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Heartworm Prevention!
There have been many reports of
dogs having very bad reactions to both Heartguard and Interceptor.
Giving ones dog doses of poison month after month to kill something
which possibly isn't there doesn't make an awful lot of sense to me.
There are basically two
standard tests for heartworm. One is called the antigen or occult test
which tests for the antigens produced by the adult female heartworm.
This test does not show the presence of microfilaria. The other is the
microfilaria test. This test, of course, tests for microfilariae. Both
Heartguard and Interceptor kill microfilariae. Therefore if ones dogs
have been on either of these products they will test negative for
heartworm when given the microfilaria test even though they may be
infested with adult heartworms. It is not common, but it does happen.
The most
popular Heartworm Preventives
There have been many reports of
dogs having very bad reactions to both Heartguard and Interceptor.
The most
popular heartworm "preventives" Heart guard and Interceptor are not
really preventives at all, rather they act by killing the
microfilariae, L3, and/or L4 larva in an infested dog. Interceptor
kills the L3s, and L4s while Heartguard will kill the L4s and some of
the youngest L5s. In other words they're poisons. Neither of them
kills the fully adult heartworms.
Heartworm preventives are generally very effective at protecting dogs
against the disease, although the preventive drugs are generally safe,
they can initiate an autoimmune disease in susceptible animals (Collie
Types).
The likelihood that
toxicity from heartworm pills is contributing to the tremendous amount
of immune suppression now occurring, especially in cases of liver
disease and cancer, is far greater and more immediate than the threat
of the disease they're meant to prevent.
Go to:
http://www.fda.gov/search.html
Type "Nada
138-412" (without the quotes in the search window) and Select for the
ivermectin (Heartgard) study.
Type "Nada 140-915" and Select for the milbemyecin(Interceptor) study.
One study states that the effective dose of milbemyecin (the active
ingredient that prevents heartworm) is actually .1mg/kg but in order
to also control hookworm, the effective dosage is raised to .5mg/kg
which is
the amount in Interceptor.
The other study states that the 6mcg/kg dosage of ivermectin is
actually good for 60 days and, therefore, the monthly dosage has a
wide safety margin.
Type "Nada 141-051"
for a Pro-Heart (moxidectin) Tablet study (not the 6 month vaccine).
ProHeart™ tablets for Dogs are available
in three tablet sizes. Tablets are administered by mouth (swallowed)
at one-month intervals during times when mosquitoes, which serve as
the intermediate host of the canine heartworm, are active. ProHeart™
is recommended for dogs eight weeks of age and older. The recommended
dose rate of 3 mcg moxidectin/kg (1.36 mcg/lb) body weight is achieved
as follows:
| Weight of Dog |
Tablets/Month |
Moxidectin/Tablet |
Tablet Weight |
| Up to 22 pounds |
1 |
30 mcg |
182 mg |
| 23 to 50 pounds |
1 |
68 mcg |
412 mg |
| 51 to 100 pounds |
1 |
136 mcg |
824 mg |
Large dogs over 100
pounds body weight should be administered an appropriate combination
of these tablets.
Other alternative
preventives:
The
homeopathic nosode
that is made from
heartworm larva is employed commonly as a preventive to avoid the drug
side effects. Many question its effectiveness, though I have several
clients who use the nosode (apparently successfully) with animals in
heartworm endemic areas. Most animals have no trouble with heartworms.
I do know of some cases where the nosode did not protect, however. I
believe it does offer some protection, though it may be incomplete...
If you decide to try the nosode, you must understand that its
effectiveness is currently
unknown.
For clients
who insist on a more active form of prevention.
Soaking an
old towel in equal parts of the essential oils of pennyroyal and
citronella; tearing it into pieces and hanging it in various places
around ones dog runs or property is said to make an excellent
repellent.
Do not use on cats!
Citronella,
eucalyptus, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue and wormwood are the strongest
herbal repellents available, not only for mosquitoes, but for fleas,
and ticks as well.
Rubbing fresh leaves of pennyroyal, rosemary eucalyptus, lavender
and/or wormwood on ones dogs' coat and/or ones own skin is also said
to be a good temporary repellent.
We keep a small spray bottle with a mixture of the above essential
oils plus black walnut on hand for use on ourselves and our dogs.
Mixing in equal parts of distilled water makes it considerably less
costly and still seems to do a good job. Spraying it on things like
lawn or deck furniture can also be very effective.
As a precaution, if you use
alternative treatments, I recommend that all dogs be tested twice a
year for adult heartworm. Use the test, that shows the presents of adult
worms.
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