Home

>

Cat

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

Can You Treat Heartworm Naturally?

Can You Treat Heartworm Naturally?

Updated On June 19th, 2019

Image profile

Reviewed By Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass

Veterinarian

[Heartworm disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/all-you-need-to-know-about-heartworm-disease/) is a serious condition in pets that can be fatal if left untreated. It is caused by the parasite *Dirofilaria immitis*, which is carried by mosquitoes. An infected mosquito that bites a dog or cat transmits heartworm larvae, called microfilariae, into the pet’s bloodstream. The larvae mature into adults within about 6 months and live for several years. Large numbers of circulating adult heartworms can make infected dogs and cats quite sick.

Heartworm symptoms range from mild to severe. In dogs, occasional coughing is a mild symptom; excessive abdominal fluid, which indicates heart failure, occurs with severe heartworm disease. Caval syndrome is a life-threatening condition in dogs that occurs when numerous heartworms block blood flow back to the heart. Cats with heartworm may have mild symptoms (such as weight loss and coughing) or severe symptoms including seizures or sudden collapse.

The current [treatment for canine heartworm disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-treating-heartworm-disease-in-y/) is a medication called melarsomine (also known by the brand name Immiticide), which kills adult heartworms. Unfortunately, this treatment is intense, expensive and can produce adverse side effects due to the death of the heartworms, including lung congestion, gagging and vomiting.

Natural Heartworm Treatments

The downsides of Immiticide can leave some pet parents considering natural heartworm treatment. Several natural heartworm treatments are available and are promoted by holistic veterinarians.

**HWF**

Formerly known as “Heartworm Free,” HWF is an herbal product that contains ingredients such as garlic, black seed, apricot kernel extract and hops berries. It is marketed as a “cardiovascular detox” for dogs with heartworm disease. However, several of HWF’s ingredients can be quite toxic to dogs. For example, garlic can damage a dog’s red blood cells, potentially leading to life-threatening anemia.

**Wormwood and Black Walnut**

Another herbal heartworm treatment is comprised of wormwood and black walnut. Wormwood contains tannins, which are known to irritate parasitic worms. However, tannins can damage the liver and kidneys and cause side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Wormwood is often used in conjunction with black walnut. Black walnut is toxic to dogs and can cause symptoms like tremors, seizures and incoordination.

This natural remedy might be effective against adult heartworms, but the risk of organ failure makes this treatment an unsafe choice for treating heartworms.

**Homeopathic Heartworm Protocol**

A homeopathic heartworm protocol was devised by Dr. Deva Khalsa, a holistic veterinarian. This protocol consists of the following ingredients in various potencies:

  • Croton tiglium
  • Lycopersicum esculentum
  • Tanacetum
  • Allium cepa
  • Allium sativum

Natural heartworm treatments are **not** FDA approved, meaning they have not undergone rigorous scientific testing to demonstrate safety and effectiveness for treating heartworms. Immiticide is the only FDA-approved heartworm treatment. Deciding to treat heartworms naturally can increase the risk not only of ineffective heartworm treatment, but also toxicity.

Natural Heartworm Preventives

Even though treating heartworm naturally is not a good idea, there are a few natural heartworm prevention strategies that are effective.

  • Avoid mosquito exposure. Keeping your pets indoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are out and looking for a meal, can protect your pet from mosquito bites.
  • Eliminate standing water around your home. Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Birdbaths and empty flower pots are common sources of standing water.
  • Feed your pet a healthy diet. A [healthy diet](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-changing-your-pet-s-diet-can-improve-his-health/) promotes a strong immune system, which can help fight off a potential heartworm infection.

Bringing it Together

Natural treatments, though increasingly popular, have not been scientifically proven to be safe or effective. Giving your pet with a natural heartworm treatment could put your pet at risk of toxicity and delay the use of life-saving treatment. If your pet has heartworm disease, your best and safest option for treatment is FDA-approved Immiticide.

Vote icon

46Pet Parents found this article helpful

Related Questions

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

Read More

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

Read More

My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

Read More

image

Have a Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored