Alternate treatment for heart worm?

[shellycheval]

FWIW: It is my understanding from discussions with vets and reading that giving Heartgard, or other meds that will rapidly kill the the worms, to dogs that are infected with heartworms can cause sudden heart failure due to the rapid die-off. The body does not have time to move the dead worms out of the circulatory system and the heart and arteries become "clogged" and shut down.
shellycheval

 

[Z...]

Unfortunately DE is completely inefficient when it comes to heart worms since it cannot reach the worms in the circulatory system.
DE works on contact, i.e its particles have razor sharp edges which shred the parasites from outside or inside if they ingest them. It is fairly efficient for intestinal parasites, but will don nothing for Dirofilaria worms. When purchasing DE for internal use always make sure it is a food grade product and not cheap stuff used for swimming pool filters.

 

[SeekinTruth]

For what it's worth, this is a pet parasite program from Hulda Clark. I don't have any experience with it.

Pet Parasite Program

1. Parsley water: cook a big bunch of fresh parsley in a quart of water for 3 minutes. Throw away the parsley. After cooling, you may freeze most of it in several 1 cup containers. This is a month's supply. Put 1 teaspoon parsley water on the pet's food. You don't have to watch it go down. Whatever amount is eaten is satisfactory.


**All dosages are based on a 10 pound (5 kilo) cat or dog. Double them for a 20 pound pet, and so forth.**

Pets are so full of parasites, you must be quite careful not to deparasitize too quickly. The purpose of the parsley water is to keep the kidneys flowing well so dead parasite refuse is eliminated promptly. They get quite fond of their parsley water. Perhaps they can sense the benefit it brings them. Do this for a week before starting the Black Walnut Hull Tincture.

2. Black Walnut Hull Tincture (regular strenght): 1 drop on the food. Don't force them to eat it. Count carefully. Treat cats only twice a week. Treat dogs daily, for instance, a 30 pound dog would get 3 drops per day (but work up to it, increasing on drop per day). Do not use Extra Strength.

If your pet vomits or has diarrhea, you may expect to see worms. This is extremely infectious and hazardous. Never let a child clean up a pet mess. Begin by pouring salt and iodine ("Povidone" iodine, topical antiseptic, is available in most drug stores) on the mess and letting it stand for 5 minutes before cleaning it up. Clean up outdoor messes the same way. Finally, clean your hands with diluted grain alcohol (dilute 1 part alcohol with 4 parts water) or vodka. Be careful to keep all alcohol out of sight of children; don't rely on discipline for this. Be careful not to buy isopropyl alcohol for this purpose.

Start the wormwood a week later.

3. Wormwood capsules: (200-300 mg wormwood per capsule) open a capsule and put the smallest pinch possible on their dry food. Do this for a week before starting the cloves.

4. Cloves: put the smallest pinch possible on their dry food. [This should be fresh ground cloves]

Keep all of this up as a routine so that you need not fear your pets. Also, notice how peppy and happy they become.

Go slowly so the pet can learn to eat all of it. To repeat:

* Week 1: parsley water.
* Week 2: parley water and black walnut tincture.
* Week 3: parsley water, black walnut tincture, and wormwood.
* Week 4: parsley water, black walnut tincture, wormwood, and cloves.

All the parasite herbs can be purchased at _Dr.ClarkStore(dot)com or see recipes to make your own in Dr. Clark's books.

Now, it's suggested to put the parasite herbs on the pet's "dry food." But I don't really see any reason it can't be done the same way on raw meat. Again, FWIW.

 

[Arwenn]

It has to be ingested to do that, thus sprinkling it on food. I balked at that a bit, but apparently it works - though - again - I have no proof.

Yeah, I'm a little hesitant to give DE internally, basically for the same reasons it shreds the innards of insects. Have you (or anyone) actually given it internally?

I did sprinkle a little on my dog's food last summer and nothing happened - it wasn't much though because I was leery about it for the same reason you're thinking. I suppose I really need to find out more about the entire subject and figure it out.

I thought I'd research the uses of DE. I couldnt find it to buy it anywhere at a store locally, so resorted to the 'net. I like what I am finding out about DE, especially regarding its use as an insecticide. The therapeutic benefits only come with the organic food grade version of DE, as opposed to the heat treated, larger particle industrial DE for pool cleaning/filters.



Here is some info on Organic food grade DE, (from Queensland, Australia) & some of its uses:

THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE FOR PEST AND PARASITE CONTROL
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Here at Fossilpower we are a family owned and operated business supplying the Diatomaceous Earth which is 100% pure Fossil Shell Flour and is totally organic. It contains less than 1% of Crystalline Silica and has no additives or been treated with anything.
This is the only Australian Diatomaceous Earths that is equal in quality to Russia, China and USA.
Use Diatomaceous Earth for pest control of cockroaches, silverfish, ants, bedbugs, flies, fleas, caterpillars, termites, Bee hive beetles, grasshoppers and many others. Diatomaceous Earth can be used in and around the home, yard, animal housing, etc

Pets: Our best friends come in all shapes and sizes. Protect them with Diatomaceous Earth.
You can mix the Diatomaceous Earth into your pet’s food to give them the bonus of 15 trace minerals which are lacking in our soils and food today.
Mix well into kibble and wet food.


General guidelines are listed here.
Cats – 1 teaspoon/day
Weaned Kittens – 1/4 teaspoon/ day
Dogs – 50kg + 2 tablespoons/ day
25 - 50kg – 1 tablespoon/ day
under 25kg – 2 teaspoons/ day
Minidogs – 1 teaspoon/ day

Plants:
For control of aphids, white fly, beetles, caterpillars, mites, leaf hoppers, and others.
Use Diatomaceous Earth inside your home, greenhouse or outdoors on fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains and grass, up to and including day of harvest. For dry application of Diatomaceous Earth use a duster and cover entire plant, apply to both top and bottom of leaf. For young plants, as little as 10 kg per acre may be adequate. For larger plants, 20 kgs per acre is probably sufficient.
Diatomaceous Earth will need reapplication after rain. Applies best when there is dew or after a light rain. It is a long lasting, effective powder.

Livestock:
All livestock, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Rabbits, Chickens and others will benefit from the use of Diatomaceous Earth. It is completely safe and nontoxic.
Some of the benefits are; Stimulates basic metabolism, converts feed better, reduces odor and moisture in sheds and stalls, results in better coat and hoof condition, reduces annual vet bills by healthier and stronger animals, better egg production, stronger eggs, and reduces overall animal stress.
Diatomaceous Earth can be mixed right in with the animals feed.
Cows/Horses get 1/2 cup per day,
Sheep/Goats/Hogs get 1/4 cup per day,
For Chickens and other livestock you need to weight them and add 2% to 5% of that weight in Diatomaceous Earth (Fossil Shell Flour) to their food. It is not toxic and you can eat the meat of the livestock at anytime without the worry of toxins in your food.
Your livestock will also get the benefit of over 15 trace minerals that make up Diatomaceous Earth.

Stored Grain:
Just add 3 - 6kgs. of Diatomaceous Earth to each ton of grain as it is conveyed into the storage. When added to grain, Fossil Shell Flour will protect the grain
Can also be applied to the top of feed bins as it will slowliy work its way down through the grain.

Dry Application
Cover the affected area with Fossil Shell Flour at the rate of 1 to 2 kgs. per 200 square metres.


Premise Application

Large Application Areas;
Use any hand application designed for the purpose of discharging powder. If using a small lawn fertilizer spreader, mix equal parts of dry sand with Diatomaceous Earth for even flow. Dust thoroughly the first time and then periodically reapply as needed.
Wet Application - Mix with water at the rate of 1/4 cup per Litre of water. To help keep it in suspension, add one teaspoon of mild detergent and agitate the sprayer now and then while applying.

Diatomaceous Earth
Food Fossil Shell Flour is totally organic and safe.
It contains less than 1% percent of Crystalline Silica (harmful silica).
Some of the uses for Diatomaceous Earth include; household pets, gardens, flower beds, field crops, grain storage, and livestock feeding.
Fossil Shell Flour is Mother Nature's product with no harm to the environment, pets or to people.
Diatomaceous Earth is not an earth, it is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called DIATOMS.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a wonderful product for those not wanting to use chemicals.
Here at Fossilpower we provide 100% Fossil Shell Flour for both external and internal use of domestic animals, gardening and for the house."

From wikipedia

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It has a particle size ranging from less than 3 micrometre to more than 1 millimeter, but typically 10 to 200 micrometre. Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, mild abrasive in products including toothpaste, mechanical insecticide, absorbent for liquids, matting agent for coatings, reinforcing filler in plastics and rubber, anti-block in plastic films, porous support for chemical catalysts, cat litter, activator in blood clotting studies, a stabilizing component of dynamite, and a thermal insulator.

Pest control
Diatomite is used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties.[8] The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.[9] Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans, with questionable efficacy.[10][11] It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate cockroach and flea infestations.[citation needed][12][13] This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.[14] It has also been used to control bedbug infestations, but this method may take weeks to work.[15]
In order to be effective as an insecticide, diatomaceous earth must be uncalcinated (i.e., it must not be heat-treated prior to application)[16] and have a mean particle size below about 12 microns (i.e., food-grade..)

I intend trying this as an insecticide as I have a real 'roach issue at present. I have not come across any benefit for heart worm with DE though, but will see what I can dig up.

 

[Laura]

Reading this thread got me to thinking about the possible use of kerosene for heartworms:

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,30683.0.html

I would say that in the case of a dog that has been diagnosed and is suffering, and you know where it is going to end, it might be worth trying. One would have to adjust the dose to the size of the animal and find a proper form to induce the dog to consume it.

 

[LadyRodgers]

Hello,
I recently got a sheltie pup and just love him! but now have the dilemma of the heartworm prevention, do I or don't I? It's apparent that that Heartgard is not a good choice since it kills shelties... and now the most preferred for shelties "Inceptor" they have discontinued it. Some Vets feel that lower doses of Heartgard are still safe for the hearding breeds but I just don't know.
I've also been reading more and more on raw food diet to help protect against heartworms by increasing their immune systems... I'm curious if anyone on the forum is NOT treating their dog and feeding them the raw food diet and how that's working for them.
I also read that you can put black walnut oil and woodworm oil in their water to help prevent worms altogether.
and yes I did read the previous post about kerosene\turpentine... that's very interesting!

I'm just curious what others are doing for this if they're not treating them with the toxic prevention that the Vets give us.

thanks.

 

[Z...]

Some Vets feel that lower doses of Heartgard are still safe for the hearding breeds but I just don't know.

Ivermectin is highly toxic even in small doses for Collies and all related breeds, so I definitely wouldn't risk. The product sheet states its safe for Collies but I am not convinced.

I've also been reading more and more on raw food diet to help protect against heartworms by increasing their immune systems... I'm curious if anyone on the forum is NOT treating their dog and feeding them the raw food diet and how that's working for them.
I also read that you can put black walnut oil and woodworm oil in their water to help prevent worms altogether.
and yes I did read the previous post about kerosene\turpentine... that's very interesting!

I'm just curious what others are doing for this if they're not treating them with the toxic prevention that the Vets give us.

thanks.

I think raw diet and mosquito bite prevention (mosquitoes are the only known vector for heart worms) can go a long way. Also it largely depends on the area you live in as heart worms present bigger problem in certain areas while they are practically non existent in others.

 

[Z...]

Reading this thread got me to thinking about the possible use of kerosene for heartworms:

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,30683.0.html

I would say that in the case of a dog that has been diagnosed and is suffering, and you know where it is going to end, it might be worth trying. One would have to adjust the dose to the size of the animal and find a proper form to induce the dog to consume it.

When I was in elementary school most common cure for head lice was "petroleum" ( I think this was actually kerosene as I remember it was a clear liquid and petroleum is supposed to be black). It was quite effective but I also remember excruciating pain as it was applied to my scalp, though I wonder if it seemed so painful just because I was so young.

 

[Olesya]

Yes, kerosene can cause severe burns. One of my acquaintances treated her children for lice last year, and after that, she had to treat them for chemical burns. She told me that she did it following the advice of her mother who did the same thing when she was a child... but probably with such drastic consequences.

And you right, Herr Eisenheim, kerosene is usually clear liquid of very pale yellow color (it's color depends on how well refined kerosene is; there is such a thing as white kerosene (highly refined)), and it's distilled from petroleum (one of the fractions).

I just found the information that might give a different approach to the heart worm problem. Essential oils. It was a hunch. So, here's the information, but I haven't research it further.

From "Melissa Shelton DVM – Heartworm Disease - Dogs": _http://www.crowriveranimalhospital.com/pdf/15-2010%20Heartworm%20(Dogs).pdf

She decided to try a natural approach. What did she have to lose? The expenses of the other treatments were extreme, with little hope that she would even save her dog. She worked with one of my mentors and teachers – and developed a protocol using essential oils to kill the adult heartworms and try to save the
dog’s life.

This is the protocol that was used for this dog:

• Helichrysum Essential Oil – 3 drops, 3-4 times a day

• CardiaCare – Young Living heart supplement – 1 per day

• Mightyzyme – Young Living digestive enzyme – 1 chewable tablet
every 4th day

• Parafree – Young Living anti-parasitic capsule – 1 gelcap, 3-4 times
a day, then changing to 1-2 times per day

• Longevity and Oregano Essential Oils – 5 drops of Longevity Oil
Blend with 1-2 drops of Oregano Essential Oil in an empty gel
capsule – filled the rest of the way with Coconut Oil, V-6 Oil, or
Olive Oil.

Not only did this little dog not die, but all of the heartworm died without major
side effects. The dog is still alive today, and doing well. Heartworm testing has
continued, and the tests have been negative ever since completion of treatment.

As we can see, the Young living oil company is a producer of almost all supplements needed for treatment. I remember reading a while ago that this company makes really good essential oils, and it's important if remedy is taken orally. The author talks about several remedies already mentioned here, homeopathy and nosodes, even this:

Ginger – when alcoholic extracts of Ginger were given subcutaneously by 12 injections to dogs infected with heartworms, microfilaria counts were
reduced by 98%, and there appeared to be an affect on killing adult worms (Datta, 1987). How this relates to oral use of Ginger or to the use
of Ginger Essential Oil is unknown.

I think it's an overall good document to read and get some fresh ideas.

 

[will01]

With regards to the DE, has anyone had any success applying it direct to the dog's coat and killing fleas? I used DE for some 6 weeks or so and literally smothered live fleas on the skin, but noticed no reduction in flea numbers. I know it takes some time for DE to work, but it seemed to have no effect on the fleas, even after several days and repeated applications. In addition to this , the inside of the kennels were also dusted, as well as the ground surrounding the area for several meters around.

Previous to the DE, I had tried giving the dogs pharmaceutical grade sulfur powder internally (only after trying it on myself first of course as with the DE) , as well as spreading commercial grade sulfur around the kennels. This also appeared to have little effect and I was reluctant to continue with the internal treatment for a longer period.

The most effective treatment has been bathing with a pet shampoo, followed by a 50/50 mix of ACV and water rinse allowed to dry on the skin after. This seems to need repeating once a week to maintain effectiveness.

On the positive side, I have been giving the DE internally now for over 6 weeks (1 heaped teaspoon twice a week for a 22kg dog) and I believe it is controlling intestinal worms quite well. They are maintaining condition and their coats are shiny, whereas before they were noticeably affected by worms.

All our dogs and cats have been on a raw meat diet for over 12 months now and this has had a very positive effect on their health and appearance. One of the cats was diagnosed with feline FIV, dropped a heap of weight and was very close to death. He is now back to health and thriving and our vet couldn't believe it when she saw him!

 

[A Jay]

Yesterday my family dog had the first seizure I've ever seen her have, and after my mother did some muscle testing the answer she arrived at (which we found to be a match for her general symptoms of late) was heart worms. My sister found a treatment that some muscle testing said would kill the worms, and in conjunction with that my sister finally agreed to put her on a raw meat diet. As it was Sunday, we couldn't take her to the vet, so I'll post again on this when I know more. Hopefully the diet switch and vermicides will do the trick without undue distress for the little pooch.

 

[Arwenn]

Yesterday my family dog had the first seizure I've ever seen her have, and after my mother did some muscle testing the answer she arrived at (which we found to be a match for her general symptoms of late) was heart worms. My sister found a treatment that some muscle testing said would kill the worms, and in conjunction with that my sister finally agreed to put her on a raw meat diet. As it was Sunday, we couldn't take her to the vet, so I'll post again on this when I know more. Hopefully the diet switch and vermicides will do the trick without undue distress for the little pooch.

I was curious as to what treatment was determined by using muscle testing. The DE mentioned above seems to be more useful as prophylaxis. Hope your dog is OK A Jay.

 

[davey72]

I am curious how this may have worked for anyones dog?

 

[Forrestdeva]

Please, please do not give your dogs Kerosene treatments or herbs of which you have no knowledge of as you can kill you dog! Tobacco will worm a horse but is very toxic to a dog. I speak from a knowledge base as I studied Vet Med at Texas A&M University. The old way of treating dogs with HW was to administer Arsenic. The current treatment is to use "IVERMECTIN" the same drug in Heartguard. The Vet gives minuscule doses over a period of time so the dog has time to clear the dead worms. Death comes if the worms accumulate in the pulmonary veins (Lung Veins). So keeping the dog crated and calm helps to prevent worms from going to the lungs. You can treat your dog with this medication CHEAP....purchase it from the feed store as a paste for horses. The tube cost about $7 and will treat a 1,200 pound horse. It is of utmost importance to give a tiny, tiny amount, over a three to four week period, so once a week or so should be enough. What is a tiny amount? Depends on the weight of the dog....a 6 pound Chihuahua would get a tiny dose of paste, say the size of 2 mm size bead. A large German Shepherd would get dosages the size of 3 mm bead. Remember the goal is to kill the worms slooooooooowly. After 4 weeks or so take the animal for the blood antigen test to make sure the worms are cleared, cost about $30. Then a monthly preventive dose of paste can be administered. So a preventive dose for a 6 pound Chihuahua would be 3 mm dollop and the dosage for a German shepherd would be about 4 mm dollop. It is never guaranteed that this treatment is successful and you are always cautioned to actually have your Vet to oversee this procedure. I've had dogs all my life and have successfully used Ivermectin as preventive with much success and my dogs have lived long full lives, worm free. Beware though that it has been reported in Vet med journals that some batches of paste do not have the actual medication evenly distributed through out the tube, as its made to give to a horse, they take a full tube, so your never sure of the amount your giving and some dogs have suffered toxic effects. Think I will squeeze the entire syringe of paste out make sure I mix it thoroughly. I'd not suggest using the liquid intramuscular inject-able product as is used on pigs as this can be a difficult and problematic dosage to administer, due to such a tiny requirement.

 

[SevenFeathers]

Although diatomaceous earth will not kill heartworms, it is good for many ailments for humans and pets. Here's one helpful site (and there are others): http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/diatomaceous_human_use.html
I have taken it internally and have also given it to my dog. It does have to be food grade.

For treating heartworms naturally, check out Dr. Wil Falconer. He is a homeopathic vet and here you can read how he is treating a dog which has heartworms. This the first part (of 5 so far): http://vitalanimal.com/curing-lilys-heartworm-1/
His premise is that you treat the whole dog - and a strong immune system will defeat the parasites.