Is there a natural cure for a dog that has been diognosed with heartworms?

July 13, 2011 by  
Filed under Common Questions

Question by nobleshaley: Is there a natural cure for a dog that has been diognosed with heartworms?
My 12 year old sheltie male has been tested for heartworms and the results were possitive.I am scared of the dangerous treatments for this and would appreciate any info on some natural cures for my dog.He is 30.01 pounds.He is on a holistic diet and is taken good care of.I have heard that black walnut hulls are a good heartworm preventive.Is that true?

Best answer:

Answer by grouchyeve
There is no known natural cure. Please get proper treatment for your dog before it’s too late.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Comments

9 Responses to “Is there a natural cure for a dog that has been diognosed with heartworms?”
  1. Goldengal says:

    No I’m sorry but there is no home remedy for heart worms. Only a vet can give your dog the proper treatment.

  2. Lindsay G says:

    What the vet gives you as treatment is what works the best.

  3. raspberryswirrrl says:

    Give him walnut hulls and dance around an oak tree every third sunday night in the nude.
    Just kidding.

    There is no natural treatment for heartworm that actually works. He needs proper treatment, and quickly.

    It is likely that this heartworm will kill him.
    shame on you for not treating your dog properly and allowing him to contract heartworm.

    Also, Im not sure what you think a “holisitic” diet consists of, but if its anything more than meat, carbs (like rice or pasta), an occasional raw bone and some really good quality dry dog food, then he probably isnt his healthiest anyway. He is a dog – not a human… we have very different dietry requirements.
    .

  4. vettech1016 says:

    While I respect your views on holistic medicine for your companion, I’m a veterinary technician and have never known of any natural cures/treatments for heartworms. It needs to be treated with injectable medicines. While it risky, the risk of not treating it is much more dangerous.

    Also, while it’s not exactly natural, the best way to prevent heartworms are with ingestible medications sold through your veterinary like Heartgard Plus. Also, most clinics have an agreement with the supplier of Heartgard, that, if your dog contracts heartworms while taking Heartgard, they will cover the cost of treatment.

  5. jim_elkins says:

    It’s too late to try anything preventative. I don’t there is a vet around that can tell you your 12 year old pet will survive the treatment or not. They will tell you that if it is not too far advanced, your pet stands a chance to survive. As far as I know there are no natural cures.

    You might want to take a look at this web site.

    http://www.dogaware.com/heartworm.html

  6. TooOldForThis says:

    Okay…walnut shells…preventative… sheesh..

    Do you understand what a heartworm is????

    It is WORMS in your dog’s HEART.

    Most dogs die from this, I am very sorry that your poor doggie has this.. You MUST have him treated aggresively.

    Heartworm is a parasitic roundworm (Dirofilaria immitis) that is spread from host to host through the bites of mosquitoes. The heartworm affects dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and some other animals, such as ferrets, sea lions, and even humans. The parasitic worm is called a “heartworm” because the parasite, in the final reproductive stage of its life cycle, resides in the heart of its host where it can stay for many years and may kill its host through congestive failure of the heart. Heartworm infestation may be extremely serious for the infected host; infected dogs that go untreated can die and even treated dogs must go through a long period of uncomfortable treatment (sometimes requiring surgery) to kill the worms and remove them from the body. The best defense against heartworm is the use of prophylactic treatment given regularly during the mosquito season. A course of heartworm prevention begins with a blood test to see if the parasite is present. If the dog is parasite free, a prophylactic medication can be used to prevent heartworm infection. A positive test result, on the other hand, usually requires treatment to eradicate the worms.

    If either a blood test or the onset of symptoms betray the presence of heartworms, treatment is indicated. Treatment is highly efficacious if the disease is diagnosed early in the disease process. Before the worms can be treated, however, the dog must be evaluated for good heart, liver, and kidney function to ensure the animal can survive the treatment. Any insufficiencies in these organs must be dealt with first, before treatment, as the eradication process can be taxing on organ function. Usually the adult worms are killed with an arsenic-based compound. The currently recommended compound, Melarsomine dihydrochloride, is marketed under the brand name Immiticide. It has a greater efficacy and fewer side effects than previous formulation (Thiacetarsamide sodium, sold as Caparsolate) which makes it a safer alternative for dogs with late-stage infestations.

    After treatment, the dog must rest (restricted exercise) for several weeks so as to give its body sufficient time to absorb the dead worms without ill effect. Otherwise, when the dog is under exertion, dead worms may break loose and travel to the lungs, potentially causing respiratory failure and death. According to the American Heartworm Society, use of aspirin in dogs infected with heartworms is no longer recommended due to a lack of evidence of clinical benefit, and may be contraindicated. It had previously been recommended for its effects on platelet adhesion and reduction of vascular damage caused by the heartworms.
    The course of treatment is not completed until several weeks later when the microfilariae are dealt with in a separate course of treatment. Once heartworm tests come back negative, the treatment is considered a success.
    Surgical removal of the adult heartworms is also a treatment that may be indicated, especially in advanced cases with substantial heart involvement.
    Long term monthly administration of ivermectin (but apparently not moxidectin, milbemycin or selamectin) year round for at least three years at the dose normally used for heartworm prevention (see “Prevention”) also removes most adult heartworms from most dogs. However, this is not the treatment of choice for removal of adult heartworms for two reasons. First, not all dogs are completely cleared of heartworms by this treatment. More importantly, adult heartworms do not begin to die until some 18 months of treatment have elapsed, which is not acceptable under most circumstances. This treatment is normally reserved for dogs that are not likely to tolerate treatment with the harsher, but more effective, melarsomine or instances where the owner cannot afford the more expensive melarsomine treatment.
    From time to time various “homeopathic,” “natural” or “organic” products are touted as cures or preventives for heartworm disease. However, such products have never been proven effective by rigorous scientific methods, and the claims should be viewed with skepticism.

  7. sity.cent says:

    The treatment is arsenic, he will likely die from the heartworms if left untreated.

  8. Daphne says:

    No natural cures. Your dog should have the course of Immiticide ASAP (depending on how advanced the heartworm is) and then be given heartworm preventative every month. An ounce of prevention…

  9. marielaveau1794 says:

    I had a dog that was treated for heartworms with the arsenic treatment. That was very hard on him but did survive and is still with us several years later and doing great. Since, I talked to another vet and they said they (this particular vet clinic) do not treat for heartworms in that way anymore. They start the dog on heartworm preventatives and this prevents any new worms and as the ones that are already there die off this kills the infestation. Makes sense to me and if you are interested in talking to the vet or me about this more you can email me at marielaveau1794@yahoo.com. I could give you the number to the clinic. I would not put another pet through the arsenic treatment again though.

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