As a dog owner, you know how important it is to keep your pup healthy and strong, and that’s why you need to know how to increase dog immunity.
While veterinary checkups and regular exercise are essential for maintaining your dog’s health, focusing on its immune system is also important.
A strong immune system can help protect your dog from various illnesses. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to help boost your dog’s immunity.
From a nutritious diet to using an immune booster for dogs, there are several ways to strengthen your dog’s immunity. Here’s how you can increase your pup’s immunity and keep them happy and healthy.
Increase Dog Immunity
1. Regular exercise
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to boost your dog’s immunity, as it helps promote proper circulation and oxygen throughout the body.
This can help to deliver nutrients and white blood cells to the areas of the body that need them most, helping to fight off disease and boost immunity.
Additionally, regular exercise can help reduce stress and improve overall physical and mental well-being, which can also positively impact the immune system.
There are many ways to exercise your pup, from daily walks to more rigorous activities like swimming.
You should, however, be careful with the kind of exercise you are giving your dog. Elderly dogs should be given low-impact exercise due to their reduced physicality.
If your pup is elderly, simple exercise can help keep their muscles strong, which helps reduce the risk of falls and other accidents that can lead to injury.
On The other hand, young and active dogs should be given vigorous exercise with enough rest time.
2. Massage also works
Massaging and similar techniques can improve the well-being of your dog by promoting relaxation and healing, which can positively impact their overall health and immunity.
Plus, it’s a great way to strengthen your bond with your furry friend. You can perform simple massages at home by applying gentle pressure to your pup’s muscles.
Although there is limited research on the effects of massage on animals, studies on humans have shown that massage can decrease stress hormones.
Therefore, dogs who receive regular massages exhibit lower stress levels and have a reduced risk of developing the related disease.
A research review from 2014 also found that moderate pressure massage can increase the number of natural killer cells and their activity which boosts the immune system. While it is uncertain, likely, dogs may also experience similar benefits from massage.
3. Keep toys and bowls clean
Canine creatures have a habit of ‘playing’ with a wide variety of things while outside the home, and then they come back inside to engage with their “belongings.”
Unfortunately, this means that germs from their mouths can end up on everything they touch. When germs get into the body of pets, the immune system is weakened.
To minimize this, it’s a good idea to clean their toys and bowls frequently. Daily washing with warm water can help reduce the number of bacteria the dog’s immune system has to fight against.
Additionally, ensuring that the toys and bowls are completely dry after washing is important, as moisture can provide an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.
4. Regular vet checks
When it comes to keeping your furry companion healthy, your veterinarian is your go-to expert. Trust your veterinarian as your dog’s primary healthcare provider, and schedule those checkup visits to ensure a happy, healthy pup.
Sure, we may only visit the vet when our dogs are feeling under the weather or have suffered an injury, but these appointments tend to be more reactive than proactive.
To truly ensure the well-being of our beloved pets, it’s important to schedule regular checkup visits with the vet.
These appointments can offer insights into your dog’s health and immune system if properly and extensively done. The vet can recommend medication to boost your dog’s immune system if needed.
5. Take advantage of the supplements
When it comes to keeping your dog’s immune system strong, sometimes giving them extra nutrients through supplements can be helpful.
However, you need to be careful not to give them too many different supplements as you risk giving them too many of some ingredients, and it can also make it harder for their body to absorb the nutrients.
One supplement that can be good for your dog’s immune system is probiotics. They help improve the health of your dog’s gut, which constitutes a larger part of the immune system.
A healthy gut can lead to a stronger immune system overall. But remember that probiotic that work for people might not work for dogs. For this reason, it is important to talk to your vet to find the right probiotics for your feline friend.
Another supplement that has been shown to be beneficial for your dog is fish oil which contains omega-3 fatty acids known to reduce inflammation in the pet’s body.
These fatty acids are important, but it can be hard to get enough of them through diet alone. That’s why giving your dog a fish oil supplement can be a good idea.
Curcumin is another supplement that can be beneficial for your dog. It’s a chemical found in turmeric which has anti-cancer properties and can also reduce inflammation and pain.
Have you heard of doggie immune boosters? They are an organic mushroom mix specially crafted to boost your furry friend’s immunity with the finest selection of USDA-certified organic mushrooms.
This powerful blend includes Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and lion’s mane, all known for their immune-enhancing properties. What better way to boost your do’s immune than trying out immune boosters?
6. Give your dog a balanced nutritional diet
A dog’s immune system is heavily concentrated in the gastrointestinal tract, with 65% of immune cells residing there. This highlights the strong connection between a dog’s nutritional diet and immunity.
Therefore, to ensure your dog’s immune system stays strong, providing them with a well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and protein is important.
It is also important to remember that when your dog ages, its nutritional needs may increase, and it is important to adjust its diet accordingly to keep its immune system strong.
Consider feeding your dog food rich in antioxidants crucial to maintaining your dog’s immune system.
Antioxidants in foods such as beans, Barley grasses, berries, fruits, and vegetables, can counteract free radicals and protect immune cells from damage.
7. Weight management
Your dog’s weight plays a crucial role in its overall health and well-being, especially concerning the immune system.
When the weight of your exceeds its ideal weight, it strains their immune system, making them more susceptible to illness and disease.
Luckily this can easily be managed. One of the most effective ways to ensure your dog’s weight stays within a healthy range is by monitoring their calorie intake.
And you can do this by seeking assistance from your veterinarian, who can help determine the ideal weight for your dog and the number of calories they should consume daily.
You can easily monitor food intake and ensure they’re getting the right amount of nutrients without overfeeding by measuring the amount of food. Also, feel free to consult your vet and choose the best food options for your furry friend.
In the end, keeping your furry friend at an ideal weight allows the immune system to operate at maximum efficiency with minimum strains from complications that come with being overweight.
What Causes Weak Immune System In Dogs
Your dog’s general health and well-being depend on having a robust immune system. It enables them to fight illnesses and infections and quickly recover from injuries.
However, a dog with a compromised immune system may be more prone to disease and require a longer recovery.
Understanding the root reasons will enable you to take action to ensure the continued health of our animal friends. Here are a few reasons why your pet’s immune system may be poor:
- Viral Infections
- Age
- Excessive Stress
- Vaccines and Medication
- Allergies
- Hereditary Immunodeficiency
- Tumors
- Surgery
- Poor Sleep
Conclusion
Knowing how to increase dog immunity is very important to dog owners. As you know, a strong immune system is crucial to your dog’s general health and well-being.
A healthy immune system allows your dog to fight off diseases and recover quickly from injuries. While on the other hand, a compromised immune system can make your dog more susceptible to illnesses and prolong recovery time.
Knowing how to boost your dog’s immune system can help prevent and minimize the impact of illnesses and diseases, keeping your furry friend happy and healthy. Additionally, it can save you money on veterinary expenses and prolong your dog’s life.