How Can i Increase My Dog’s Immune System Naturally?

When immunes system in dogs doesn’t function correctly, it can cause a lot of diseases, like infection, diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancer. To avoid these risks and to offer to your dog a good health and well-being, the veterinary experts recommended keeping your dog’s immune system well-balanced. According to Dr Donna Raditic, an American veterinary nutrition, the immune system acts sort of permanent protector, it identifies potentially hurtful pathogens such bacteria, viruses and parasites, then attacks them before they become harmful, and a dog’s immune system watches cells to make sure they’re working correctly. When this system does not work well, your dog is vulnerable to different diseases. An unbalanced immune system for a prolonged period can cause chronic inflammation which, in turn, can lead to various diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain liver and heart diseases.

Play with your dog

Play with your dog to keep him in good shape. It is an exercise that will help to burn fat and prevent inflammation, this is one of the best ways to strengthen your dog’s immune health and improve his overall well-being. Indeed, excess fat weakens the immune system because fat is the body’s largest endocrine gland that is responsible for the secretion of more than forty inflammatory promoting hormones, even a small excess amount of fat can increase the amount of these hormones in the body. Dogs have an innate love for play, they are naturally active, and so, a good exercise can be important to their health. An adequate exercise should be also a fun like retrieving, playing and learning tricks. Ideally, the vet will help you schedule proper exercise for your dog based on age, race and health status. Generally speaking, your dog needs at least 15-minutes mile to burn enough calories.

Your dog needs the right food

Feeding your dog a healthy food is the key for a good immune health “the gut contains about 70% of your immune system «affirms Dr Susan Wynn, an ACVN diplomat who practices at Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Sandy Springs, Georgia “The gut also contains your microbiome––the collection of hundreds of species of bacteria—and the bacterial balance in the microbiome is heavily influenced by the diet.”. In principle, dogs are designated to follow a wet meat diet. However, commercial dry foods contain at least 40% starch. These foods are not good for your dog’s health because starch can lead to chronic inflammation. Specialists recommend a diet without cereals and starch and which also contains fresh meat and vegetables.

Introduce supplements into your dog’s diet

To improve the efficiency of the immune system, it would be beneficial to supplement your dog’s diet with certain nutrients: Probiotics: they help to introduce microorganisms into the digestive tracts. However, the dog’s microbiome differs from ours; so, giving him the same supplement that you take is not going to benefit them. you vet will help you to choose the appropriate probiotics. Fish-oil: it’s recommended to give your dog fish oil because it contains inflammation- fighting omega-3 fatty acid, this supplement is essential to temper the inflammatory response. Curcumin: the curcumin contains anti-cancer properties and it is also an anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever.

Dog massage has a healing power

massage can be beneficial for dog because it reduces levels of stress hormones in the body. Touch, massage and other similar methods can promote relaxation and healing which affect overall health.

Care Required by Dogs in Winter

We have to take care of our pets every day of their lives and pay special attention to seasonal changes. With the cold the defenses of our little hair fall and we must take certain precautions. These are the care we must give our dogs in winter

Attention that dogs deserve in winter

These are some of the precautions you should take during the winter if you have a dog.

Protecting his body from the cold

You know that one of the ways to protect dogs from the cold in winter is to put on special coats for them. However, you should know that they are not always essential (for example, if the dog is inside a house near a radiator) and not all dogs need them.

Dog coats are especially important during street walks. You can also protect your pet's paws with a pair of size boots if you're taking him out in the snow to avoid cracks and cold burns on his pads.

Also, during this time, avoid cutting your pet's hair to make it a natural coat.

Taking care of your pet's diet

As always, we have to offer our dog quality food. However, in cold weather you have to pay special attention to how much you eat.

Dogs in winter should take all the food they need to maintain their energy and this will help them to conserve body heat, you can even consult your vet if it is necessary to increase the dose or give some kind of supplement or vitamin.

However, if they take more than their fair share they can end up with an overweight problem, so keep an eye on the quantities. It's best to ask a professional first.

Vaccines a day throughout the year

This is not just during the winter: your dog's vaccinations should ALWAYS be up to date. This will prevent the spread of diseases that are characteristic of this time or anyone.

Warm resting place

This is one of the most important care we should take with dogs in winter.

You can place your dog's bed near a radiator, but without sticking it to it. In addition, it will always do him good to have a blanket in which to curl up.

And remember to wash your mattress and blanket frequently to avoid bad smells!

On the other hand, if your dog is on a terrace or garden, he should have a shelter with a roof to protect him from the cold, as well as a mattress and blankets.

However, if the temperature is very low, you should let him sleep at home. The nights are very hard in winter and your dog could die of cold. It's better to set up a space inside the home so he can spend those hours than to lose it, don't you think?

Watching his water

It's always important for your dog to keep his bowl of clean water close by. It should be cool, so don't place the bowl next to the radiators and don't leave it near drafts because it can freeze.

Take precautions on the walk

Cold can't be an excuse not to get your dog out on the street. They need to exercise every day and, for your sake, take care of their needs outside. However, there are a few precautions you should take.

One of them has already been mentioned: the coat. You can put a coat on your dog to take him out on the street or a raincoat if it's raining. Also, special dog boots will come in handy if it's snowing and also to protect your dog's pads from defrosting products being thrown on the streets.

These products are often very toxic and could cause serious damage to your pet if they lick their legs afterwards. So if you don't take it out with boots, clean the pads well when you get home.

In addition to this, we recommend that the walks are not excessively long. You can always start exercising and playing with him inside the house and spend less time in the street.

And remember that if it rains or gets wet for any reason, the first thing you should do when you get home is to dry it well.

Christmas Precautions

During the winter Christmas arrives and certain precautions must be taken during these dates.

To begin with, you have to watch what he eats. Our tables are full of food at Christmas, but many of these foods are toxic to dogs: seafood, grapes, sweets, nuts and alcohol should be out of reach.

In the same way, you should not give the bones left over from the meat if they have been cooked or roasted, as biting them can splinter and cause tears in your dog when swallowing.

Also be careful with the Christmas decoration. Leaving small decorations near them can cause them to be put in the mouth, causing intoxication and choking. Also, the Easter flower is very toxic to our pets, so it's best to put it away.

And finally we find the problem of pyrotechnics. Dogs fear the loud sound of firecrackers and fireworks, so it is advisable to protect them from them by moving them away from windows, playing with them to entertain them or putting them to appropriate music.

For the same reason, we recommend that you take your dog out on a leash during the most important days of the holidays. In this way you will prevent him from running away if he hears a firecracker very close to him during the walk.