Hi everyone! A few days ago we spoke about building a strong immune system so it can naturally defend against viruses and bacteria. So today I wanted to list out some great immune boosting foods and supplements that you can add to your dogs meals regularly to keep him/her strong and healthy! It does not matter what you currently feed - raw, cooked, kibble - these items can be applied to any type of food to boost the nutrition.

1.) Increase omega 3's to decrease inflammation in the body - feed 1 ounce of fish per 35 lbs of your dog's weight each day

2.) Increase zinc to boost the immune system and skin and coat health - the high zinc content is in oysters. You can find boiled oysters in grocery stores or buy in bulk on Amazon. Other types of food that contain zinc (although not nearly as high as oysters) are pumpkin seeds, beef, venison, lamb and turkey.

3.) Provide plenty of antioxidants, which neutralize the effects of chronic inflammation. So literally....feed the rainbow!! Some examples:

Red: berries

Orange: carrots

Yellow: squash

green: spinach, kale, dandelion greens, chlorella

blue: blueberries, spirulina

purple: blackberries, eggplant, purple cabbage

4.) Add probiotics to food daily to increase the good bacteria in the digestive tract. 80% of our dogs immune system sits in the digestive tract so providing good bacteria every day is important for overall immune system health. Purchase a quality probiotic supplement, and you can also add fermented vegetables to your dogs meals!

5.) Add mushrooms to balance the immune system to help fight off dis-ease. Mushrooms are natural antioxidants and prebiotics (which work synergistically with the probiotics). Feed reishi, turkey tail, maitake, shiitake... Dogly has great mushroom supplements (added in the recommendations below). If you decide to feed these mushrooms fresh, make sure you cook them thoroughly as raw mushrooms can be toxic.

6.) Add anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric or ginger to food

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp per 10 pounds of dog's weight (combine with some black pepper and coconut oil for maximum absorption of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric)

Ginger fresh root: small dogs 1/4 tsp, medium dogs, 1/2 tsp, large dogs 3/4 tsp, extra large dogs, 1 tsp

7.) Add bone broth to dogs meals as it provides a ton of healing nutrients for overall health and immune system function. The natural glycerin promotes liver function, and the natural chondroitin and glucosamine protect the joints and promote gut health. Make your own or Dogly sells bone broth as well (added in the recommendations below)!

On 5/29 I will post our next milestone, detailing the herbal protocols and homeopathy I use as my flea and tick regimen for my dogs. See you then :)

Happy, healthy feeding my friends <3