I just re-read Dr Becker's article... she DOES NOT recommend not giving heartworm preventatives.... it seems her concern lies more in her belief that the efficacy of current treatments is in question. She states that there is concern that the HW is becoming immune to the current preventatives bc they are being dosed in quantities that are more than what is needed for actual control. The manufacturers claim that the reason for their products' failures to protect against HW infection is non-compliance by pet owners!
Dr Becker has changed her recommendations from yearly testing to testing for HW every 4 months, so infections can be caught and treated early. Yes, she is a Holistic vet, and does recommend a holistic alternative, BUT she says to alternate the holistic preventative with the chemical preventatives, so as not to create a problem like there is now with antibiotics and resistance to them.
I think she made quite a few very good points in her article, and I won't 'write her off' just bc she tends towards holistic medicine. |