| Heartworm is a parasite that gets transmitted | | | | healthy dog would not be susceptible to either |
| through bites from infected mosquitoes. Larvae | | | | type of worm in the first place. It seems to me |
| enter the bloodstream and migrate to the heart. | | | | that the real problem is that allopathic attitudes |
| Larvae live in the heart for six months before | | | | have instilled in many of us a fear of disease, fear |
| they turn into adults. If an animal tests positive | | | | of pathogens and parasites, fear of rabies, as if |
| for heartworm, he can be treated in an effective | | | | these are evil and malicious entities just waiting to |
| and safe way, unless the infestation has been | | | | lay waste to a naïve and unprotected public." |
| present for a long time (3-4 years). | | | | So do we need to use a preventative every |
| Most holistic practitioners and alternative | | | | year? To see if your pet is even at risk, find out |
| veterinarians will explain that the healthy pet, that | | | | how many cases of heartworm we had in |
| eats a good diet, is vaccine free, and is not | | | | Ontario over the last few years and where the |
| currently on any heartworm medication or | | | | majority of cases happened. Infected mosquitoes |
| chemical flea and tick preventatives, most likely | | | | transmit heartworm, so how about eliminating the |
| has a strong immune system that will fight off | | | | risk by keeping your pet safe with a natural |
| heartworm. None of the larvae will survive and | | | | mosquito repellent and reducing mosquito |
| become adults. In the unlikely event that some of | | | | populations in the environment? Stagnant water is |
| the larvae should manage to survive to adulthood, | | | | an ideal breeding ground for them. Get rid of it. |
| it is not the death sentence that many vets and | | | | When traveling with your pet, find out how high |
| pharmaceutical companies want us to believe. A | | | | the risk of heartworm is in those areas, and take |
| truly healthy dog will not be a hospitable host. His | | | | precautions like holistic insect repellents. |
| strong immune system will weaken heartworms | | | | Be aware that the posters from the |
| and the pet should be able to fight them off with | | | | manufacturers of preventive heartworm |
| no lasting ill effects to his health. | | | | medications are supposed to create fear in you. |
| Dr. William Falconer, a homeopathic veterinarian in | | | | And it works, doesn't it? But is the risk as high as |
| Austin, Texas states: "The heartworm has been | | | | they make it sound? Are we buying because we |
| out there forever as far as we know, but we | | | | are uneducated about the disease, the product, |
| don't read reports of wolves and coyotes being | | | | the side effects, and the actual risk for our pets? |
| wiped out by heartworm, and yet domestic dogs | | | | The usual dramatic poster of an open heart full of |
| are falling prey to it." | | | | heartworm is in reality the heart of a animal with |
| The reason why our domesticated pets are falling | | | | weak immunity that has been infected with |
| prey to heartworms is because they have | | | | heartworm for years, never been tested and |
| weakened immune systems. Canines in the wild | | | | never been treated. |
| are eating raw meat and bones and are never | | | | The pills for heartworm are actually not a |
| exposed to chemical treatments. Their strong | | | | preventative, but the cure, which is toxic. Would |
| immune systems fight off heartworm in the | | | | you take toxic medication for leukemia every |
| larvae stage, or very few heartworms survive | | | | month of every year just in case you might ever |
| and they do not threaten their hosts' lives. | | | | get it? Most likely not. Dr. Martin Goldstein, DVM, |
| A parasite doesn't intend to kill the host. The | | | | states in his book The Nature Of Animal Healing |
| evolution of a parasite depends on completing its | | | | that he believes that most of the liver diseases |
| life cycle. If it kills the host it means the end. | | | | and cancers we see in today's dogs are related |
| When parasites infest and ultimately kill the host, | | | | to heartworm preventatives. His own dog and |
| the host must have had health issues to begin | | | | most of the clients in his practice are not treated |
| with. | | | | with heartworm preventatives. |
| Veterinarian Dr. Levy practiced for many years in | | | | As mentioned earlier, heartworm meds, flea and |
| California and treated many dogs with | | | | tick prevention and the annual check-up are a |
| heartworms. He observed that the only dogs that | | | | major source of income for veterinarians. You do |
| developed symptoms of heart failure were those | | | | have a choice of saying yes or no to products or |
| with yearly vaccines, being fed commercial dog | | | | services. That does not make you a bad pet |
| food and receiving drug treatments for other | | | | owner. That makes you a good and educated pet |
| symptoms such as skin conditions. | | | | owner who is making careful choices by weighing |
| Dr. Levy concluded "It is not really that different | | | | the likelihood of encountering diseases or health |
| from the common intestinal roundworms, in that | | | | problems from toxic preventatives. Period. |
| most dogs do not show any symptoms. Only a | | | | What is the best remedy for heartworm? |
| dog whose health is compromised is unable to | | | | Ignore the ads. |
| tolerate a few worms. Furthermore, a truly | | | | |