That being said, I also believe everyone has the right to choose how they care for their companion animals, but those choices should be informed decisions.
Regardless of the route you take, whether it's conventional or non-conventional, heartworm is a real threat if you live in areas where it is prevalent. Recently I was speaking to a friend in Calgary who was preparing to take her dog to the vet and she asked me what I thought she should do about heartworm prevention, if the topic came up during the visit. So, I was curious and looked into the threat of heartworm in Calgary. What I found is, there is very little risk in the Province of Alberta for heartworm, it's literally a handful of dogs and to date, apparently, all of those dogs were imported or had visited areas with a high prevalence of heartworm.
A study completed in 2010 by the University of Guelph actually shows a low incidence of heartworm throughout Canada, with the highest incidence in Southern Ontario. The study can be found here: http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/heartworm/2010/
So, does that mean you can rest easy and be certain your dog (or cat) will not contract heartworm? Of course not. Heartworm should be taken very seriously, as it is a potentially fatal infection. What is important is that pet owners take into consideration the risk involved for their pets both for heartworm infection and for the use of chemical preventatives.
How Heartworm is Spread
There are a lot of factors that have to come into play in order for your pet to be infected with heartworm. These steps have to take place during very specific conditions and with perfect timing, in order for your dog or cat to be infected.
In order for your dog to be infected he/she has to be bitten by a female mosquito of a certain species and it has to be a species that feeds on mammals. That mosquito has to have bitten an animal infected by Stage 1 larvae. Over the next two weeks, those larvae will mature into Stage 3 larvae, but that is dependant upon specific temperatures, which have to be maintained for the entire two week period. The infected mosquito then has to bite your dog and deposit the Stage 3 larvae. In another 3 or 4 months those larvae will become Stage 4 and 5 larvae. If those larvae make it through the blood stream into the heart and lungs, they will grow to full maturity, Stage 6 heartworms, at which point they can be up to 6 inches for males and 12 for females.
There are more detailed explanations regarding heartworm, their growth and how they are spread and I have included the links at the end of this post.
Because heartworms rely on very specific temperatures to develop, Canada is not an optimal place for them to thrive. This is why they are almost non-existent in Alberta, because of the temperatures and the dry climate.
What are the Options?
Weigh your risks first. Find out what the prevalence or lack thereof, of heartworm infections is in the area where you live. Keep your dog or cat inside the house during times when mosquitoes are most active and use natural bug repellents when they are outside.
There are all kinds of non-chemical ways to provide your dog with protection. Diet is extremely important as it works to strengthen the immune system and keep your pet healthy from the inside out. Immune function is critical in keeping any type of parasite or pest away from your pet. Adding herbs like Hawthorne Berry, which is used to strengthen and stabilize the heart and co-enzyme Q10, which also supports the heart and is high in antioxidants, as well as things like omega 3 fatty acids, will help keep your pet's heart healthy and strong and boost the immune system. Products like food grade diatomaceous earth and black walnut kill all kinds of parasites inside the body. (As I have mentioned in previous posts, I would recommend speaking to your vet about the use of any medications or herbs)
You can also have a heartworm test done twice a year to check for infection. Dr. Peter Dobias wrote a great article recently about his opinion on heartworm preventatives and some treatment options. I have included the link at the end of this post.
If your pet has a compromised immune system giving them heartworm preventatives or any other chemicals, can be a slippery slope. Keep in mind, the although they are called preventatives, giving your pet any kind of heartworm "preventative", whether it's conventional or not, does not mean they will not become infected. Prescription heartworm "preventatives" are meant to kill larvae at the early stages, after the animal has been infected. If you want to know more about heartworm products, contact the companies ask them to send you information on their products, including their studies.
For anyone wanting to avoid using chemical preventative medications on their pets, I would suggest contacting a holistic veterinarian or a conventional veterinarian who is opened minded about alternative therapies.
There are no studies on the use of natural treatments for heartworm. However, there are also no studies on the effects of the long term use of prescription heartworm preventatives. So, giving heartworm preventatives for more than the couple of months when temperatures are at their best for heartworms to thrive, does not much sense, especially in Canada.
Giving your dog or cat heartworm prevention a couple of months out of the year is likely not going to hurt them. The fact of the matter is, heartworm is dangerous regardless which side you are on, and there are risks with both conventional and non-conventional treatment and prevention.
The best thing pet owners can do is ask questions, get a second opinion if you have to, do your research and take the route best suited to you and your pet. Special consideration should be taken when dealing with pets who have a compromised immune system or any type of serious illness.
For me, I take putting chemicals on or inside my pets very seriously. So, since the study completed in Canada in 2010 shows in the town I live in there were 590 dogs tested for heartworm, 66 of which were not on preventative medications and only 1 dog tested positive, I opt out of conventional prevention treatments. It was also indicated the infected dog had been imported from another area. Now, I am aware there are far more dogs than 590 in my area. I live in a farming community and most everyone I know owns more than one dog, we have 3 in our household alone. The human population of the town is approximately 28,000 so for me, odds are pretty good my dogs are not at high risk for heartworm. I still take precautions and use bug sprays (natural ones), bug repellents outside, I try to keep my dogs inside during times when mosquitoes are most active and I have them tested for heartworm.
Here is a list of some links with great information regarding heartworm and information on preventions and options.
http://peterdobias.com/community/2012/04/are-drug-companies-honest-about-heartworm/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/03/why-havent-pet-owners-been-told-these-facts-about-heartworm.aspx
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/
http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjheartwormtreatment.html
http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/heartworminfo.htm
http://www.caninecancer.com/bladder.html
http://www.vetinfo.com/causes-of-bladder-cancer-in-dogs.html
Some recommendations for further information and for repelling mosquitoes, which can be purchased at Amazon:
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