Thursday 17 October 2013

Excellent Heartworm Natural Prevention Tips Anybody Can Use

By Geraldine Dimarco


What is heartworm? This is when an infected mosquito bites the animal and passes on the contamination into the dog's system. The mosquito larva then enters into the bloodstream, and latches itself onto the tissues-- eventually extending to organs like the heart and the lungs. When the larva reaches adulthood and is not expelled from these vital organs; it will result in health complications, often leading to death.

Does this sound scary to you? Heartworms are a very real concern that troubles many pet owners. Fortunately, we have effective heartworm natural prevention measures that anyone can easily avail of which will help keep your dog safe from this condition.

The key to avoiding heartworm is to make your pet as healthy as you possibly can. You can do this through maintaining a good diet and regular exercise for the dog. Many commercial pet foods may contain chemicals that will be detrimental in your dog's health. A diet of raw meat, vegetables and helpings of fruit is a better alternative to feed him.

Regular physical activity also keeps the animal's heart and circulatory system in top working order. Healthy white blood cells fight infection effectively, further strengthening the dog's immune system. The liver is a vital proponent in having a good immune system so you can also consider using recommended supplements that encourage excellent liver function.

Your pet will not have heartworm if there are no mosquitoes near enough to take a bite at them. Here are some accessible heartworm natural prevention herbs that are repellant for mosquitoes: Turmeric Root, Black Walnut Essence, Spearmint Herb and Garlic. Garlic and heartworms don't go well with the other simply because the smell of garlic is repugnant to the infection carrying mosquitoes.

For dogs under 50 pounds, it is safe to add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic a day to his meals. For heavier dogs you can go up to 2 teaspoons but consult with your veterinarian first. Too much garlic is also harmful to animals when ingested. It is also a good idea to mix water and garlic together to make a garlic spray. You can lightly cover your pet or around the areas of the house that mosquitoes are most likely to congregate with a thin mist of this garlic spray.

While garlic is effective in keeping mosquitoes at bay, you do not want to repel your family and visitors with eau de garlic assaulting their noses when they visit you. A more pleasant version of a natural mosquito repellant is mixing 3 drops each of lavender and citronella oil, 10 Tablespoons of rose geranium oil, 1 Tablespoon of alcohol based black walnut extract with 10 ounces of purified water. Spray this concoction around the house or wherever needed.

The natural preventive measures detailed above are better than the conventional medications administered to prevent heartworms. These do not really prevent, but kill the infections which make them toxic to the dog in general. Bi-annual tests with the vet for heartworms are recommended so early detection can be treated accordingly.




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