Coughing up worms could be a sign of heartworm, which is one of the most dangerous types of worms today. In fact, heartworm is the deadliest type of parasite infection for dogs. If your pet is coughing up worms, please take him to a vet immediately for treatment.

Heartworm is most common in dogs, but it can also affect more than 30 other species of animals such cats, wolves, coyotes, ferrets, and sea lions. Heartworm can affect humans as well. Heartworm can thrive in just about any area of the world. In fact, heartworm cases have been reported all over the United States in breeds of all kinds. Heartworm is not specific to older or younger animals, male or female animals, or urban or rural animals.

Dogs and cats can become infected with heartworms from insect bites, such as bites from a mosquito. When the mosquito bites the dog or cat, the infection is transmitted through the animal’s skin. The larvae develop in the body over a period of several months during which time they grow and migrate to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

In additionto coughing up worms, symptoms of Heartworm include:

·Abnormal heart sounds
·Abnormal lung sounds
·Difficulty breathing
·Enlargement of the liver
·Exercise intolerance
·Fluid accumulation in the abdomen
·Temporary loss of consciousness

In the earliest stages, there are no abnormal signs of infection. Even in mild cases, however, coughing is present. In the moderate stage, you may notice more intense coughing, exercise intolerance, and abnormal lung sounds. In the most severe cases, all of the above symptoms may be present. If the infection is severe enough, it can cause death.

There are a number of conventional and natural treatments for heartworm. Many conventional treatments are highly effective and some natural treatments for heartworm may be effective only the early stages of the infection. The goal for conventional treatments for heartworm is to kill all adult worms with an adulticide and all microfilariae with a microfilaricide. The American Heartworm Society offers the detailed treatment description below. Please read carefully.

Adult Heartworm Therapy (Adulticide Therapy)
There is currently one drug approved by the FDA for use in dogs for the elimination of adult heartworms. This drug is an organic arsenical compound. Dogs receiving this drug therapy will typically have had a thorough pretreatment evaluation of its condition and will then be hospitalized during the administration of the drug. Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®, Merial) has demonstrated a higher level of effectiveness and safety than any other adult heartworm treatment previously available. It is administered by deep intramuscular injection into the lumbar muscles. For complete information on the classification and treatment for heartworm infected dogs using this product, consult your veterinarian.

Post-Adulticide Complications
The primary post-adulticide complication is the development of severe pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary thromboembolism results from the obstruction of blood flow through pulmonary arteries due to the presence of dead heartworms and lesions in the arteries and capillaries of the lungs. If heartworm adulticide treatment is effective, some degree of pulmonary thromboembolism will occur.

When dead worms are numerous and arterial injury is severe, widespread obstruction of arteries can occur. Clinical signs most commonly observed include fever, cough, hemoptysis (blood in the sputum) and potentially sudden death. It is extremely important to not allow exercise in any dog being treated for heartworms. Often dogs with severe infections will also require the administration of anti-inflammatory doses of corticosteroids.

Elimination of Microfilariae
The most effective drugs for this purpose are the macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics, i.e.,milbemycin oxime, selamectin, moxidectin and ivermectin. These drugs are the active ingredients in commonly used heartworm preventives. Although their usage as microfilaricides has not been approved by the FDA, they are widely used by veterinarians as there are no approved microfilaricidal drugs currently available. It is recommended that microfilariae positive dogs being treated with these macrocyclic lactones be hospitalized for at least eight hours following treatment for observation of possible adverse reactions, including those resulting from rapid death of the microfilariae.

Circulating microfilariae usually can be eliminated within a few weeks by the administration of the ML-type drugs mentioned above. Today however, the most widely used microfilaricidal treatment is to simply administer ML preventives as usual, and the microfilariae will be cleared slowly over a period of about six to nine months. – The American Heartworm Society

Natural Cures for Heartworm

While treatments for heartworm are best administered under a vets care, some pets may be too old or too sick to undergo rigorous treatments. They may be too old for preventative medications as well. Preventative care in the form of monthly tablets, chewables, or topicals includes: Ivermectin, Macrocyclic Lactone (ML), Milbemycin, Moxidectin, and Selamectin. Natural cures for canine heartworms are not regulated, so there is literally hundreds, if not thousands, of products on the market that claim to cure or prevent canine heart worms. It’s best to speak with your vet about alternative cures or contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to locate a holistic vet in your area.

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
phone 410-569-0795
fax 410-569-2346
e-mail: of****@ah***.org
website: http://www.ahvma.org/

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