The Truth of Heartworm

As we enter into flea, tick, and mosquito season I have the very same worries as every other dog owner out there. I don't want my dogs to get sick from some parasite carrying disease. As many of my readers know, I do not believe in giving my dogs any sort of pesticide. We should not have any sort of chemical as strong as pesticides anywhere near our living, breathing family members. I don't want my furkids to eat it, wear it, lick it, or smell it. Does this mean that my dogs live in danger? I don't believe so. I believe the harm that pesticides make is certainly more dangerous than the chance of my dogs contracting heartworm, rocky mountain fever, Lyme's or any other parasite disease. Here's a great article to read about how difficult it is for your dog to actually get heartworm. Let's think logically. Let's make information driven decisions, not fear driven. Let's think about how many times you've been bitten by a mosquito. I can think of hundreds and hundreds of mosquito bites I have endured throughout my lifetime. I am 31 and still heartworm free. I have never been tested. I have never taken any pesticide preventative. I have never gotten heartworm. Why do we think this is such a threat to our dogs?

Heartworm Article

In previous years, I have ordered blood tests for my dogs twice a year to ensure they are heartworm free. This year, I plan to reduce that to just once a year. My Kind Vet and Holistic Vet BOTH ensure me that if we catch heartworm with the blood test, heartworm is very treatable. My dogs are not going to die. They may be sick but they can be treated and will recover. And that is IF they contract heartworm. Do I really want to give my dogs a pesticide orally every month of their life for nothing? Definitely doesn't seem worth it to me. I cannot imagine putting a pesticide into my body that is strong enough to work for an entire month (and 3 months retroactively) every day of my life. And we wonder why our pets are dying of cancer?

I know I'm sounding a bit preachy and getting up on a soapbox but one of the goals of this blog is to slowly help my readers make sound, educated decisions for the health of their beloved pets. Riley is my teacher and I owe it to him to tell everyone about the lessons I have learned from him. I'm not saying my method is what you should do, nor what everyone should do. I just want you to think about why you make the decisions you do for your pet and if it is truely right for you.