April 18th, 2013
Five Steps to Help Keep Your Dog’s Immune System Strong
There is a great article by Dr. Shawn Messonnier in the April/May issue of Animal Wellness magazine about ways to keep your dog’s immune system healthy. It’s very important for your dog to have a strong immune system to help resist disease, prevent fleas, and help our dogs live longer and healthier.
What can you do to strengthen your dog’s immune system? According to Dr. Messonnier, there are five important steps you can take that can help.
- Minimize vaccines. Over-vaccinations can lead to inappropriate immune responses possibly causing chronic problems such as autoimmune disorders or cancer. Instead, look at a blood antibody test called a titer to determine if your dog needs vaccinating.
- Minimize exposure to chemicals such as flea preventatives and household and lawn chemicals, and medications such as antibiotics.
- Feed a great diet. Look at your dog’s food, and educate yourself on the ingredients. Learn what’s good and what’s not.
- Exercise your dog. This is something we’ve been talking about for some time. Dr. Messonnier recommends an exercise program to keep the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems in top shape. It also enhances well-being and strengthens the immune system.
- Give your dog proper supplements. In Dr. Messonnier’s experience, dogs who are properly supplemented tend to live longer and feel better. For all dogs, he recommends formulas that contain enzymes, probiotics, glucosamine, vitamins, fatty acids and minerals.
Consider these easy steps to help keep your dog’s immune system healthy, which in turn will help to prolong his life and give him better quality of life.
