No specific food kills adult heartworms; treatment requires veterinary intervention with medications like melarsomine or moxidectin/doxycycline, but a strong immune system from a whole-food diet (like berries, greens, lean meats, omega-3s) supports the body and can help with prevention and recovery by reducing inflammation and liver stress. Some natural ingredients are anecdotally suggested for prevention, like garlic, black walnut, and wormwood, but garlic can be toxic to dogs, and scientific proof for killing existing worms is lacking.
Apples: Apples are great for dogs with heartworms due to their high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber. Apples in your dog's diet may help repair damaged tissue and blood vessels and support the health of their vital organs.
Although very rare, it is not unheard of for heartworm infestations to penetrate the brain. If this happens, your dog may experience neurological symptoms including blindness, confusion, and seizures.
How long can a dog live with heartworms? Dogs are able to live for years with this parasite, however, their condition will continuously worsen. It's a dangerous disease overall, which is why some people have even described untreated heartworms as the “slow kill.”
There isn't a natural cure for heartworm in dogs, except the death of the dog. 'Natural' preventatives in common use for parasitic worms don't work on heartworm. Once a dog has heartworm, it will eventually die unless the condition is effectively treated by a vet.
MYTH: There are home remedies that can get rid of heartworms in dogs. FACT: It is not possible to treat heartworms in dogs at home. Once a dog becomes infected, he or she needs a course of injectable medication to get rid of the heartworms.
5 Signs Your Dog May Have Heartworm Disease
Can dogs and cats fully recover from heartworms? Dogs and cats can fully recover in that many of them will have no outward clinical signs of the disease.
In dogs, heartworm disease has four stages:
Another clear indicator of heartworm disease is lethargy. If your dog normally has a lot of energy but is now spending a lot more time sleeping or avoiding interacting with you, this may be due to their heart having to work harder to pump blood.
The most frequently reported factors included stress‐related situations, sleep deprivation, weather, and hormonal factors. In dogs with focal onset seizures, the number of precipitating factors was 1.9 (95% CI 1.1‐3.4) times higher compared to dogs with generalized seizures.
Heartworm infection is a serious disease that can be fatal if left untreated. It is caused by worms that normally live in animals' heart, lungs, and blood vessels but can migrate to other tissues and organs, including the brain, kidneys, and eyes.
Managing congestive heart failure in dogs can be complex, but a heart-healthy diet can significantly help. Avoid high-sodium, high-fat foods and choose nutritious, low-sodium options to reduce heart strain and manage symptoms. A good diet supports heart function and overall well-being.
As heartworm disease progresses, dogs may experience labored breathing or shortness of breath. This symptom is due to the increased pressure on the lungs and the heart, which makes it difficult for the dog to breathe normally. You may notice your dog panting excessively, even when at rest.
It takes several months for the body to absorb the decomposed heartworms. Most problems after treatment occur due to these decomposing fragments. To reduce the risk, your dog should avoid exercise and be kept calm for the first month after treatment.
As they break up, they are carried to the lungs, where they lodge in the small blood vessels and are eventually reabsorbed by the body. This resorption can take several weeks to months, and most post-treatment complications are caused by these fragments of dead heartworms.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that herbs such as garlic, black walnut and wormwood, and the homeopathic heartworm nosode, may actually prevent as well as treat infection. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to find substantive proof that these therapies can reliably and safely prevent or treat infection or disease.
Stage 4: Severe Disease and Life-Threatening Complications
The most serious stage of heartworm disease can be life-threatening. In severe cases, worms can block blood flow, leading to a sudden emergency known as caval syndrome. Immediate surgical intervention is often required to save the pet's life.
Moxidectin-doxycycline (moxi-doxy) provides a viable alternative to no treatment at all, in cases where arsenical treatment is not possible. Based on current evidence, the most effective non-arsenical treatment regimen is doxycycline 10 mg/kg PO q 12 or 24 h for 28 days, combined with topical moxidectin at label dose.
Additionally, even though melarsomine is highly effective, a single course of treatment may not completely clear all dogs of infection (the American Heartworm Society protocol calls for three separate injections of melarsomine.
Once in your pet's blood, the heartworm larvae will travel to your pet's lungs, heart, and the blood vessels attached to them. Here is where they will live, feeding off your pet's blood and reproducing. Dogs can have in excess of several hundred worms living in their body.
Myth #3: If my pet has heartworms, I will see them in her feces. Although many worm types, such as roundworms and tiny hookworms, are shed in your pet's feces, heartworms do not live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and are not found in feces.
The cough associated with heartworm disease in dogs is often likened to the sound of a goose honking. If your dog tends to get into coughing fits after activity or eating, and if those coughs sound harsh and honk-like, then she may have heartworm disease or another heart related concern.
Heartworm disease can be painful if the heart is very enlarged or if the migration of the worm suddenly happens and causes some issues in the vessels.