Proheart Hw Injections

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Arsenic is the treatment for a dog infested with heartworm. It either works or it doesn't. That is, that the arsenic either kills the h/w and doesn't kill the dog, or the arsenic treatment doesn't kill the h/w so the h/w does kill the dog, or the arsenic kills the dog.

A good h/w preventive removes the risk altogether.

A "cheap" one, OTOH, can mean your dog gets h/w and then you have to either have the dog PTS, or treat it with arsenic and hope that the dog survives.

Gee, so many ways to say the one thing.

[morgan]

A good h/w preventive removes the risk altogether

Not necessarily - I have still had dogs get heartworm while on a standard preventative from the vet.

There are several alternatives to arsenic treatment. The only one I can personally say has worked for me was a homoeopathic course, involving gradually increasing potencies of Arsenicum plus an actual Heartworm nosode.

With this treatment, the dogs must be kept quiet so as not to endanger their lives thru bits of worms causing blockages in blood vessels, same as the orthodox treatment.

There are herbal treatments as well, black walnut hulls is one from memory (could be wrong - would have to google again) but I haven't personally used them.

BTW - the homoeopathic course was regularly used by a very well known breeder/vet for older dogs instead of the arsenic treatment.

There are also alternative heartworm preventatives, used the world over...not everyone wants to put toxic chemicals into their dogs!

PS - P - where did I say arsenic was used to prevent it? I used the words "arsenic treatment" :D

[~Anne~]

Not necessarily - I have still had dogs get heartworm while on a standard preventative from the vet.

Strange - you must be in an extremely high risk area? Just 'how many' dogs have you had that have tested positive for heartworm?

Arsenicum

What is this? Plant, minerla, vegetable, chemical?

nosode

Made from what?

There are also alternative heartworm preventatives, used the world over...not everyone wants to put toxic chemicals into their dogs!

Such as?

[morgan]

P - it was a very high risk area , and I actually had 10 dogs out of 12 come up positive.

Arsenicum is a homoeopathic remedy, as is the Heartworm nosode - bit hard to help someone understand these terms in a forum like this - but check this link out. It may help - Diana Hayes has helped many people I know with their pets. I actually followed the treatment course my homoeopathic lecturer gave me.

Holistic heartworm treatment

PS - if you google up a good site to explain homoeopathy, remember that nosodes are made from the actual substance or virus itself (heartworm nosode is made from heartworms) and remedies are made from plants, minerals etc, eg arsenicum is potentised from arsenic.

[~Anne~]

Thanks Morgan I will check it out. :D

Ok edited now to ask some q's.

P - it was a very high risk area , and I actually had 10 dogs out of 12 come up positive

I live in high risk areas and have NEVER had a dog with heartworm. DId you have your dogs on any preventatives? If you did, which ones? Perhaps it was owner compliance at fault more then the drug or a chemical conflict?

Re - the homeopathic drug for treatment and prevention of heartworm - has there been any published results of this drug? Any research? It still contains arsenic so how can it be any safer then the drugs used in veterinary medicine?

remember that nosodes are made from the actual substance or virus itself

This is also the same for a lot of veterinary vaccines so what is different?

Edited February 6, 2006 by Puggles

[morgan]

Ok - here goes..

The heartworm problem was many years ago, was definitely not a compliance problem, as I was religious about daily dosing all of my dogs (this was before any alternative methods) and the vet afterwards informed me that I needed to be giving double the recommended dose in that area - I had only been giving 150% of the recommended dose.

Haven't needed to investigate whether or not there is published research on efficacy of these treatments, as they have worked for me and others. Personally I am not the slightest bit interested in clinical studies, as they are frequently manipulated to get the required results. (And there is plenty of evidence of this) I would think that they are not 100% effective, but what is? And there is far less chance of killing or injuring the dog.

If you actually looked at how homoeopathy works, you would realise that there is not a single molecule of the original substance left in the remedy, as the dilution and succussion process eliminates it, so there is no toxicity whatsoever. Basically, you are left with the energy imprint of the original substance, which works in a similar fashion to acupuncture, by restoring the correct energy paths. Don't wish to hijack this thread, so suggest you check it out yourself. Let Google be your friend!

[kelpiecuddles]

I believe that most homeopathic remedies are even safe for use on pregnant women and young babies as their is no risk of side effects (morgan?) I used them alot during my first pregnancy as I am very prone to colds and flu (due to a compromised immune system) and couldn't take cold and flu drugs.

[~Anne~]

Thanks Morgan, I have googled and there are many sites saying 'buy this it is fabulous' and the like, all good on the surface but not much fact.

I think I'll stick to what I know and have researched and not claims made without showing me something to prove the claims.

I think if I were in a situation such as you have said, where my dogs were being loaded up on preventative but still getting heartworm I might do as you did though. Thankfully I don't. :D

[fiery_di]

I dont like the HW injection. My Ruby has had side affects not just once but TWICE from the Proheart SR-12 injection.

Firstly she contracted ITP (immune mediated thrombocytapenia) an auto-immune blood disorder affecting the platelets approx 2wks after the injection. She has only just gotten over this in the past year, but was on heavy steroids for 2yrs.

Then last year we had her injected again and shortly afterwards (approx 2wks) she had thyroid problems and had to have half her thyroid removed.

I will definitely be looking for alternatives this Sept. I dont want to risk her health again. I would be interested in the homeopathic methods...

[kelpiecuddles]

I am surprised that they had her on steroids for two years! In that situation a splenectomy is often the preffered course of action. I suffer from auto-immune thrombocytopeania myself and afetr my platelets dropped to 4000 (from a recommended 250000-400000 :D) I had my spleen removed. My platelets were back to normal within 1 day and have never had a problem since. The steroids just have soooo many side effects.

[fiery_di]

Yeah, the vet kept trying to wean her off them as he said that alot of the ITP cases in dogs on acute, but everytime we dropped the dosage, her gums would go grey and we knew that her platelets were dropping... so back on normal doses again. This happened until late last year just before she had thyroid problems she was off the meds for about 1 month and going strong.

I have to say, she looks an older dog for it now!!! She is only five, but I reckon she now looks about 8yrs. It has aged her...

[kelpiecuddles]

My platelets fluctuated well below normal but within 'safe' levels for about 7 months and then when eventually they dropped really low they decided it was time for the op. I only had to go on the roids a couple of times for 3 or 4 days, couldn't imagine being on them for that long.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

I wonder why anyone would take a chance on their dog contracting heartworm by NOT using an orthodox preventive? I know my dogs' lives are worth putting "chemicals" into their bodies, which IMO is preferable to them contracting a preventible and often lethal parasite.

Homeopathics have their place in treatment of many symptoms and some illnesses in mammals. But IMO they are not suitable as the primary preventive for a serious parasite such as heartworm.