The sheer importance of dogs in many of ourlives has been highlighted heavily in the past couple of years, due to thepandemic and ensuing lockdowns. Even during the lockdowns, many people went out and got dogs to help them retain a sense of normalcy, considering the strict social distancing rules. Although what this popularity doesn’t reflect is the amount of work that goes into dog ownership, and the responsibility that the owner takes on in terms of the dog’s health.
A buzz phrase which has been overused by many holistic medicine companies in recent years is “the immune system”. What people think when they hear it is the body’s ability to fight off infection and illness, and while this may be true to a degree, most products will struggle to improve it even a little. The same goes for our furry friends, where some brands of food will claim to provide immune support for dogs, one should understand what this means.
Here is a brief explanation of your dog’s immune system, and some ways you can truly support it.
Immune System
Before we look at dogs, it can help tounderstand what is generally meant by the immune system of any mammal. TheNational Cancer Institute states that the immune system is:
“A complex network of cells, tissues, organs,and the substances they make that helps the body fight infections and otherdiseases. The immune system includes white blood cells and organs and tissues of the lymph system, such as the thymus, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and bone marrow.”
Most animals have some sort of defensemechanisms built-in, but all vertebrates have this much more complex immunesystem which helps protect their body. Dogs, being vertebrates, have many similar organs, tissues, and cells which work the same way that our own do. This being their best line of defense against a variety of potential threats, reinforces its importance.
White Blood Cells
Often depicted as the active defenders of the body, white blood cells are the first responders and frontline workers of our immune system. Neutrophils, just one of the several types of white blood cells found in dogs, are vital for fighting infection, and are produced in their bone marrow. As their owner, it can be important to keep an eye out for signs of low white blood cells in your dog, symptoms include:
● Fever
● Diarrhea
● Lethargy
● Pale coat and nose
● Vomiting
● Wounds continuously bleeding
Be sure to take your dog to the vet if they show any of these symptoms, otherwise take them for a blood test to get an idea of the levels of their different white blood cells.
Increasing White Blood Cells
While you cannot directly increase the amount of blood cells that your dog is producing, there are some supplements which can indirectly help. Look for immune support for dog products which include Coenzyme Q10 (CO Q 10), which can help increase cellular energy supply, a vital factor in the immune response system.
Lymphatic System
Acting as a sort of surveillance system, the lymphatic system’s purpose is to collect and transport tissue fluids from the intercellular spaces in all of the tissues of the body, and bring them back to the veins in the blood system. It is during these processes that the system carries pathogens to the lymph nodes, where it produces the white blood cells which essentially ‘eat’ the threat.
Any problem with the lymphatic system in dogs can put their whole immune response in jeopardy, so be sure to keep an eye out for signs of lymphoma or lymphedema in fido.
The lymphatic system also aids in the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive system and the subsequent transport of these substances into circulation. A deficiency in these fats or fat-soluble vitamins, despite their presence in the dog’s diet, may indicate some issue with the lymphatic system.
Improving Lymphatic Function
As with increasing white blood cell count, itmay be difficult to directly improve the function of your dog’s lymphatic system, as there are many variables which can affect it (breed, up-bringing, hereditary, etc.).
Although one can improve the components which are utilized by the lymphatic system, such as the macrophage of which the response can be improved through the consumption of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), common in blue green algae such as spirulina. Other ingredients to look for in products which provide immune support for dogs include:
● Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)which increases mitochondria count and works with CO Q 10 to improve oxygenutilization which is vital in immune competence.
● Arabinogalactan which is activelyfermented by intestinal micro-flora and interacts with the immune systemthrough the production of short chain fatty acids which affect inflammatory response via leukocyte function and cytokine production.
● Lactoferrin which helps tomodulate the immune system
