Holistic Heartworm Treatment

Is there such thing as a holistic way to treat heartworm??

Peluche has been diagnosed with heart worm. Since he is 15.5 years old, putting him through the treatment is a death sentence. While at his age anything can happen at any given moment, I don't want him to leave this world suffering.

Further blood work was done and Peluche is unfortunately a high risk of spreading the heart worm to my other dogs. The vet suggested putting Peluche on Doxycycline and Heargard. Him being so old, there's a big risk there could be complications. I'm worried his body won't be able to take it.

I don't know what to do. He is such a happy boy and I hate not being able to help him. Yet at the same time I have to keep my other dogs healthy. I don't know what to do.

Sorry,know this must be a worry.Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think heart worms can be transmitted from dog to dog.

If a mosquito bites a heartworm positive dog and bites another, it can be transmitted.

Quote from pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heart worms-in-dogs-facts and myths.

"Even if an uninfected mosquito bit your infected dog and then bit your uninfected dog the same night, it wouldn't transmitt the parasite from one dog to the other.Thats because when a mosquito bites an infected animal the heartworm needs to undergo an incubation period in the mosquito before the mosquito can infect other animals"

I've only recently been reading up on heartworm and the treatment of it. (Because I live where mozzies can be a problem) It's quite scary isn't it? That the treatment could well kill the dog?

Re what you have put above Duffy - I am trying to understand it! Just read this about the incubation -

Some Facts About Heartworms

Male heartworms are a few inches long and look like angel hair spaghetti. The female worms are much larger. They cause most of the damage Heartworms are transferred from dog to dog through the bite of an infected mosquito. In areas where heartworms are common, a few summers of repeated mosquito bites to dogs not receiving preventative medications can result in enormous numbers of adult worms in the pet's heart. If not offensive to you, you can view one of those hearts here.

The images of the affected dog hearts are horrific. They look as if they've been stuffed full of angel hair spaghetti.

My understanding after reading about is, after an infected dog is bitten, there is a rest period in the mosquito of between 2-3 weeks before it can infect another dog.