We have a really bad time if our pet is ill and suffers, because we are very anxious about whether he will recover soon, or if the pathology he suffers is serious. Therefore, our priority when we have a pet is to make sure it is healthy and happy, so we must strive to make your dog's immune system as strong as possible.
The immune system is responsible for protecting dogs from a wide variety of infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. When the immune system is weakened for different reasons, dogs often get sick more often and more easily.
We must take extreme care of our puppies or old dogs because their health is more vulnerable. If we fail to do so, they may suffer from autoimmune diseases such as asthma, lupus, or diabetes.
The same thing can happen to our pets. If their immune system is faulty or weak, different symptoms will begin to show, indicating that something is wrong with their health. By improving our pets' immune system, we can keep them away from possible health complications.
What are the signs that a dog has a weak immune system?
There are a number of signals that you should pay attention to as they may be indicating that your dog's defenses need to be strengthened:
- Ear infections
- Allergies
- Dermatitis of different types
- Conjunctivitis
There are a few factors that can contribute to a dog's weak immune system, including physical, psychological, and external factors. Some of the most notable examples are listed below:
- Sudden changes in temperature or lack of humidity can often cause a cold.
- Pollution and contamination
- Internal and external parasites
- Stress
- Lack of nutrients
What can I do to boost my dog's immune system?
There are many ways to improve your dog's immune system. Some suggestions to help strengthen your dog's defenses include:
- A balanced diet is key to maintaining your pet's health. Make sure that the diet you are offering meets all of the nutritional requirements for your pet's breed, age, and size.
The diet is a determining factor for the health of the dog. If the defense cells or white blood cells do not have the nutrients they need, they will not be able to exert their action effectively. It is not only important the amount of food we offer our dog but also its quality because the intake of toxic substances or poor quality food could be very harmful.
- Always keep your dog's drinker full of water to keep it perfectly hydrated.
- Always keep your dog's drinker full of water to keep it perfectly hydrated.
- Vaccinate as directed by your vet and worm your pet both inside and out.
- Take him out to potty and get some fresh air.
- Try not to smoke indoors where your pet is.
- He shouldn't play in spaces that have been cleaned or disinfected recently with chemicals.
- For rest, provide a clean, warm, well-ventilated, and draught-free space.
- Use caution when giving your dog medication, as they may deplete their own body's healing resources and act as liver toxins. Drugs, particularly corticosteroids, can also cause a significant drop in the immune system response.
- Massage has many benefits for dogs, including increased lymphocyte count and improved function, as well as relaxation which can improve emotional and immune health.
- Don't take your dog for a walk when it's too hot or too cold.
- After bathing your dog, or if it has rained during a walk, try to dry him well.
- Give your dog more attention than normal to help relieve the stress that changes in the family environment can cause. Dogs can experience stress from things like moves, deaths, babies arriving, separations from loved ones, or the adoption of a new pet.
- Take him out to potty and get some fresh air.
- Try not to smoke indoors where your pet is.
- He shouldn't play in spaces that have been cleaned or disinfected recently with chemicals.
- For rest, provide a clean, warm, well-ventilated, and draught-free space.
- Use caution when giving your dog medication, as they may deplete their own body's healing resources and act as liver toxins. Drugs, particularly corticosteroids, can also cause a significant drop in the immune system response.
- Massage has many benefits for dogs, including increased lymphocyte count and improved function, as well as relaxation which can improve emotional and immune health.
- Don't take your dog for a walk when it's too hot or too cold.
- After bathing your dog, or if it has rained during a walk, try to dry him well.
- Give your dog more attention than normal to help relieve the stress that changes in the family environment can cause. Dogs can experience stress from things like moves, deaths, babies arriving, separations from loved ones, or the adoption of a new pet.
Stress in dogs decreases the activity of the immune system, as they release various hormones that occupy the receptors of white blood cells and prevent them from recognizing and confronting a pathogenic agent.
Vitamin supplements for dogs: Use with caution
If you want to maximize the defenses of your dog, you can provide vitamin supplements. Although the ideal is that the need for vitamins is covered by a balanced diet, in many cases, the animal can be given this type of supplement.
They should only be given by veterinary indication, since an unnecessary excess of vitamins can poison our pet and cause the remedy to be worse than the disease.
If, despite following these lines to the letter and enriching your dog's diet with vitamins, it continues to show signs that its defenses are insufficient, it is advisable to go to the veterinarian to put us in contact with a specialist.