What the average pet owner is not aware of, is just how specific and precise the conditions must be in order for a dog to contract heartworm and how easy it is to avoid issues if a dog becomes infected. Unfortunately, most conventional vets scare the S*%T out of us as they profit from over-vaccinating, prescribing flea, tick, and heartworm “preventives” and synthetic and/or highly processed food.
Due to conflict of interest in Companion Animal Parasite Council and American Heartworm Society, I rely on the actual lifecycle of heartworms and my suggestion for prevention. After all, heartworm is transferred through mosquitoes and vets should NEVER suggest using preventives when it is cold and mosquitoes cannot carry it. Coventional vets tend to over prescribe. That is probably because they are getting their information from the drug sales reps instead of common sense. Not all conventional vets pull this, but many do.
According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), less than 1.5 percent of dogs in the United States will test positive for heartworm. Merely 14 states present a high risk for heartworm in dogs. Those states have very high temperatures and humidity levels during the seasons that the infected mosquitoes can thrive. These statistics have remained steady for several years. I don’t rely much on CAPC because they are sponsored by the following manufacturers:
These companies donate money to Companion Animal Parasite Council
Despite these facts, many conventional vets are recommending heartworm products to be taken anually. What’s more, many conventional vets are recommending these products to be used on cats ignoring the fact that cats aren’t natural hosts for heartworm! I strongly recommend that you discuss heartworm products with a vet who is well trained in holistic care as other vets have a more commercial training and do not have much information beyond what their pharmaceutical sales rep tell them.
The terms “preventive” and “preventative” are actually misnomers when referring to heartworm products. They are actually pesticides (as defined by the EPA) which do not prevent pests – they kill the larvae. After using a “preventive” product that a vet once recommended, one of my dogs had a seizure. It was that event that made me question competence and ethics of the majority of conventional vets. Between these vets and The Heartworm Society, pet owners are shelling out money, receiving poor veterinary care, and putting the health of their dogs into jeopardy as a result. The Heartworm Society is an organization used to “educate” people, but it is chiefly a marketing tool for the pharmaceutical industry which supports the organization. The following pharmaceutical manufacturers sponsor The Heartworm Society so of course, it would be a conflict of interest.
Even in states where heartworm is not a concern, it is wise to use natural ways to repel pests like ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes and it is a good idea to have the heartworm test each year to be absolutely sure that all is ok. With cimate change it might be difficult to know for sure where infected mosquitoes will be due to increasing humidity in areas where humidity was not an issue before. Please check out natural options in my article, Repel Ticks & Fleas Naturally and Natural Tick & Flea Repellent as many products will also repel mosquitoes as well.
Heartworm can be treated holistically which or using conventional medicine which is very harsh on the body, but will also do the trick without dangerous side effects. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of using a holistic vet in order to avoid the abuse of commercial treatment.
The Heartworm and How it is Transferred:
Heartworm is only transferred via mosquitoes. Only a specific species of mosquitoes can infect a dog with heartworm and it must be a female mosquito doing that job. It sounds pretty simple, but it’s not.
The mosquito only becomes infested with heartworm when it bites a mammal which is already infected. Then the mosquito needs to bite Fido in order for the heartworm to be transferred. This sounds very scary but it is even more complicated.
The infected mammal that gets the first bite must be infected with sexually mature adult male and adult female heartworms that have produced offspring (baby heartworms) at the time of the bite. It gets even more specific though.
Those heartworm offspring must be at a specific developmental stage (this stage take a minimum of 2 weeks) at the specific time that the mosquito bites that infected mammal.
Temperature: The weather and the moisture in the air play a critical role. One source indicated that at the time a mosquito is incubating the heartworm larva, the weather must maintain a temperature exceeding 57ºF throughout the day and night for a minimum of 14 days since the mosquito’s initial bite to incubate within the mosquito. If the temperature dips below 57ºF, heartworm development stops and the process must begin again.
Time: Let’s say after 2 weeks of carrying the heartworm, the infected mosquito bites a dog. At that point, according to Dr. Dobias (an expert in the subject of heartworm), the temperature must remain above 57ºF for at least 45 days straight and at least two weeks of temperatures over 80ºF. If these conditions are not satisfied, the life cycle of the parasite cannot complete. Therefore, your dog is safe.
One of my readers told me she caught a vet in a lie. On his Facebook page, the vet claimed that he treated 2 patients for heartworm in the past week. Hmmm… Now if they were his patients, why did he neglect testing PRIOR to the full-blown infection? Also, the temperature has dipped below 56ºF so it was impossible. Not only did that vet remove her comment, but he removed his complete story about treating the dogs for heartworm – if he didn’t lie, why would he remove the whole thing??? Furthermore, he blocked her so she could no longer uncover his lies. This vet should be ashamed. Bravo to my reader for being so diligent and for speaking her mind!
Humidity: Humidity is yet another factor. When the stages of development within the mosquito are complete, its saliva will carry the heartworm which can infect a dog only if it is humid enough so that the droplet of mosquito saliva does not evaporate.
If a dog becomes infected with beginning stage of heartworm. It will take around 2 weeks for the heartworm to develop into the next stage while it is living in the skin (not in the bloodstream). The heartworm will continue to live in the skin for the next 3 to 4 months until it reaches the next stage of its development. At that time, the heartworm will migrate into the bloodstream. From the time that the heartworm enters the dog’s body, it will take around 5 to 7 months.
Heartworm Presence: The dog can only become infected in the presence of an adult male and female that have mated and produced offspring. Otherwise, the heartworm will die off and the dog will not become infested with heartworms; they will not get heartworm.
Issues with Heartworm Products 
Heartworm products are that dogs are building up resistance. Similar to antibiotics, when repeatedly using the same pesticides on an ongoing basis, they are losing their efficacy. It is a disgrace that many conventional vets prescribe heartworm pesticides to be taken year-round. Either many conventional vets are unaware of the concept of resistance, unaware that these are pesticides, unaware that there are alternatives, or just plain unethical and cashing in. According to a study, “The practice of some veterinarians to continuously prescribe monthly chemoprophylaxis exaggerates the actual risk of heartworm transmission in most parts of the country and unnecessarily increases the cost of protection to their clients.”
Conventional heartworm products contain neurotoxins which kill the heartworm by paralyzing their nervous system. This not only affects the nervous system of the heartworm, but it can certainly have a neurological effect on your dog. Hense, you might find neurological side effects like seizures, stumbling, or trembling. To see records of dogs which have experienced side effects from specific conventional heartworm products, please check out The Risk of Heartworm Drugs and keep in mind that these are only the incidences that were reported. A great number of side effects are not reported.
Dr. Jeff Levy, a vet who practices homeopathy emphasizes that it isn’t heartworms that cause disease, but the other factors (yearly vaccinations, commercial dog food, and general over-medicating for issues including skin problems, ear infections and other health issues) that damages dogs’ health to the point that their immune system cannot deal with such parasites. Dr. Marty Goldstein describes these treatments as “disease-causing toxicity.” Pesticide products are particularly dangerous for dogs with liver and kidney issues as the toxins flow through those organs.
Holistic vets agree that strengthening the immune system, using non-toxic alternatives, an excellent diet, and no drugs unless they’re absolutely unavoidable. Most holistic vets recommend testing blood throughout the year using a specific DNA heartworm test to confirm that your dog is free from heartworm. Many other tests used are not as accurate and are therefore useless.
An EXCELLENT article to check out is Why I Don’t Give My Dog Heartworm Meds (and Why You Shouldn’t Either). Another great article is Monthly Heartworm Prevention: Why It’s Unnecessary. The article also discusses how heartworm pesticides affect the heartworm organism with neurotoxins which can impact upon a dog’s nervous system as well as that of the heartworm. There are other ways to prevent heartworm without using toxic products.
Another option that is likely to be more feasible is the Heartworm Antigen Test. This test can detect heartworm at its earliest stages as well. The heartworm antigen test is extremely sensitive because it measures the antibody titer of the body to the presence of heartworm. However, sometimes this test renders false negatives so be sure that your vet is aware of that. I just like to double check things so I speak up when I think it might be necessary – just to be sure…
These tests allow you catch the disease early when it’s easier to treat using safe holistic methods. Vets who have taken the time to study additional curriculum to earn certification for practicing such methods are capable of providing the safest guidance. Most conventional vets lack that further education so they resort to pharmaceuticals which are usually taxing on the immune system and the kidneys. Keep in mind though, this organization is sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. Many vets are not familiar with the protocol described this article describes as conventional medicine is limited to the instruction that is generously funded by pharmaceutical companies. It takes many years beyond veterinary school to become well-versed in alternative treatment and prevention. I pass information to you which comes from the experts. If dogs are given the appropriate preventive care (diet and natural preventives) and proper testing and provided expert treatment, dogs would not be prone to suffering from the disease.
Although the map below might appear to be frightening, testing the blood a number of times during the year (depending upon the length of the heartworm season) assures you that your dog is safe. Heartworm is dangerous when infected dogs are not tested and treatment is neglected. The diagram below merely shows diagnosis. There is no information about treatment on the map and no indication of fatalities.
To see a 2018 interactive map of prevalence, see Companion Animal Parasite Council. To give you some perspective, less than 1.5 percent of dogs throughout the USA will test positive for heartworm. They are actually a 501(C)(3) organization for educational purposes, but if you examine them more closely you will notice that they are sponsored by the very companies that manufacture heartworm products. This was announced in May of 2014. Is that a conflict of interest or what???
The American Heartworm Association is also sponsored by the manufacturers that make heartworm products.
Both “organizations” have leadership who have been involved with pharmaceutical companies. I had a heartworm maps on this page, but due to my reasonable skepticism for obvious reasons I have removed them.
Dr. Marty Goldstein in The Nature Of Animal Healing says: “Only a small percentage of dogs who get heartworm die of it, especially if they’re routinely tested two to three times yearly for early detection. Even in untreated dogs, after a period of uncomfortable symptoms, the adult worms die…”
Dr. Dobias who has a holistic practice in Canada created the charts below his suggestions of the number of DNA heartworm tests he recommends to eliminate the need for “preventive” drugs completely.
Here is Dr. Dobias’ chart indicating the number of heartworm tests he recommends based upon the duration of heartworm season:
Please keep in mind that the is old, but if you allow the temperature to guide you it will be more accurate.
Dr. Jean Dodds’ (a top expert on veterinary immunology) research established that there is a link between the heartworm products and autoimmune disease. In fact, she has found that these heartworm products can lead to death (even within days of administration). Yearly vaccines and unnecessary medications along with pest preventive treatments cause the immune system to become overwhelmed to the point that the immune system becomes confused. In this confusion, the body misinterprets healthy cells as diseased cells. The body then attacks itself. This is what autoimmune disease is.
If a dog owner insists on giving a dog heartworm products, Dr. Dodds points out that these products can be administered every 45 days instead of every 30 days, but you must strictly follow every 45 days. By administering every 30 days, there is more money to be made through sales while greatly increasing toxicity. She points out many cautions that must be considered along with many suggestions in her article, Dr. Dodds’ Take on and General Recommendations for Heartworm Preventives (Preventatives). For example, dogs with organ diseases should never take these drugs.
An EXCELLENT article to read is Why I Don’t Give My Dogs Heartworm Meds (And Why You Shouldn’t Either). It is a MUST read. Another great article Are Drug Companies Honest About Heartworm? by Dr. Peter Dobias.
How can mosquitoes and heartworm be avoided naturally?
I keep my dogs on a raw diet which is biologically appropriate. My dogs have been vaccinated minimally (only rabies every 3 years as per present legal regulations which will eventually change so we will be able to vaccinate less). Please read my article, Are Vaccines Really Safe? to understand vaccines better and to see how they are abused. The information comes from the foremost leader and authority in the study of vaccines in veterinary medicine.
A great Article that I strongly suggest reading is: Heartworm in Dogs: 10 Things You Didn’t Know.
Dogs on biologically appropriate diets. I typically recommend Barfworld. My article The Best Dog Food for Beginners describes its excellent in quality and how simple it is to feed. The quality of this food is far superior and because it is not synthetic and/or lab-created or over-processed (commercial) diets. The few number of added vitamins and mineral indicates that the food itself contains great nutritious value.
I also avoid vaccinations (with the exception of rabies which has legal requirements). With minimally vaccinated dogs, their immune systems are healthier and not over-worked or abused so they function properly. Remember that we don’t get our polio and measles annually for a lifetime – there is a reason. If your physician gave you those vaccines annually there would likely be a lawsuit for malpractice on the horizon.
For more advanced raw feeders I recommend Raw Paws. You can read more about their food in my article The BEST Dog Food for the Advanced. In that article, I discuss the Raw Paws diet which requires more work because of preparation. Barfworld comes in the form of patties and nuggets. While some of Raw Paws food is available in the form of patties, the price (pound per pound) is quite higher than the bulk (which takes some time to portion out). Some advanced raw feeders prefer to add their own whole food supplements. The Barfworld diet already contains whole food supplements while Raw Paws doesn’t.
When tick, flea, and mosquito season is approaching I give my girls a natural (non-pesticide) supplement that repels ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes called Internal Powder which is made by Earth Animal. I add
the Internal Powder to their food. I also recommend
Pet Naturals Flea& Tick Spray contains lemongrass oil, cinnamon oil, sesame oil, castor oil, purified water, and Vitamin E. It repels ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes (heartworm it transferred from mosquitoes).
Only Natural Pet HW Protect Herbal Formula is another product that effectively repels mosquitoes. It is taken orally. It is recommended that you use a natural repellent spray along with the oral products to get the best results.
0Bug!Zone & EasyDefense are non-chemical tick and flea tags which also repels mosquitoes. It takes 24 to 48 hours of wear for them to be effective. I have tried a similar tag, but I found no success with it. On the other hand, two friends of mine have been using them for their dogs for years with success. They work by way of bioenergetic frequencies and they must be worn at all times.
There are also tags that work through sound frequencies to repel ticks and fleas. Supposedly dogs don’t hear the sounds, but I believe they actually do. I am not sure if it gives off any “electrosmog,” but they are safe (definitely safer than using pesticides). think that it is likely that excessive electrosmog is unsafe. I’m not sure what levels are considered safe for dogs.
Great caution must be exercised for dogs with kidney disease, liver disease, or dogs prone to seizures should not be on any unnatural or pharmaceutical for heartworm, ticks & fleas. This is why it is best to consult your holistic vet about using de-wormers.
During tick and flea season, keep your dogs safe from the pests! Here are other articles with ideas:
Repel or Kill Ticks & Fleas Naturally
Natural Flea & Tick Repellents
Here are More Pest Repellent Products!!!
Vital Animals Don’t Get Heartworms! is an e-book by Dr. William Falconer who is a respected holistic vet. This is an excellent book that educates people about drug-free heartworm prevention and how to stop poisoning your dog in the name of prevention. A great article by Dr. Falconer is Natural Heartworm Prevention. The article contains links to other great articles on his website that I highly recommend.
Another great heartworm guide is published by Dogs Naturally Magazine. You may check out their free e-Book.
Sources:
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Karen Becker. “Heartworm Prevention for Pets.” Mercola.com. Healthy Pets Mercola, 28 Aug. 2016. Web. 29 Aug. 2016. Web. <http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/08/28/heartworm-disease-dogs.aspx>. Bollmann, Corinna. “Heartworm – To Guard Or Not to Guard? That Is the Question.” Ezine Articles. 15 May 2009. Web. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Heartworm—To-Guard-Or-Not-to-Guard?-That-is-the-Question&id=2350468>.“CAPC Monthly Animal Parasite Alert | CAPC Vet.” Companion Animal Parasite Council, CAPC, 2018, www.capcvet.org/maps/#2018/all/heartworm-canine/dog/united-states/. Cullens, Lee. THE WHOLE STORY ABOUT HEARTWORM (much of Which You May Not Be Told Otherwise). Woodhaven Labs, Mar. 2008. Web. <http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/documents/heartworm.pdf>. Dobias, Peter. “Dogs Naturally Magazine.” Dogs Naturally Magazine. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/heartworm-prevention-why-monthly-preventive-drugs-are-unnecessary/>. Dodds, Jean. “Dr. Dodds’ Take on and General Recommendations for Heartworm Preventives (Preventatives).” Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog. Dr. Jean Dodds, 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/46289883129/dodds-heartworm-preventives#.VvGC23pKW4D>. Goldstein, Martin. The Nature of Animal Healing: The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat. New York: Ballantine, 2000. Print. Knight, David H., and James B. Lok. “Seasonality of Heartworm Infection and Implications for …” Topics in Companion Animal Medicine. Ed. Matthew W. Miller. Department of Clinical Studies, and the Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, May 1988. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <http://www.companimalmed.com/article/S1096-2867(98)80010-8/abstract>. Volume 13, Issue 2, p77-118 Thomason, Jeannie. “Natural Heartworm Prevention.” The Whole Dog. <http://www.thewholedog.org/heartworm.html>. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. “Heartworm Disease – Village Center Veterinary Care.” Heartworm Disease – Village Center Veterinary Care. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.villagecentervet.com/pet-health/dog-health/66-heartworm-disease>. |
8 thoughts on “Heartworm Drama”
I’ve been nervous about heartworms lately. I’m in California, so the temps are usually high, though it’s dry and mosquitoes prefer moist areas. We do get bitten once in a while. I’m thinking of just testing my dogs. Great information, thanks for sharing your recommendations on products and solutions!
Hi Lindsay-
Thank you so much for reading my article. I am so happy that it was helpful to you. One of my readers caught a vet in a lie when he posted something about heartworm. To make matters worse, he had the nerve to strongly recommend year-round “protection.” Please continue to follow my site and feel free to sign up for the free newsletter. I just finished an article about anxiety. Many dogs freak out when fireworks go off. Anxiety – A General Natural Approach – Part I.
All the best and thank you for your comment!
Janie
This is one of the most detailed and accurate analysis of heartworm pesticides I have read. Over 6 years ago I read about what I choose to call the heartworm scam.
Why poison my dog all year when it is not necessary?
As a result my dog gets heartworm pills (Ivermectin) seasonally based on temperatures and then only every 45 days.
Hi Carolyn-
Thank you for the kind words. I know that my articles tend to be really long, but if you can get through them I promise you will learn a ton! Thank you for taking the time.
Yes!!! It is a big scam. Another scam is over-vaccination. I have an article (a long one) Are Vaccines Really Safe? I STRONGLY suggest everyone read it and to please spread the word.
Looking at the maps (that I updated a couple of weeks ago), you will get the best guidance to suit your needs. If you go to the website I got the maps from you will see maps for ticks, fleas…
I use natural products as my dog is prone to seizures from pesticide products. I use the internal powder & I have tried several sprays. That route has always worked for me.
Thanks again for visiting
Janie
The fact that your article requires authorization to post a comment further solidifies my argument. You have no room in your mind…
Rosie-
I do not accept hate mail. This is MY home and nobody has any right to be abusive here. I think that creating your email addresses in order to send me hate mail (eatme@… and Imrightyourewrong@…) is unkind. Because this is my home, I absolutely do moderate email coming to me. Obviously I cut off the remaining parts of your email because of the lack of appropriateness. I decided to respond though to address a couple of things that you mentioned.
Unfortunately for conventional vets, their education is not further enhanced by taking the additional study and training that is required to be a holistic or integrative practitioner. I get much of my information from the world-renowned Dr. Marty Goldstein, Dr. Karen Becker, and other well known integrative vets. Many things are toxic, but in minuscule amounts and based upon the weight of the dog natural options are the best. It is common sense that natural treatments that holistic vets prescribe based upon biological and natural appropriateness to treat an issue.
Conventional heartworm and conventional tick and flea products contain neurotoxins which are the active ingredients of those products. The whole point of medical care is to avoid putting things that are so dangerous into a dog’s body. My dog with seizures was almost killed after applying a monthly tick and flea product to her skin on her back. Her seizure was so severe that I could hardly get control over her to wash the chemicals off of her.
I have the ip address that you used when you sent this email (and the other hate email). It is safe for you to assume that any email in the future coming from that ip address will be automatically sent to spam.
All the best,
Janie
Hi Janie,
This post is so informative! My dog is 10 years old and she started having seizures approximately six years ago. The vet diagnosed her with epilepsy and put her on lifelong meds. She hasn’t had any seizures recently and so I it seemed that the meds were working. I never considered other possible causes of the condition until now.
It seems plausible that this condition could have been caused by the heartworm meds because I stopped giving them to her on a monthly basis at that time.
I never thought about the connection between the heartworm medication and the seizures. This article has made me question the lifelong meds, and begin my exploration of alternative options.
Thank you so much for sharing this information,
Kimberly
Hi Kimberly-
Thank you so much for your comment and for visiting my website.
It’s really important to question what that tell us. I am particularly concerned about conventional vets who have limited background as they are heavily swayed by corporations. Many of us blindly trust our vets.
It’s a great thing to consider alternatives.
Thank you again for your comment.
Warmly,
Janie