Heartworm treatment for dogs should start as soon as the first symptoms of the disease appear, because it is a serious condition which can be lethal to your dog. There are several drugs, available on the market for treating heartworms and these are usually prescribed by veterinarians.
However, given the high toxicity and serious side effects caused by these drugs, many owners would rather resort to a treatment and prevention program which involves the use of natural remedies. This type of treatment could be less expensive than the classic treatment using heartworm drugs.
Alternative Heartworm Treatment for Dogs
If you do not want your dog to suffer from the possible side effects of heartworm treatments, the key is prevention. There are a series of remedies which you can use in preventive treatment such as:
- Mugwort
- Garlic, but only in small amounts, as it may cause toxicity
- Clove Flower Buds
- Turmeric Root
- Black Walnut
- Spearmint Herb
- Wormwood
Herbal heartworm remedies usually prevent mosquitoes from biting your dog and they also help eliminate heartworms from the body while these are still in the larval stage. You can use an herbal spray to keep mosquitoes away from your dog’s coat.
Alternative herbal treatments might also work in treating the actual disease.
You can use homeopathic remedies which have good results in heartworm treatment without causing the side effects of commonly used drugs. Homeopathic remedies are based on herbal extracts from herbs which are well known for their antiseptic, anti-parasitic and bactericidal effects. They can also prevent further parasitic infestations or bacterial infections and can treat the symptoms of heartworm disease in dogs.
Besides treating the condition itself, these remedies also restore the natural balance of the dog’s body by detoxifying the blood and the digestive tract, stimulating the immune system and balancing the intestinal flora.
Homeopathic medicine has a holistic approach and usually offers treatments which deal with the overall health of the dog.
You can address a homeopathic veterinarian so that you can benefit from the positive effects of alternative medicine.
Herbal Treatments for Dogs
When in the wild, animals seek natural remedies because their instinct tells them to. They know instinctively what to look for. You might have seen a dog in the courtyard or in the forest eating grass or other herbs. This behavior is based on their natural tendency to treat themselves by offering their body the substances they lack.
Your pet, even if he lives in an apartment or outdoors, has restricted access to the herbs he would normally ingest. Therefore, you should be aware of this aspect and try to compensate this with herbal remedies.
Most herbal remedies have the role of stimulating the dog’s immune system to make it resistant to disease, prevent the parasites to develop and multiply or even eliminate them. They also have an important role in detoxifying the dog’s blood.
Herbal remedies, together with a balanced diet and a program which involves regular exercise will help keep your dog in good health.