How To Boost Your Dog's Immune System (Allergies & Candida Info Included)

Last year, in the spring, Rowan and I both developed allergies. At first, we thought it was seasonal allergies. We would have flare ups at the same time, which never got too bad, so we coped.  Our vet was having us give her an antihistamine twice a day, which was mostly keeping her symptoms at bay.  When December came, we thought we'd get a break from our allergies, but were we ever wrong. Mine got pretty bad and Rowan's got really bad. She started to have some areas of her fur that were falling out and developed a secondary yeast infection (candida), which is common when a dog's immune system is compromised by something like persistent allergies.   

The vet wanted to give her an anti-fungal, but I declined because those have a high rate of damaging a dog's organs and they only mask the problem instead of fixing it. I wasn't going to put her life at risk and was determined to find a natural way to make her all better. After getting myself tested to see what I was allergic to, we knew that mold spores were a big problem, so we started to tackle reducing mold as much as possible. While replacing our carpets was a pretty drastic measure, I believe that it helped us both tremendously and was worth every penny and minute spent on it.

I also did hours upon hours (for several weeks) of research on helping to battle Rowan's allergies and candida. In the end, I made a lot of changes, all to help support her immune system. Now, a half of a year later, I am thrilled to report that Rowan is doing great! Her skin, coat and eyes look the best that they have in a few years and she seems a lot less stressed.

There are a lot of things you can do to boost your dog's immune system, which is best to do as a preventative rather than after things go awry. We'll be keeping up this regimen for both of our girl's health to keep their immune system strong while also helping to detox them-

• Food- to battle candida and to keep the immune system strong, diet is essential. It was very frustrating to me at first because almost every resource I found said that a raw meat diet was the only diet for a dog with candida. However, I persevered, researching more until I was comfortable in my knowledge about it. At first, I cooked for her, but Emma's stomach never handles homemade meals very well and it was very hard to get the right balance with the limited diet that I could give them. After yet more researching, I found a vegetarian kibble (Petguard) that I feel confident is the right food for both of my girls. Although it is vegetarian, not vegan,  it has what we need for both of our girls. It's organic, which is very important, and is very low in grains, gluten & naturally occurring sugars (starches). I wish it was completely vegan, but there just isn't another food out there that was even close to what we need. Emma tolerates it and within a week, we started to see a huge difference in Rowan's symptoms.
• Treats- We've been slowly reintroducing some foods back into Rowan's diet to see how she handles them. Even some veggies that they love, like baby carrots and sugar snap peas, had to be cut out because they're starchy. She still got pumpkin every day (and continues to), along with coconut milk or oil, which is a great food to help fight candida and strengthen the immune system. For treats, I'll be sticking to non-glutinous flours like buckwheat, quinoa and millet, which are much easier on a pup's digestive system.  Again, organic is very important.  About 99% of their diet is organic. 
• Water- We only use filtered water in their bowl now, since tap water can contain nasty toxins.
• Exercise & Weight Control- daily exercise and keeping your dog's weight in a healthy range are just as important as diet when it comes to keeping their immune system in balance. Now that the weather is nicer out, we can make sure that she gets plenty of exercise. In the winter, we do what we can to keep her active, too. She's never been overweight, thankfully, and we plan on doing everything we can to keep her that way.
• Managing Stress- Stress can wreak havoc on the immune system, so keeping a happy, stress-free home helps to keep your dog healthy. Structure, engaging their brains and being consistent with routines all help to reduce stress.
• Keep A Clean Home- Dusting and vacuuming on a regular basis help to keep the allergen count low in our house. As always, we use natural, safe cleaners that aren't toxic, like vinegar (vinegar also helps to kill mold spores). Keeping your house clean also reduces the amount of particulate matter that your dog ingests.  We wash their bedding at least once a week, as well. 
• Keep A Clean Pup- We brush our girls daily and give them baths weekly. Despite what a lot of sources say, weekly baths are fine as long as you're using a gentle, non-drying shampoo that contains a conditioner (or use a conditioner after the shampoo). Regular grooming helps to get toxins out of their skin and fur and removes dirt and debris that can cause problems (they ingest these things when they groom themselves).
• Reduce Meds & Space Shots Out- If your dog gets annual boosters, if you use chemical flea/tick products on them or if you give them any kinds of meds (including heartworm prevention), it's best to space all of these out as much as possible to reduce stress on their system.  One of the things that can severely lower the immune system is if it's blasted with a bunch of medicines at once (antibiotics especially).  Talk to your vet before they give any shots to make sure that they're only getting what they truly need.    
• Supplements- There are a lot of natural supplements out there that help to boost the immune system. It's very daunting when you start looking into them, but after a while, I found ones that I feel are very good. They include essential fatty acids, probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants, herbs and nutraceuticals.  You can find many different kinds and brands here, complete with reviews from customers to help you choose the best ones for your pup. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar (organic, raw & unfiltered)- Besides boosting the immune system, apple cider vinegar has a lot of benefits, including being an anti-fungal & antibacterial (which is great for fighting candida and infections). The link I provided lists the many, many health benefits of ACV.

In addition to helping them stay healthy, a strong immune system also wards off pests like fleas and ticks.

Do you have any additional tips for helping a dog's immune system? I'd love to hear them!