Natural Immunity - Supporting Health from the Inside Out

The immune system is an intricate biological protection system responsible for determining what belongs to and in the body versus what does not belong and requires elimination. It defends the body against infection, disease and foreign substances. The immune system begins with the skin and digestive system, and incorporates the glands, hormones, blood and organs throughout the body. Keeping your companion’s immune system in good shape will go a long way in preventing ill health and chronic disease.

When we talk of keeping the immune system healthy, many people think of boosting or stimulating the immune system with herbs such as Echinacea. Boosting immunity, however, is not always appropriate or required. In some cases the immune system needs calming and balancing – as is the case for autoimmune disorders and frequently for chronic allergies.

A good, natural diet is the most important component in building and supporting a healthy immune system. Since your companion is dependent upon you to provide the best possible diet, it is prudent for you to educate yourself about the options available and the benefits of feeding the freshest, most wholesome diet you can. Please see our article, "What You Need to Know About Your Pet’s Food," for more details.

Along with a top quality diet, exercise, minimal exposure to toxins and a low-stress living environment are of utmost importance to the health of your companion. If these elements are not attended to first, then adding supplements to boost the immune system or balance it will be far less useful or effective. Giving immune-supportive supplements to an animal without attending to the foundations of good health is like trying to heat a house with poor insulation and broken windows – you can turn the thermostat up as high as you’d like but the house will still be cold.

Many factors can have an adverse effect on your pet's immune system, and addressing the following issues can play a big part in helping your pet stay healthy:

1.  Minimizing pesticide & herbicide residue in foods: Pesticide and herbicide residues are found on over 50% of produce and even higher percentages of grains. These are chemicals designed to kill living organisms – not something we want our companions consuming on a daily basis. In multiple studies, organic foods have been shown to have higher nutrient values than their conventional counterparts. There are more and more organic foods available for our companions, and some manufacturers make an effort to use free-range, hormone- and/or antibiotic-free meats in their products. While a totally organic diet can be a bit expensive for those with larger animals or many mouths to feed, adding some organic foods – even just 25-30% can be helpful.

2.  Providing fresh food versus highly processed food: Highly processed food, such as dry kibble, loses most of its vitamins, some amino acids, and all enzymes and probiotics during the manufacturing process. Some vitamins and minerals are added back in – typically artificial forms of these nutrients. Fresh food contains enzymes that aid in digestion. Fresh vegetables contain antioxidants and vitamins in their natural, more absorbable form. As with organic foods, even adding a portion of fresh foods such as raw meaty bones and/or lightly steamed or ground vegetables to the diet can be beneficial to the immune system.

3.  Avoiding Chemical Insecticides & Flea Treatments: Chemical insecticides in your home, lawn and garden should be avoided for your companion’s sake. Our companion animals are much closer to the ground than we are and breath in whatever chemical residues are on the floor and furniture. They also come into contact with chemicals used on the grass in your yard or local park. Animals groom these residues from their coat and paws by licking their skin and fur, thereby ingesting these residues. There are natural alternatives to the chemical products used by exterminators and used in lawn and yard care (a simple internet search on natural pest control or weed control is a good place to start).

Chemical flea treatments such as spot-on insecticides (like Frontline, Advantage, and others) are a direct assault on your companion’s immune system. The pesticides from these products are absorbed into your animal’s system, adding stress to the liver and kidneys as well as the digestive system. Natural flea control options are safe and effective without negatively affecting your companion’s immune system.

4.  Limiting Vaccinations: Vaccinations represent a major stress to the immune system. They can not only cause side effects and allergic reactions, they also contribute significantly to long term chronic disease. Many holistic veterinarians agree that over-vaccination is a significant contributor to the rising rates of chronic disease and cancer in cats and dogs. A limited vaccine program is highly recommended – and is especially important if your companion belongs to any of the breeds known to be more susceptible to cancer and chronic diseases. If your veterinarian is not supportive, then find a veterinarian who will agree to a limited vaccination schedule. Do not succumb to the pressures of a professional who is not willing to look at the overwhelming evidence of the problems of over-vaccination. For more information about limited vaccination schedules please read our article, "The Truth About Pet Vaccinations."

5.  Avoiding Overuse of Medications: Antibiotics and steroids are necessary tools in any veterinarian’s trade, but they are quite often overused. Repeated rounds of antibiotics to address chronic UTI issues or steroids to treat itchy skin and allergies tax the immune system – sometimes leaving the animal susceptible to greater health problems than it started with. A natural approach to chronic health issues involves supporting the animal’s system in its healing process without the use of strong medications. Please see our Holistic Healthcare Library for articles about natural treatments for specific conditions.

6.  Helping Your Pet Get Exercise: Moderate exercise has been shown to improve immune factors in humans and animals. Proper exercise is essential in maintaining a healthy immune system. Natural light is also important, so walks in the great outdoors are the best option for dogs. Indoor cats should be provided with plenty of toys and climbing structures. Open the windows on nice days so your cat(s) can breath some fresh air  - this is helpful in preventing and treating respiratory problems.

Weight control is also key – overweight animals are much more susceptible to chronic and acute diseases and infections. Proper diet AND exercise are needed to help with weight control.

7.  Giving Nutritional Supplements: In addition to the best diet you can provide, there are some essential supplements that should be part of every animal’s daily diet. Essential fatty acids support healthy skin and coat as well as the digestive tract – which are the first line of defense for the immune system. Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics are vital for good digestion, optimal nutrition and in maintaining a proper balance of balance of disease-fighting bacteria in the digestive tract.

8.  Supplying Clean, Fresh Water: Depending on where you live, the tap water can be anywhere from almost acceptable to fairly toxic. The fluoride and chlorine added stress your companion’s elimination system. Filtered water is best, followed by bottled water and spring water. Flowing water will often encourage animals to drink more. (See the fountain style waterers we offer). Cats that eat a diet consisting mainly of dry food are chronically dehydrated. In the wild cats get most, if not all, of their hydration from the raw prey they consume.

9.  Keeping A Healthy House: Household cleaners and other products are another source of toxins your companion may have to deal with. Many cleaners, air fresheners and laundry detergents contain bleach, ammonia and other chemicals that our companions breathe in and lick from their paws. Keeping the floors clean is important since the dirt tracked in from outside likely contains heavy metals and other toxins, but using more natural cleaning products will keep the household healthier. Plug-in air fresheners are another source of indoor pollution - they may smell nice, but the petrochemicals that carry that scent offer a constant dose of toxins to you and your companion. (See Cleaning & Odor Removal products)

10.  Minimizing Stress: Stress affects animals the same way it affects us – it weakens the immune system. Dogs and cats with anxiety issues of any kind need assistance in moderating their fears. Flower Essences, Homeopathic Remedies and Herbal Remedies can be highly beneficial for animals with anxiety problems or that are under stress. (See Anxiety & Stress Remedies). Behavioral modification training is essential for dogs with anxiety. Changing the environment in your home, for example, providing separate territories for cats that do not get along well, or additional litter boxes and cat trees or safe resting areas can make a big difference for anxious cats.

Remember to keep your companion’s emotional well-being in mind whenever there will be a change of routine. The holidays frequently involve many changes in environment and schedules, so think ahead about supporting their needs. (See Holiday Stress Relief and Safety Tips)


Enhancing or Balancing Natural Immunity

Once all of these aspects of the foundation of health have been addressed, many chronic illnesses such as allergies, respiratory illness, urinary tract problems and digestive issues may resolve themselves naturally. Every holistic veterinarian has hundreds of patients whose problems have gone away without further intervention once the foundations of diet, exercise, minimal exposure to toxins and stress have been addressed. Some animals, however, have been battling ill health for too long, or may have inherited susceptibilities to certain diseases, and their immune systems will likely need additional assistance. Determining the nature of that assistance is the first step. For some illnesses it is necessary to boost the immune system – giving supplements that can increase the disease fighting mechanisms of the immune system. For other illnesses – mainly autoimmune disorders, it is necessary to balance or calm the immune system.

As you recall, the immune system’s job is to eliminate foreign substances from the body. In autoimmune disorders the animal’s system has lost some of its ability to distinguish what belongs and what does not belong, and begins to attack the cells of its own bodily tissues. Autoimmune diseases can affect a single system or can involve multiple areas of the body. The symptoms of autoimmune diseases are often the same as those for non-autoimmune diseases, so proper diagnosis is crucial.

A partial list of autoimmune diseases (in people and pets) includes:

• Juvenile diabetes
• Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (reduction of red blood cells)
• Autoimmune diseases of the skin such as Pemphigus Vulgaris
• Myasthenia gravis (a nerve condition)
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Polymyositis (a muscle condition)
• Allergies (a hypersensitive immune system)

In the case of autoimmune disease, the immune system needs assistance in modulating its response. We feature many supplements, but one of the most useful supplements in this case are the plant sterols and sterolins found in Only Natural Pet Immune Balance. Plant sterols and sterolins are natural substances found in all fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. These plant nutrients have many unique health benefits including promoting balance of the immune system - enhancing an under-active immune system and/or modulating an overactive one. Immune Balance provides support for the immune system to regulate itself and restore balance.

Antioxidants are also frequently helpful in treating autoimmune disorders as they assist the immune system in eliminating free radicals and reducing oxidative stress without directly stimulating an immune response. Antioxidants used to counter the effects of some autoimmune diseases include alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine, carnosine, coenzyme Q10, systemic enzymes, and rhodiola.

Antioxidant products: Only Natural Pet Whole Food Antioxidant Blend, Vetri-Science Coenzyme Q10, Genesis Resources Canine & Feline Antioxidant Formulas, Seven Forests Quercenol and CoQsol.

Systemic Enzyme products: Inflamzyme, Prozyme


Boosting or stimulating the immune system is at times necessary for animals with acute or chronic illnesses or for those exposed to contagious disease. Viral diseases, infections and cancer are some of the disorders in which stimulating the immune system with herbs and supplements is called for. Many immune support supplements will include a combination of medicinal mushrooms, antioxidants, herbs that boost immunity such as astragalus, cat's claw, pau d’arco, echinacea or green tea. Other supplements to consider include colostrum, DMG, olive leaf, and Chinese herbal formulas. Using antioxidant supplements in combination with immune stimulating herbs and supplements supports the immune system to an even greater extent.

Puppies and kittens can benefit from colostrum to help boost their developing immune system for their first 3 to 4 months. Older companions may benefit from an immune support tonic formula such as Health Concerns Astra Essence or Only Natural Pet Senior Herbal Formula. Tonic herbs are generally gentle, nutritive herbs used to stimulate and increase immune and organ function. They are commonly used for longer periods than stronger more specific herbal remedies and help the animal’s system handle the effects of stress maintain a healthier balance.

If you feel your companion is in need of immune system support, a consultation with a holistically trained veterinarian is the best place to start. Different conditions and disease presentations require different types of herbs or supplements. Diagnosis is also crucial so that an overactive immune system is not further stimulated with inappropriate remedies. For a qualified holistic veterinarian in your area check the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Referral List.


Related Articles:
Overview of the Immune System
Building a Healthy Immune System
The Truth About Pet Vaccinations
Holistic Cancer Prevention and Care