Because I maintain a website about holistic health for dogs and cats, and have been using holistic methods to raise and care for my animals for over twenty years, I get a lot of email asking my opinion on the validity of certain alternative therapies or preventatives, and also on the safety or advisability of some conventional ones.
How safe or effective something is depends, of course, on what it is and what it's for, as well as on the individual animal to whom it's being given. For example, many people would like to stop giving monthly heartworm preventative to their dogs, perceiving it as a poison and threat to their dog's health. Some of them carefully evaluate the likely risk of their dog contracting heartworm, and make an informed decision based, as much as possible, on facts, about continuing with the preventative.
Others wonder if there's an herbal alternative to drugs such as Heartgard or Interceptor. There may be an herbal formula as effective as ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heartgard) in preventing heartworm. It's certainly possible, but no one knows. We do know ivermectin will do it, in what doses, and what the risks and side effects are. More than a billion doses of Heartgard have been given to dogs, and even assuming vast under-reporting of side effects, there really is no evidence of a major toxicity problem with this drug.
Instead, I believe that most of the ill health we see in dogs is far more to be attributed to bad breeding, bad diet, and improper veterinary care and husbandry on the part of the owners, not heartworm preventative medications.
I do agree that at some point the critical mass of drugs, chemicals, pesticides, pollution, bad food, etc., becomes overwhelming to our dogs' immune systems, and I have no doubt heartworm medication is part of that critical mass. I just don't think it's an important part. A normal dog on a good diet, getting clean water, love, mental stimulation, plenty of exercise, and living in a not-too-polluted environment will not be unduly harmed by Heartgard.
The biggest health risks to our dogs are lack of exercise, poor quality foods, boredom, bad air, and stress. Those things are hard to fix. That's why holistic care is not more widespread. It's not easy. There is no magic pill - to give, or stop giving.
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