Heartgard

Dog-lovers find that a house is not complete without their best friend. After all, dogs, collectively known as man’s best friend, are truly reliable when it comes to affection, courage and loyalty. Dogs are known to exhibit a great sense of these principles to their owners, which is why they are of a great value. Therefore, people who love dogs find it natural to return this favor by willingly caring for them and vowing to protect their health.

A loyal canine’s health is threatened by the possible infestation of heartworms in their bloodstream. Heartworms are parasitic worms that survive with the hosts, and usually dogs are the hosts that are victimized by these parasites. The transfer of these heartworms is generally the cause of mosquito bites. Effects of the infestation can be quite damaging—untreated dogs can die due to heart congestion and treated ones can be unlucky enough to undergo a long period of uncomfortable treatment and recovery.

This is where a heartworm preventative becomes useful. There are indeed some ways to include a heartworm preventative into the dog’s lifestyle. One is to make sure that the dog receives a monthly prophylactic treatment. This treatment can be obtained through vaccines in a local vet clinic.

There is also another breakthrough in the science of the heartworm preventative, which is the heartgard pill. Many well-known pharmaceutical companies devote themselves into protecting dogs against parasites. Novartis has discovered a pill that can be both a heartworm preventative and treatment. Basically, it stops the infection when the medication is applied monthly, as it also functions as a suppressor of heartworm reproduction.

A heartworm preventative can also come in the form of herbs. Natural herbs exhibit certain properties that, when ingested in the body, can actually prevent parasites from infesting the host. Natural oils such as geranium can be sprayed on the dog’s fur. Garlic is also a safe alternative to the heartworm preventative drug, because it can be administered safely to the dog’s diet. The black walnut herb, when ingested, has an effect on the blood’s odor that is very unattractive to mosquitoes.

Of course, the best heartworm preventative is to improve a dog’s lifestyle. Commercial pet foods that offer little health nutrition only weaken a dog’s immune system. It is still best to feed the dog nutritious food, such as raw meat and vegetables, to improve his warfront against infection. After all, a healthy, natural diet doesn’t have side effects and reaches all kinds of breed.

A heartworm preventative is best administered on your dog to lessen the threat of heartworm infestation. By choosing to give your dog a dose of heartworm preventative, this could mean avoiding the sad consequences that come with the unfortunate circumstances. Always remember that prevention is superior to cure.

Tags: Heartworm, Heart Worms, Cats, Pet Medicine, Heartworms