Prevention and Natural Remedies Available for Heartworms in Dogs

Heartworm is one of the rising cases among dog diseases in the US. The dangers that this disease pose to the dogs though can be prevented. Education and awareness can help a lot. There are tips in the prevention and natural remedies that can be done to fight off Heartworms.

Here are the useful preventive tips that will improve your dog’s health to ensure protection against Heartworms.

1. Feed your dog with a balanced diet. Avoid foods or substances that can lower the defenses of the immune system, such as preservatives, colorants, and additives.

2. Put fresh and raw foods. Incorporate garlic and yeast into them to protect the dog from mosquitoes.

3. Make sure that your dog has fresh and clean water.

4. The food and water bowls should be made of stainless steel. These containers need to be kept clean all the time.

5. Help your pet get regular exercise.

6. Keep your dog away from areas which are humid and swarmed with mosquitoes.

7. Put a screen on the dog’s sleeping area. Keep him inside especially in the late afternoon and evening.

8. Apply a natural insect repellent on the dog’s body.

9. Take your dog to a regular check-up to detect whether he has Heartworms or other diseases.

10. Feed your dog with whole foods. These foods can help improve the immune system of your dog.

Preventative Medicines

In order to stop immature worms and larvae from growing into adult Heartworms which can cause more damage, you can use preventative pills and other treatments to kill them. There are Heartworm pills and topical treatments which can be given every thirty days to efficiently kill the larvae. Larvae should be eliminated because when they grow into adults, they can block the bloodstreams.

The use of preventative medicines into the dog’s body should be emphasized. When these are given to dogs after every thirty days, the larvae would then be a month old, which makes them easy targets for such treatments.

Natural Remedies

There are different herbs which can be used as remedies to remove Heartworms from your dog. The usual herbs that are used are garlic, capsicum, mugwort, wormwood, black walnut hulls, clover flower buds, and hawthorn berries. These herbs can strengthen the heart. To make them more effective, add Coenzyme-Q supplements. Yucca can also be used to reduce the coughing brought about by Heartworms. Geranium is also an herb that is an effective insect repellent.