Quote:

For HEARTWORM, yes, I give it just in case. There is no easy way out of heartworm once the get it. The treatment for heartworm is harsh, and requires confinement for months to avoid the dog throwing a clot or piece of dead worm and dying. It is a painful process for the dog.

Well, this is true if the worms are completely mature and if their are numerous worms.

But, having done a bit of inquiry, I found out that in some cases, if the dog only has a couple adult worms, there are other ways to eradicate the worms from the dog, that don't require those heavy doses of off label Ivermectin.

I agree that the current conventional treatment is awful on the dog as well as the owner.

For anyone interested in what I have been researching, check out
Dr. Falconer's website, and see what you think.
I did purchase his heartworm prescription and I agree with what he says about heartworm and prevention.
http://www.alt4animals.com/about.htm
and this,
http://www.alt4animals.com/heartworm.htm

one more,
http://www.alt4animals.com/flea.htm

I want to clarify something and I think it is important.
What I am using, Transfer Factor Canine Complete and Transfer Factor Plus, is not used as a heartworm medicine, but rather what I am using to regulate their immune system.

I believe Transfer Factor has the ability to regulate the immune system. I have dogs that I believe to have suffered from vaccinosis and both have exhibited signs of allergies etc.
Recently, I have been able to get that all to go away from seeking out non- conventional herbal tinctures.
I am working to get their systems as healthy as I can with homeopathy, herbs and a healthy raw diet, along with using Transfer Factor.

ETA, I believe that doing all of this helps in a synergistic way to boost their health to a higher level.
But I wanted to be clear that TF is not intended as a heartworm medicine, but rather an immune booster.

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=28345&page=1#307324

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=28712&page=1#312432

http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjheartwormprevention.html

I remember when Loreli's dog went through that awful ordeal.
I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
All good links, and good points to make Michael.

I think the worrisome thing for me is that recently dogs are getting heartworms even though they were on a preventive. Why?
That is a big question for me.

I am not convinced however, that the solution is to keep making stronger chemicals.
I believe in survival of the fittest and I still think the answer lays in enhancing the animals immunity.

It is ironic to me that people worry a lot about using herbs for fighting off various diseases like heartworm, because they have no studies. Sad but true, it's a shame that there aren't more studies on using herbs for treatment, after all herbs are medicines too.
Yet, there are animals that do die from the chemicals that are in these conventional medicines and no one seems to point this out with as much worry.

I think it is a highly personal decision and one that should be made, only after much consideration and review of all the stuff you can find on it.
But I don't believe in simply trusting a vet blindly without doing my own research.

I say this because recently, I have seen a change in the health of my dogs from choosing something that is non- conventional, and seeing some very positive results. None of which was suggested to me by a conventional vet.

I was able to get my dogs completely off antihistamines during one of the worst allergy seasons I have seen, just from trying an herbal tincture.
That was the first measure of healthy change I have seen, since switching to raw 5 years ago.
It was the catalyst that got me thinking outside the box on heartworm medicines.

This is a great link, please read;
http://www.catscradlecatahoulas.com/html/heartworm.html

Hey Michael! I'm good. Yourself?

This is a great thread. I'm still going to start the Trifexis, and I'll keep you all posted. Two reasons really. My dogs go to work with me, both at an animal hospital and a boarding kennel. While we do our best to disinfect constantly, my dogs are still at a high exposure risk for intestinal worms. And though they're nowhere near the danger of heartworms, they're still absolutely NIGHTMARES to treat. Second, Danni hates all medication. If I could give her one tablet instead of two a month we'd both be thrilled.

 Quote: Anne Jones

One of the reasons that my yard is the least beautiful one in the neighborhood. I refuse to use ANY chemicals in my yard. Tons of weeds...but they ARE green.

I won't even use any on the floors in the house for the same reasons.

Off topic, but you don't have to have an ugly yard because you don't use chemicals. Spreading a bag of sugar around the yard feeds the microbes in the dirt, which then feeds the grass. Weeds dislike healthy soil. You can also use ACV (distilled or not) on ant beds, known bug areas, and on your garden plants to eliminate or reduce the amount of bugs, naturally. Biodegradable soap mixed with water and sprayed on garden plants also protects leaves/fruit from insects. Salt sprinkled on a border will insure that no grass OR weeds will ever grow there, and to reverse the affect, you can apply ACV and sugar to eventually neutralize/feed the soil. My favorite way of getting grass seed to grow is to mix sugar water and then spray it on the area after seeding.

On top of all the other great points brought up here, there's also the one about having the majority of my dog population being adopted, with unknown histories (but most likely not health-enhancing, since I have often adopted dogs surrendered mainly because of "unmanageable" chronic conditions, mostly atopy and the related conditions).

So I'm usually starting out with a big black mark against the dog's immune system.

So I worry about chemicals damaging an already questionable immune system, but maybe even more about the immune system's ability to deal with some of the dangers the chemicals are meant to alleviate. For me, heartworm is huge. I shudder to think of one of my senior dogs, for example, with their allergies well-managed (mainly with daily all-natural tools like great diet, fish oil, and probiotics) going through HW treatment.

Constant weighing. Constant research.

I am giving Heartgard to my dogs.

Yep, Mike the yard is bad...well back is worse then the front..but the stockade fence hids that. :-)

I just feel that with using the Frontline & Interceptor...I don't want to use anything else on them that is checicals. Especially since I know that they get some exposure from other areas that they freequent I just don't want to expose them constantly with all the hours that we spend out in the yard daily yearoud.

Samantha...I had never heard of the things that you menetioned other then the soap (from when I used to organic veggie garden).
The only thing that I had heard of from a friend is a commercially made product of corn gluten that can be spread on the lawn that kills the weeds if put on in early spring & then followed by grass seeding. I don't want to use a corn product on the lawn. I will try the sugar water & ACV & follow it up with seeding & see what happens. Thanks for the hints.

ETA....,this is a product that I have used for over 7 years as a natural bug repellent. It is a natural coat conditioner & flea & tick repellend. I used to use it when tracking in deep grass or working dogs in the woods where there was a larger flea & tick population. It has always been very effectice. This year due to the huge increase in fleas & ticks due to the early warm weather..I am using it daily on my dogs. I lightly spray their legs, belly & chest, & tail before they go out in the am. It is very concentrated & a little goes a long way. Pricey but it works. I purchase it locally, but can be ordered by mail. Here is the linc.

http://www.quantumherbalproducts.com/frame_people.htm