1800 Words; 7 minute read. In this small dog vaccination article about boosting immune health before all the shots, we look at the positive impact of probiotics, omega 3’s, and whole food.
So much is written about what to do during or after our dogs’ annual vaccination appointments. Yet, veterinary health writers all but ignore what we can do to boost our small dogs’ immune health BEFORE we load their little bodies with foreign substances. This oversight missed my notice until last year, when my sister Amy asked me how she could boost her pup’s immune system before her rabies shot.
Amy’s little Havana Silk Dog, Chloe, is in perfect health. She eats a raw, freeze-dried diet, enjoys lively daily exercise, and is full of exuberant personality. However, my sister knew from our experience with Scout and her adverse vaccine reaction, that even pups in top health can stumble when we flood their systems with vaccine virus and its accompanying preservatives.
When she asked what she should do, I assumed it would be easy to research the answer.
But it wasn’t.
Plenty of advice exists regarding what to do during and after vaccine appointments. Very few reputable resources talked about preparing our pups’ systems for the onslaught of virus and chemicals flooding their systems when they receive their shots.
Yet, when our pups are about to undergo any stressful event, it’s wise to consider boosting their immune system. In this post, I’ll delve into the strategies that help provide immune support for small dogs. We’ll look at dietary supplements like probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids, and consider the role of specific foods in boosting immune health.
A cornerstone for maintaining gut health, probiotics change the health game for our dogs. According to the Richard P. Riney Health Center at Cornell, 70-90% of our dog’s immune system resides in the gut. Thus, integrating probiotics into our pups’ diets can fortify their immunity, aiding them significantly during the small dog vaccination process. In fact, the Center reports, some veterinarians are so convinced of probiotic advantages, they “suggest using a probiotic routinely.”
Probiotic use in dogs enjoys world-wide approval. Studies, such as those reported in the Italian Journal of Animal Science (June 2023), affirm that certain probiotic strains not only enhance gut health and immunity but also positively affect blood chemistry.
All these benefits will help our pups’ bodies prepare for the immune-overdrive they face when receiving their annual vaccinations.
Probiotics offer remarkable benefits, especially for our aging small dogs. Supplementing with probiotics not only enhances the presence of beneficial bacteria, but also reduces harmful ones, including e. Coli. This balancing act in their gut flora is crucial. As highlighted in Influence of Probiotic Supplementation on Health Status of the Dogs: A Review, published in a special issue of Applied Sciences, “two months of probiotic treatment also shifted the gut microbiota of elderly dogs towards the composition of microbiota found in younger dogs at the end of the experimental study.”
This improvement in gut health, whether through foods like kefir or supplements, reduces detrimental bacteria while boosting our small dogs’ overall gut biome health with beneficial microbes. Such dual action not only supports our little dogs’ immediate immune health but also contributes to their vitality and longevity. These enhancements are essential as we aim to keep our small dogs as healthy and vibrant as possible. And there’s probably no better time to give such enhancements than before our pups undergo their small dog vaccination protocol.
Did you know different species thrive with vastly different gut biomes? For this reason, we can’t share our human probiotics (you’re on these, right?) with our pups. Not only will doing so not help…it could hurt, especially because many human supplements contain additives like xylitol, which can be deadly to dogs.
Instead, it’s essential to choose canine-specific probiotics awarded the National Animal Supplement Council’s safety seal. Some reputable brands earning that seal include Ark Naturals and Finn’s, which offer products designed to improve and maintain a healthy gut flora.
Here’s a complete list of companies earning the NASC’s seal. I’ve also included a shoppable list of our favorite probiotics for small dogs, below.