Boosting Your Pet’s Immunity to Colder Weather

We’re all familiar with a winter cold. As the seasons change and cold weather rolls in, our immune systems can take a big hit—and the same is true for our pets. With a bit of extra care, you can boost your pet’s immunity to colder weather. Keep reading to find out how.

Schedule a Preventive Veterinary Visit

Wellness exams help you and your veterinarian ensure your pet is feeling his or her best. A preventive visit allows the veterinarian to review your pet’s vital signs and ensure all vaccines and monthly preventives are up to date. Vaccines and parasite prevention are important elements of your pet’s overall immune system, which can help them stay healthy during the colder months.

Opt for Less Time Outside

Spending too much time in the cold can strain everyone’s immune systems. If you are used to taking long walks with your pup (or letting your cat out for the whole day), we suggest shortening that time. Ideally, opt for more short walks during the day so your pet can get the same amount of exercise without so much cold exposure. If you have an outdoor cat, you might consider transitioning inside during the winter or building a sheltered catio. This allows them to enjoy a certain amount of external stimulation without venturing out in the cold. While you want to keep your pets from spending too much time in frigid temps, exercise is still essential. Staying physically active can help keep their immune systems strong.

Use Supplements for Better Immunity

Certain dietary supplements like probiotics encourage optimal gut health, which in turn helps maintain a healthy immune system. When the immune system is healthy, it can fight off pathogens and bacteria that could otherwise cause illness. Talk to your veterinarian about nutritional supplements that can help keep your pet healthy throughout the winter. 

Maintain Good Hygiene

Regularly washing your pet’s food bowl, water bowl, bedding, and toys can also help increase wintertime immunity. Decreasing the number of germs they are exposed to will lower their risk of getting sick. Be sure to completely dry everything before you give it back to your pet, or certain bacteria could still develop.

Keep Them Calm

Stress is awful for your pet’s immune system. One way to keep it thriving through the cold months is to minimize stress for your animals as much as possible. If your pet suffers from anxiety, try to work with them to minimize their stressors. From behavioral training to bringing another pet into the home to quell separation anxiety, there are many ways to help your pet work through stress. Talk to your veterinarian for tips on keeping your pets calm and healthy this winter to improve your pet’s immunity to colder weather.

At Oakland Veterinary Referral Services, we provide specialty veterinary care and pet owner resources to help you keep your pets as healthy and happy as possible. We want you to enjoy long lives together and are here to assist however we can. For more information, please call (248) 334-6877.