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Before I share with you the dog heartworm symptoms  let’s discuss that dog heartworm symptoms can vary depending on what of heartworm disease your dog has at the time. Heartworm treatment will also vary depending on the stage of the heartworms. You probably already know that there are medications for treatment but you probably didn’t know that most of these medications contain pesticides.

If you are looking for safer ways to protect your dog from heartworms we will discuss those options as well. Imagine being able to safely and effectively treat your dog for heartworms without having your pet go through harsh side effects.

First to what causes heartworms.

WHAT CAUSES HEARTWORMS IN OUR PETS

Heartworms are caused in our pets when our pets are bitten by mosquitoes which have become infected with heartworms from biting other infected animals.  A number of animals can be host to heartworms. They include dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and even humans.  When the infected mosquito bites our pets the mosquito deposits larvae into the skin of our pets. The larvae are from the parasitic roundworm known as dirofilaria immitis. The larvae migrate to the heart and within 6 months they hatch or transform into worms that look like pieces of thread. The heartworms can in found in the chambers of the heart and in the two main arteries leading to the heart (Pulmonary artery and vena cava). From there they move to other parts of the body including the lungs and liver.

DOG HEARTWORM SYMPTOMS

• Breathing difficulties
• Coughing
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Collapse
• Convulsions
• Sudden death
• Tiredness
• Decreased appetite
• Heart failure
• Difficulty exercising
• Bloody sputum
• Loss of consciousness
• Abnormal lung sounds
• May take years after initial infection to show up

Standard treatment usually consists of a veterinarian prescribed medications such as the ones listed below.

HEARTWORM MEDICATIONS | PREVENTION FOR DOG HEARTWORM SYMPTOMS

• Revolution – This is a broad spectrum medication that has been reported to be the top of the list for dogs. This medication also protects your dog from flea infestations.
• Interceptor – This medication is reported to prevent heartworms, hookworms, whipworm, and roundworms.
• Heartgard – This medication is widely available that prevents heartworms, hookworms and roundworms. Very few side effects have been reported with this medication.
• Iverhart Max – This medication is used for heartworms and tapeworms. There do not seem to be many reported side effects with this medication.

Active ingredient in Heartgard and Iverhart  is ivermectin. The active ingredient in Interceptor is milbemycin and the active ingredient in Revolution is selamectin oxime. These medications work as a preventative in the sense they are actually using chemicals to kill off heartworms in their early stages. So while some say they are preventative they are also treatment.

Many current medications produce harmful side effects in our pets. That is why a growing number of concerned pet owners have decided to use natural remedies. Many natural remedies work quite well and save you a bunch of money in the process. Read on through the last paragraph and find out home remedies secrets that are safe and effective.