As we start to move into the winter months and towards the peak of the flu season (COVID-19 or otherwise) let’s remember that healthy animals make for healthy humans.  This means good hygiene habits for pets and people and a good nutritious diet loaded with vitamins and minerals will give their immune systems a kick start towards fighting any illness.

How to Tell If My Pet is Sick?

Dog and cat cold or flu symptoms are much like ours: coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny or stuffy nose. They may seem lethargic or just not like their normal furry selves. However, some more serious illnesses also have these symptoms so if you are concerned you should speak to your holistic vet.

What Can I Do to Help Prevent Illnesses?

Your pet’s immune system is their first defence against viruses, make sure they eat healthy foods and get proper amounts of exercise. It’s a good idea to wash your hands frequently whether you or your pet is sick or not. And if you’re a pet parent to more than one pooch, keep any sick pets away from the rest to avoid a house full of sick animals.

Your Pet’s Diet

It’s very important that your dog is consuming the right raw food diet to ensure they are receiving all of the nutrients they need for good health and immune support. A raw diet is packed with minerals and vitamins that will help to fight colds and other illnesses. For a comprehensive list of the vitamins and minerals and their benefits visit our nutritional information page.

Here are some simple, natural products you can add to your pet’s raw food diet to give their immunity an additional boost.

Bone Broth- Bone broth is a superfood that has been around for a very long time.  It is packed with nutrients and is easy to make, and better yet – has amazing health benefits for your furkid! The nutrient-dense stock liquid made from simmering raw or cooked bones at low heat over long periods of time is considered a nutrition powerhouse for dogs!  Check out this great bone broth recipe.

Turmeric- With over 6,000 studies to its credit, Turmeric has been effectively proving to eliminate the need for many conventional medications. There are a plethora of reasons as to why you may benefit with adding turmeric to your dog’s lives.  Why not try this golden paste recipe to help support your pets immunity.

Kelp- Kelp offers a natural way of delivering iodine and boron which helps in building immunity strength and bone and muscle strength.

Exercise

We have long believed that in addition to a healthy raw diet keeping your dog fit is one of the best ways to boost immune health and promote overall well-being. Dogs are naturally active, so adequate exercise and play are so important to their health.

What About COVID-19?

While little is still known about COVID-19 it is best to take precautions to help protect your pet from getting sick. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed), you should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just like you would around other people. 

When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. This can help ensure both you and your animals stay healthy.

If you do have health concerns for your pet, we recommend you speak to your holistic veterinarian. For more information on our nutritional pet food products visit our online shop.