The immune system is a complex army of cells found through out your pet’s body that provides a fortified defense against unwanted invaders. It is an intricate system that keeps your pet healthy and protects them against allergens, viruses, bacteria, microbes, parasites, toxins, foreign fells and cellular mutations (healthy cells which have mutated into irregular cells). The immune system is tasked with protecting EVERY cell in the animal body. 

A healthy immune system is resilient and tasked with supporting normal, balanced function. The immune system is not intended to be suppressed or stimulated.  But even an animal with a highly developed immune system can experience dysfunction or failure. In cases of dysfunction, an animal body requires whole body systemic support. If your pet’s immune system is weakened, every bodily system is at risk for disease. 

Like people, your pet's skin and coat is its largest organ. A shiny healthy coat is an indication that immune health is balanced and and strong. A healthy immune system can even lessen or eliminate the effects of common pests such as fleas, ticks and flies. The right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, minerals as well as an additional range of primary and secondary metabolites are essential in keeping your pet’s skina nd coat healthy.

Without proper nutrition, immunity suffers, causing inflammation, and setting your pet up for a myriad of diseases and conditions, such as hot spots, hair loss and allergies. Without proper nutrition, your animal's coat may become brittle, thin and fall out (alopecia). While many factors influence a healthy coat, nutrition is crucial. 

Overwhelmingly, commercial and big box chain pet food brands do not contain high quality ingredients and commonly contain inferior proteins, fillers, corn, wheat, soy, and other questionable ingredients which may not support healthy nutrition or skin, coat, nails and hair.

Home cooked pet foods (preferably using organic produce) may provide improved nutrition but will probably still require supplementation to deliver balanced nutrition. Raw food diets are another option, but nutrient assimilation should also be complimented with full spectrum supplements that ensure balanced nutrition and enable the body to utilize the nutrients consumed. Regardless of diet, your pet's coat requires specific nutrients to produce natural oils to help keep the skin and hair follicles hydrated, moisturized and protected naturally.

Although you may not realize it, fleas, ticks, flies, bugs, worms and internal parasites can also sap vital nutrients from your dog or cat’s system, causing harm internally as well as deplete the body's nutrient reserve, which can also result in poor skin and coat condition.

Fleas and ticks can also wreak havoc on an animal’s coat. Severe itchiness will most likely lead to consistent scratching, hot spots and weeping skin, leading your pet’s coat to look ‘patchy’ and uneven. 

Some critical roles your pet's skin and coat carry out:

Immune health. As the largest organ, your pet's skin and coat is centrally linked to immunity. When immune health is compromised, disease can set in, and your pet can be more susceptible to infection, allergies and more.

Helps protect your pet from any kind of external issue=the environment, weather elements, chemicals, trauma, heat, cold, sun and light rays, plus it helps protect nerves, tissues and cells.

Keeps your pet hydrated. At first glance, it may not be apparent, but your pet's skin and coat is linked to fluid and electrolyte balance, body temperature, metabolism and more. 

Skin and coat is a "storage house" for your pet's nutrients, and protein and amino acids  "feed" collagen production, encourage wound repair, cellular and hormone production and more.

Helpful suggestions: 

Feed a premium, holistic, truly natural diet to supply critical nutrition

Give your pet fresh, filtered water daily

Ensure your pet gets daily exercise to cleanse the blood and tone the lymphatic system

Groom your pet regularly to remove dead surface hair and coat, dead skin cells and help circulate the natural oils found in your pet's coat

Limit or remove common household allergens including scented dryer sheets, scented candles, room fresheners and deodorizers and restrict use of pesticides and fertilizers outside of the house

Ensure your pet receives regular care from a holistic vet

If you suspect internal or external parasites, have your pet examined including a fecal examination to look for worms.

Marine and herbal extracts plus fatty acids help deliver vital end-to-end nutrition in the form of primary and secondary metabolites that nourish all systems, organs, tissues and cells of the animal body; help function as natural, first aid tools and antiseptics against infection; may help keep wounds clean; help soothe the skin and support the natural healing process; help promote healthy skin and shiny, glossy coats through proper nutrition, nutrient assimilation and blood circulation; help maintain healthy and strong skin, bones, claws, fur and hair follicle health; and help support healthy cellular and immune response. 

Here are some product suggestions:

Bionic Body – (learn more) is used holistically for its adaptogenic (read, repair and restore functions) for its immune boosting and anti-inflammatory support; as an antioxidant and for its free radical scavenging (disease preventing) actions; for its nutritive content which may help to nourish the body and strengthen and revitalize bones, eye, teeth, skin and coat; works to stimulate collagen production, a primary building material of bones; may help prevent dental disease; for its plant actions to help strengthen bones, cartilage, joints, muscles, connective tissues & blood vessels & helps to reduce joint inflammation, while activating a cartilage-protective biochemical, potentially helping to preserve healthy cartilage in aging joint; for its anti-allergen natural plant chemicals which may help to fight off allergies and infections; for its prebiotic and probiotic content to help support native gut flora and healthy digestion.

Skin & Coat Starter Pack – (learn more) is a convenient and easy way to help address skin and coat problems as well as to help nutritionally boost skin and coat health in dogs and cats; may help stimulate collagen production and cellular repair; may help support your pet’s natural defense mechanism and provide a solid nutritional foundation for all body systems; adaptogenic plants may help identify dysfunction in the body and nutritionally works to restore balance, while building immunity, fighting infection and helping limit inflammation, so your pet can enjoy whole body wellness; may help promote hair growth and follicle strength and may nutritionally soothe hot spots and other skin and coat disorders; may help limit shedding and may help reduce skin and coat allergen triggers.

Body Bliss – (learn more) is used holistically as a plant based, full spectrum Omega 3; for its anti-inflammatory, auto-immune, antioxidant and free radical scavenging (disease preventive) actions; for its heart and brain healthy effects; as a potential heart and blood vessel disease preventive; for its essential fatty acid content which may help to prevent blood clots (thrombus) and may provide critical neuro support for brain health; to help address myocardial infraction and cerebral apoplexy; for its effects to lubricate mucous membranes found throughout the body; may help address symptoms of Crohn’s disease, disseminated sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, for its nutritive content which may help to nourish the body and strengthen and revitalize skin; for its nutritional value to help protect and promote bone, eye, teeth, joint, ligaments and connective tissue health while keeping your pet's coat healthy and glowing, from the inside out.

Pets Love Turmeric – (learn more) is used holistically as an organic, super food botanical from the Amazon that is a highly specialized adaptogen plant, which may carry out a read/repair and restore function, helping to identify metabolic, environment, emotional and oxidative stress in your dog and cat; as a potent anti-oxidant, nutritional content may help fight disease, boost your pet’s immune system, soothe the digestive system and help limit inflammation and pain response throughout the body; natural plant phytochemicals may help address nutritional deficiencies and exert a rejuvenating and restorative effect to bring all body systems into balance, with special emphasis placed on endocrine, neurological, digestive, immune and cardiovascular system functions; may positively affect your pet’s immune health and may help optimize overall wellness; as a natural immune modulator and may help limit inflammation due to natural plant chemicals that help cool inflammatory response throughout a pet’s body; may help improve digestion due to its effects to suppress inflammation in the gut; may help address Alzheimer's disease by helping limit micro-inflammation in the brain and supporting the neuro/endocrine/cardiovascular link; appropriate for dogs and cats of all life stages.

First Aid & Wound Meal Topper for Dogs and Cats* - (learn more) is used holistically to help provide relief against external and internal wounds, cuts, bites, hot spots, bites, infections, bruises, scrapes, abscess, cellulitis, allergic responses and more; as a hemostatic which may help stop bleeding on contact; may help promote collagen production, cellular repair and wound healing up to 30 times faster than without use; may help accelerate wound healing and combat infection; may be used internally or externally for bacterial, fungal and microbial infections as well as for its anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties; used holistically for its action on intestinal parasites, which are known to compromise immune health; may help as an adjunctive to help address acute and chronic diseases related to bacteria, germs, fungus and viruses, including retrovirus; cytomegalovirus; E. Coli; Staph; Bacillus subtilis and DNA and RNA viruses and as a holistic adjunctive for cases of rabies.

Flea, Tick & Pest Defense Meal Topper for Dogs and Cats* - (learn more) is used as a natural insect repellent, insecticide and anti-parasitic, without harsh chemicals; natural plants creates a pH balance in the blood that naturally repels fleas, mosquitoes and ticks; may help address all types of bug, flea and tick bites and irritations; as a natural plant liquid “band aid, use may help heal and seal  and heals all types of wounds, abrasions, rashes, cuts, hot spots and infections, including bacterial, fungal, viral or microbial in origin; may help lessen and/or limit itching, inflammation and infection due it’s strongly anti-hemorrhagic, insecticide, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-septic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, larvacidal, anti-parasitic, vermifuge (removes worms from organs) and pain relieving plant actions; nutritional content may help boost immune health and may stimulate collagen production and cellular repair matrix of skin and coat; safe for all life stages dogs and cats.