Immune System
The immune systemconsists of a number of different structures in the body (lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus gland, etc.) which produce certain types of white blood cells and antibodies that have the ability to destroy or neutralize germs, viruses, poisons and other foreign substances. The immune system also includes organs such as the skin and mucous membranes, which provide an external barrier to infection.
See also:
Immune System Support
Happiness and the Immune System
The immune systemconsists of a number of different structures in the body (lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus gland, etc.) which produce certain types of white blood cells and antibodies that have the ability to destroy or neutralize germs, viruses, poisons and other foreign substances. The immune system also includes organs such as the skin and mucous membranes, which provide an external barrier to infection.
See also:
Immune System Support
Happiness and the Immune System

The immune system is a finite resource. It’s like a piece of elastic – stretch it too far and it will snap. For a healthy immune system with optimal disease fighting potential, a dog needs:
A healthy diet
The immune system goes into action when a human or animal is under stress. Stress hormones are fed by specific nutrients, including vitamins C and B, and the mineral zinc. All of these are destroyed by cooking, so if you feed cooked and processed food to your dog, he may not have enough of these nutrients to deal with infections, viral assault, or toxins. Vitamin A is also involved with the immune response; it’s anti-infective. In short, your dog’s diet will determine whether his immune system is able to maintain health.
The following factors will impair the ability of the immune system to resist disease:
Stress
Stress depletes the immune system, which is why humans, for example, are more susceptible to colds and flu when they’re under stress. Studies have shown that vaccines are ineffective if administered to people who are stressed out. Stress stops the immune system doing its job. So if your dog lives with you, and you’re totally stressed out, your dog is likely to be stressed out too, and his immune system is likely to suffer. Fun things like too much agility and excitement also take their toll on the immune system and the nutrients that feed it.
Illness
If someone (including a dog) is already trying to deal with illness caused by environmental toxins, or a virus, or stress, and another challenge comes along, there might not be enough immune system left to deal with something else on top. The immune system is a finite resource. It needs nurturing.
Drugs
Some drugs are actually designed to turn the immune system off. Steroids, for example, are given to alleviate inflammatory illnesses. So if your dog is on steroids for something like skin disease, he is less able to deal with another disease threat.
Allergies
When an individual has allergies, their immune system is over-reacting. It’s basically going crazy. The immune system is imbalanced and less able to deal with disease threats.
Vaccines
Vaccines cause the release of autoantibodies. This means that the individual is attacking self-tissue and its own biochemicals. This is otherwise known as autoimmune disease.
The immune system can be nurtured with nutrients and supplements. Check out Transfer Factor, Echinacea, Olive Leaf Extract, and Supplements.
Back to:
Ill-Health & Disease
A to Z