowest effective dose of the preventives- you can also follow up the meds with liver supportive products such as milk thistle and Vitamin E
•IF you live in an area with little to no risk of Heartworm, consider NO use of conventional medication.
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P.S. I do happen to practice WHAT I preach, and I do NOT treat my own dogs with conventional Heartworm medication.
I DO use some of my specific suggestions to optimize my own pets immune system with:
Essential Fatty Acids
Probiotics
Vitamins/Minerals
Antioxidants
Colostrum
Aloe
You can get ALL of these components for your dog or cat here:
http://www.thedogsupplement.com
http://www.thecatsupplement.com
Heal Your Pets At Home!
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones
DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. Dr Andrew Jones resigned from the College of Veterinarians of B.C. effective December 1 2010, meaning he cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make specific medical recommendations for your pet.
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