The canine immune system comprises a complex network whose main function is to defend the body against foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and toxins. The dog’s immune system can detect these invaders and foreign material and protect the body against them.
Throughout the dog’s life, the immune system adapts to different conditions and ensures careful and controlled protection and surveillance.
In this article, we will discuss the role of the immune system and how to support dogs’ immune system with the help of Immune-boosting supplements.
There are different organs involved in immunity against invaders, but the first defense line is the skin. When an invader breaks through the skin barrier and starts an infection in an area, and that particular site has only a few components of the immune system, the body will call the army of immune cells to the site of infection.
Lymphoid organs are important component of immune system. Other immune system’s main components such as white blood cells are concentrated in the blood, thymus, bone marrow, lymph nodes, intestine, lungs, and liver.
The immune system supports the dog’s body in many ways. The most important functions of the immune system are discussed below.
Antigens are the foreign substance that invades the cells of the body. Dog’s immune system has the ability to differentiate between the cells of its own body and foreign invading substances. Each cell in the body has its own identity, and the body can identify its own cells and does not attack its own cells.
If the immune system works properly, it can protect the body from invaders and infectious diseases. There are many substances that can attack your dog’s body, such as drugs, chemicals, infectious diseases, transplanted organs, or tissues. Your dog’s immune system can protect the body from all these infections and invaders.
When the dog’s body is exposed to an infectious agent or foreign substance, the dog’s immune system displays two immune responses: specific immunity and non-specific immunity. These immune responses can work in a cycle and help each other.
Specific immunity develops in the body when the body is exposed to any foreign substance. In specific immunity, the body learns about the substance, responds to it, adapts according to it, and then remembers it so that when the body is exposed to it again, the immune system responds to it immediately.
The B lymphocyte is the main cellular component responsible for the production of antibodies against the antigen. B cells are programmed in such a way that they produce a specific antibody, and again when B cells encounter that antigen, they stimulate large plasma cells. A single plasma cell is like a factory for the production of specific antibodies.
Non-specific immunity is present at birth in all immune-competent individuals. No prior encounter is necessary for non-specific immunity, and it is only effective for a short time. Non-specific immunity involves a protective barrier like the mucous lining of the stomach and skin.
Non-specific immunity has two main components, one is a natural killer that can kill tumors, and the other is white blood cells that participate in phagocytosis.
Sometimes the immune system does not work properly, and many immune system disorders occur. At some point, the immune system became overactive or underactive. Immune system disorders are divided into three categories: immune-mediated diseases, immune deficiencies, and cancer of the immune system.
In immune-mediated disorders, the immune reaction mistakenly begins to work against its own organ. The most common examples of immune-mediated diseases are allergic reactions to medications, foods, insect bites, vaccines, allergic skin diseases, lupus erythematosus, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated polyarthritis, and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia.
Immunodeficiency diseases are inherited and can appear at any stage of life. Congenital immunodeficiencies include the body’s inability to make a normal number of white blood cells, abnormal function of a few white blood cells, or the white blood cells’ inability to produce antibodies.
Cancer occurs when the immune system produces immune cells in excess, and as a result, overproduction of immunoglobulin occurs. Immune system cancer may occur as leukemia of WBCs, a solid tumor, or a tumor of the spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and lymph nodes.
There are different supplements that can boost the immune system of your dog.
Glycine and glutamine are the two main amino acids that are abundant in collagen peptides. Glutamine is the main amino acid that plays an important role in a strong and healthy dog’s immune system. When a dog’s body is under stress, either emotional or physical, the body’s ability to manufacture glutamine is decreased. As a result, the immune system gets affected. When collagen supplementation is administered, it helps in the stimulation and repair of immune cells.
Hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan is an important component of the immune system. In a recent study, hyaluronic acid has an impact on Langerhans (LCs), and these LCs are essential for the initiation of cutaneous immune responses.
MSM is a sulfur compound and plays an important role in the health of the immune system. MSM is very effective in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, as they can weaken immunity. MSM can also reduce inflammatory compounds such as TNF-a and IL-6. As a result, it decreases stress on the immune system.
Since glucosamine and MSM are anti-inflammatory substances, they can lower the body’s inflammatory responses and protect it from unnecessary cellular damage. The immune system can function well when glucosamine calms the inflammatory cause.
Chondroitin sulfate is a natural immune modulator and plays an important role in rheumatoid arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
If you want to support your dog’s immune system, you can choose the best supplement like WE. Collagen for Dogs. It contains a great number of immune-stimulating substances such as hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), glucosamine sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate.
The immune system is the body’s foundation for protection against all kinds of foreign substances and infections. If the dog’s immune system is compromised, WE. collagen supplementation can play an important role in improving the dog’s immune system.
Specially developed to keep your dog’s joints heathy, improve its coat volume, strengthen gums, stimulate digestion and support the immune system.
Specially developed to keep your dog’s joints healthy, improve its coat volume, strengthen gums, stimulate digestion and support the immune system.
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