An inexpensive option for treating heartworms

Heartworms have long been a very scary thing to me in regards to the health of my dogs.  But recent research made me realize that heartworms are not as scary as they are made out to be.  Like your usual trusting animal medicine customer, I accepted the information of the authority figures, and bought Hartgard(R) and other toxic chemicals to supposedly protect my dogs from getting heart worms.  The problem is, as with much western medicine, human and animal, the side effects of the toxic medicine can be as harmful as what it is endeavoring to correct.

I am not under-estimating the harm heartworms can cause to your animals.  For sure they can kill them.  But I came across an article researching today, on one of my favorite sites "Mercola Healthy Pets", by holistic vet Dr. Karen Becker, where she says: "...low dose ivermectin therapy in dogs with no sensitivity to the drug, in combination with the antibiotic doxycycline, can be an extremely effective, inexpensive option for treating heartworm infection."

Dr. Becker goes on to say later in the article:  "Using this therapy, the gradual death of adult heartworms dramatically reduces the risk of pulmonary thrombosis -- blood clots in the lungs that pose a serious adverse effect associated with other adulticides. This is the protocol I have used in my practice with 100 percent success."

 It is important to read the whole article, especially if you have a dog with heartworms, or live in an area with a high incidence of infections by heartworms.  The name of this article is:  Heartworm Drug Shortage Prompts Use of Cheaper, Safer Therapy and you can click on the title to go to it on the web.  I also have a copy of this article in the DoggieResearch.com Document Library, Heartworm section.