When the cold season is approaching, your furry friend’s immune system is exposed to special challenges.
Rain, snow, cold and viruses can weaken the immune system and your darling one cold or even pneumonia miss.
In this article you will learn everything about strengthening the immune system in dogs with home remedies.
Strengthening the dog’s immune system – 8 home remedies that help
Home remedies can help to strengthen the dog’s immune system, e.g. B. Plants such as echinacea, as well as propolis, zinc, fiber, rose hips, taiga root and cistus.
Make sure that your pet’s intestinal flora is healthy, because your furry friend can only build up a strong immune system with a healthy intestine!
Echinacea
- Effect: Echinacea can support the immune system by stimulating the production of white blood cells.
- Application: Give your darling a few drops of the liquid in his food.
- Dosage: This depends on your dog’s weight, but most manufacturers will have this information on their product.
propolis
- Effect: The bee resin has a similar effect to antibiotics and can be administered preventively to support the immune system before and during a cold.
- Application: Add the drops of a 30% tincture or crushed pure propolis to your dog’s food.
- Dosage: Add the drops to your dog’s food three times a day as directed, or crush 0.05g per kg of body weight twice a day.
zinc
- Effect: Zinc strengthens the immune system and cannot be produced by the body itself.
- Application: Feed your darling muscle meat and offal or give him zinc drops in the food.
- Dosage: 1 mg zinc per kg body weight is recommended. For the drops, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
fiber
- Effect: Dietary fiber is very important for the health of the intestines, because it promotes the growth of healthy bacteria and regulates bowel movements. The immune system can only be strong if the intestinal flora is healthy.
- Use: You can find fiber in many brands of food, as well as in complex carbohydrates such as potatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Dosage: Chop up the food and mix it into the dog food twice a day.
rosehips
- Effect: Rose hips are particularly important for the cells, are rich in vitamin C and strengthen the immune system.
- Application: grind the rose hips to a fine powder and mix it into the food of your furry friend.
- Dosage: Dogs under 5 kg body weight get 1 tsp daily, dogs up to 15 kg 1 tbsp, fur noses up to 30 kg may get 1 to 2 tbsp a day and dogs over 30 kg should get 2 to 4 tbsp rose hips a day.
taiga root
- Effect: Taiga root strengthens resilience, has a health-promoting and performance-enhancing effect and has an antiviral effect.
- Application: Buy ready-ground taiga root as a powder and mix it into your pet’s food.
- Dosage: Give your dog 1 g of taiga root per kg of body weight per day.
cistus
- Effect: Rockrose contains secondary plant substances that have an antiviral effect and help with colds caused by viruses.
- Application: Buy ready-made cistus herb and add it to the dog food after it has been chopped up.
- Dosage: Dogs up to 5 kg body weight can take ½ tsp a day, fur noses up to 15 kg can get 1 to 2 tsp a day, dogs up to 30 kg can tolerate 1 tbsp a day and dogs over 30 kg can take up to 2 tbsp a day.
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- Effect: Minerals, vitamins and antioxidants are good for the immune system, blood cells, bones and intestinal flora and keep your fur nose healthy in general.
- Application: You can find the nutrients in fruit and vegetables, which many manufacturers already mix in their feed. Otherwise you can cut it up and add it to the food yourself. Some dogs also love fruit and vegetables on their own.
- Dosage: You should be particularly economical with fruit and reduce it to one portion a day. You can give vegetables several times a day.
Home remedies don’t help – what else can I do if my dog has a weak immune system?
Home remedies can help to strengthen the dog’s immune system. However, your dog may also need medication.
In general, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and avoiding stress are important. You should also give your loved one plenty of rest when they have a cold. Make sure your apartment or house is warm.
As a preventive measure, you can spend a lot of time outdoors with your four-legged friend – even in the rain and cold. That way, your immune system can adapt to it.
When should I go to the vet?
If your darling is sick, you can start with home remedies to strengthen your dog’s immune system. However, you should go to the vet immediately.
Even if your furry friend wants to sleep more than usual, has no appetite, doesn’t want to go out, pants a lot and has a dry nose, you should go to the vet.
If your darling only has to sneeze a little in between and is a bit tired, you can try rest, water and home remedies first.
Conclusion
If you know from experience that your fur nose is susceptible to colds, you can take preventative countermeasures to strengthen the dog’s immune system with home remedies.
Eat a healthy diet and dry their fur after swimming or raining.
It can also be worth talking to your vet about preventive options and being out and about a lot with your furry friend in the cold beforehand.
Is your dog prone to colds during the cold season? If yes, please leave us a comment and tell us how you solved the problem.