Replied by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 07/08/2015
Theresa
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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Hey Noelle!
I recommend the first action YOU take is to educate yourself about heartworm disease in dogs:
https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworms-in-dogs-facts-and-myths
http://www.petrescuebyjudy.com/info/display?PageID=5811
The second step might be to confirm the first diagnosis via blood test under the microscope if the first test was a snap test. Additional work ups *should* be done to ensure your girl is stable enough for heartworm treatment.
IMHO the safest route would be through your vet; this because they likely have the experience in treating heartworm infected dogs, and with your dog as their patient they will be available to you to answer your questions and provide the best guidance as they are *hands on* working with you real time.
You can certainly use an alternative approach: VRM2, black walnut, wormwood, raw garlic, et al. The herbal alternatives may not prove any less expensive than going with the traditional vet route, are equally as dangerous to your pet because they rely on the same actions - killing the worms in the heart - and it is the death of the worms that cause the greatest danger to your dog during treatment. In addition many of the herbal approaches are.. hit and miss; the dosages are not clear as many contributors do not list the strength of the products they dose, so it is hard to know if the product I have in hand is the same strength as the product they used. You have to in essence become your own herbalist in researching all over the internet to find the right dose for your pet and in that situation your pet becomes your guinea pig as you experiment to find the proper does of whichever herb or herbal formula you use. In addition a little knowledge can be very dangerous; garlic has antiparasitic properties and is one remedy, but too much raw garlic and you will make your dog anemic; so how do you find the right dose for your particular pet unless you work with an experienced herbalist? Too much of any herbal remedy may cause too rapid a die off of the worms which in turn could kill your pet. These remedies have worked for some contributors - my guess is that in the successful cases those contributors were working with holistic vets, or were herbalists or are leaning in that direction and thus have honed intuitive skills on such matters.
I would strongly urge you to work with your vet, and if it becomes cost prohibitive ask about what you can do to save money to make the treatment more affordable or come up with a payment plan; read the links, find out what tests your dog may need and go into this with eyes open please.
All that said, if I had to choose among the herbal remedies I would opt for the VRM2 because of the company support behind their product - help with finding the right dose to use, for example - that and they also sell remedies to support the liver and kidneys to help your pet as they detox from the worms as they are sloughed off and break down in the bloodstream.