Submitted by Deb and MacKenz... on May 25, 2011 - 10:17am.
The RAW feeders should know. Heartworm comes from mosquitos and garlic is a repellent, but I'm not sure if it is just a flea and tick repellent. We don't use heartworm prevention in our area as it is not a common problem, because the cold winters kill off the mosquitos.
Submitted by CathyandAudrey on May 25, 2011 - 12:22pm.
I use a complete holistic approach. (Gosh I miss Judy! She is the one that guided me in the right direction!)
I keep her immune system as strong as it can be by:
feeding a species appropraite diet and not asking her organs to overwork digesting things they were never meant to.
no chemicals in or on her. That means no chemical flea pesticides or worming pesticides. I do not call them "medications" because medications are something used to treat a disease or illness, and flea and heartworm "medications" do not treat any disease or illness they are insecticides that kill parasites.
I use essential oils to deter fleas and mosquitos. I use DE for flea control.
I feed garlic and diatomaceous earth. Both of these help keep her immune system at it's best, which will in turn help it do it's job and fight off any heartworms it encounters.
No more vaccines. I have to do the 3 yr rabies by law, but that is the only one she will get again.
I also use something called Heartworm Free. It has been tested as a treatment for heartworms, then tested for 4 years as a preventitive befre it was sold as one.
I read as much as I could find on heartworms, treatments and preventitives, risks, etc.... There have been NO long term studies done on the effects of these chemicals and the reporting system to monitor them is not the best. They are neurotoxins, and a dog may be able to tolerate the first few, or dozen, doses, but after a while they can't take it anymore. Then people think "it can't be the insecticides because they have taken them for years and never had a reaction before". I had a dog that dragged her back leg after her heartworm dose. It would gradually get better then start again, right after her next monthly dose. No more heartworm meds, no more foot dragging. I do not believe it was just coincidence.
The goal in a holistic approach is to make sure your dog's immune system is at it's peak. A healthy immune system does not succomb to a parasite infestation. Even if a few parasites make it through a dog's natural defenses a strong immune system will be able to keep any damage to a minimum. You can more gently help your dog handle the parasites, to work WITH your dog's immune system instead of blasting it with chemicals. The strong insecticides given over and over and over again eventually take it's toll and the immune system can no longer perfom like it needs to.
I think it's Garlic
The RAW feeders should know. Heartworm comes from mosquitos and garlic is a repellent, but I'm not sure if it is just a flea and tick repellent. We don't use heartworm prevention in our area as it is not a common problem, because the cold winters kill off the mosquitos.
I do
I use a complete holistic approach. (Gosh I miss Judy! She is the one that guided me in the right direction!)
I keep her immune system as strong as it can be by:
feeding a species appropraite diet and not asking her organs to overwork digesting things they were never meant to.
no chemicals in or on her. That means no chemical flea pesticides or worming pesticides. I do not call them "medications" because medications are something used to treat a disease or illness, and flea and heartworm "medications" do not treat any disease or illness they are insecticides that kill parasites.
I use essential oils to deter fleas and mosquitos. I use DE for flea control.
I feed garlic and diatomaceous earth. Both of these help keep her immune system at it's best, which will in turn help it do it's job and fight off any heartworms it encounters.
No more vaccines. I have to do the 3 yr rabies by law, but that is the only one she will get again.
I also use something called Heartworm Free. It has been tested as a treatment for heartworms, then tested for 4 years as a preventitive befre it was sold as one.
I read as much as I could find on heartworms, treatments and preventitives, risks, etc.... There have been NO long term studies done on the effects of these chemicals and the reporting system to monitor them is not the best. They are neurotoxins, and a dog may be able to tolerate the first few, or dozen, doses, but after a while they can't take it anymore. Then people think "it can't be the insecticides because they have taken them for years and never had a reaction before". I had a dog that dragged her back leg after her heartworm dose. It would gradually get better then start again, right after her next monthly dose. No more heartworm meds, no more foot dragging. I do not believe it was just coincidence.
The goal in a holistic approach is to make sure your dog's immune system is at it's peak. A healthy immune system does not succomb to a parasite infestation. Even if a few parasites make it through a dog's natural defenses a strong immune system will be able to keep any damage to a minimum. You can more gently help your dog handle the parasites, to work WITH your dog's immune system instead of blasting it with chemicals. The strong insecticides given over and over and over again eventually take it's toll and the immune system can no longer perfom like it needs to.
Cathy and Audrey