HEARTWORM INFECTION

Heartworm infection of dogs is due to the heartworm, Dirofilaria Immitus. The symptomatology is variable due to extent of the pathology and physiology changes resulting from the infection. The most common symptomatology is associated with the progressive hypertension in the lungs due to multiple emboli from dead heartworms, scarring of the pulmonary arteries, ballooned walls of the pulmonary arterioles and other changes in the nerve reflexes of the lung.

The more acute but less common pathology is associated with massive thrombus formation involving a large number of heartworms in the large vein coming out of the caudal Vena Cava, the chambers of the right heart, or the pulmonary artery. Death can occur within 24-72 hours.

Life Cycle of Dirofilaria Immitis.

The adult heart worm is 1 mm wide, the male is  17 cm long and the females about 27 mm . The fertilized eggs develop and hatch within the uterus of the female. The active embryos, known as microfilariae are about 315 microns long (very tiny almost microscopic).They are discharged into the blood stream where they remain active for up to a year or more, but incapable of further development until ingested by a mosquito. Within the mosquito, the microfilaria develop to the third stage(infective) larva completed in about 2 weeks. The infective larvae then migrate to the mouth parts and gain entrance into the dog when the mosquito feeds again.

The immature stages develop and grow in the subcutaneous tissues, muscles, and fatty tissues of the dog. They begin to arrive in the right lower chanber of the heart (ventricle) 2-4 mo. After infection, an additional 4 months are required for the worms to reach maturity; thus microfilariae first appear in the peripheral blood circulation about 8 months after infection. Adult worms may live and continue to produce microfilariae for several years. The adult worms live in the right ventricle and the adjacent blood vessels from the posterior vena cava, hepatic vein and anterior vena cava to the pulmonary artery.

Geographical Distribution of D. Immitus is most commonly within 100 miles of the seacoast from New Jersey south along the Atlantic and Gulf Coast into Texas. Nevertheless heartworm disease may be encountered any place in the USA and in southern Ontario. It seems to be endemic but with a low rate of infection on the west coast and is a growing problem in the Midwest. High prevalence rates are always associated with high mosquito densities.

Clinical Findings

Classical heartworm disease,  is the early chronic coughing dog without evidence of upper respiratory infection which is aggrevated by exercise, or tiring on exercise or both. As the disease advances, chronic coughing, dyspnea (labored breathing), collapse on exercise, and ascites develop. Fluid in the thorax, a hard palpable liver, generalized edema swelling of all the body tissues and increased blood serum urea. Death is imment from kidney and liver failure.

Diagnosis is on blood test.

Drug Treatment of clinical cases are almost always doomed  due to the killed worms forming emboli that can lodge anywhere: heart, kidney, liver, lungs, etc. PREVENTION IS ALWAYS THE BEST CURE BUT DRUGS GIVEN AS HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE ARE ALMOST AS BAD AS THE PARASITE ITSELF. Think about it, giving the insecticide drug to a dog to poison his blood to kill any microfilaria that may be deposited by an infected mosquito is poisoned blood! That toxic blood touches every organ in the body. I have seen clinically ill animals by this procedure- always involving the liver and kidney because the liver is the detoxifier of all chemicals, and the kidneys excrete the toxins.

A far better preventative treatment is one that is holistically oriented.

1. Far best is to build such a strong electromagnetic energy field (EMF) in your dog that no parasite can live in it. This is true. Please see Kirlian photos and Energy Medicine- Blue- print for Glowing Health sections in this website. This is done with natural, detoxed, nutritious diet, treating only with homeopathic vaccinosis nosodes, and the use of my Healing Halter to charge the EMF continuously day and night.
2. Reduce Mosquito Breeding sites in your area: drain or remove all standing water in containers, clean clogged roof gutters, clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use, use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Thoroughly clean livestock watering troughs monthly. Contact local mosquito control districts to assess mosquito breeding risks within your property.     
3. Reduce Exposure to Adult Mosquitoes with screened housing, insect repellents on your animal and yourself with our Non-toxic Flea and Tick Spray . Keep your horses in the stalls at greatest mosquito activity:  at dawn and dusk and overnight, during the mosquito season (May-October). For yourselves, wear long pants, long sleeved wear and apply the repellent when outside
4. Strengthen the EMF of your animal with my Heartworm Nosode 30C yearly.   I have obtained the adult heartworm nosode from Australia, and have added the microfilaria nosode I made years ago from an infected dog’s blood. Dr. Diana Hayes in Australia has been using this method for many years and has never seen a clinical  infection in her dogs. I know other nosodes work, so I am now offering this product from my company.

If you practice all four of these factors, you will be miles ahead in helping protect your dog from heartworm infection. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Treatment is a dead end. Even natural alternative herbs can be dangerous due to the killed worms’ embolism formation.

Dear Dr. Dodd,

I have been using your Heartworm Nosodes as my main source for heartworm preventive for my dogs, a 2 year old Rat Terrier and a 13 year old Weimaraner, for three years. Of those three years two of those have been in the South where Heartworm disease is very prevalent and where mosquitoes are particularly bothersome to not only dogs, but to our species as well. I am happy to say that every year my dogs test negative for heartworm. I now have a new puppy, an Irish Terrier, and I am happy to say that she will never be given toxic "preventives." I wish more people would consider alternative methods for disease prevention in their animals besides toxic poisons.

Thank You !!!

Kelli Armes
Richmond, Virginia,