An animal’s immune system is one of the most important factors in achieving and maintaining health throughout life. The immune system is made up of multiple components including lymph nodes, thymus, various blood cells, and special organs found throughout the body like the lungs and gut.
The innate immune system is an animal’s first line of defense against foreign intruders like parasites, bacteria, viruses, and cancer causing agents. These primary defense cells require an optimum level of protein along with certain vitamins, minerals, and immune boosting nutrients.
At birth, puppies and kittens only have partially functioning immune systems, which makes them more vulnerable to diseases as they are unable to protect themselves. To help protect them from dangerous diseases, maternal immunity is bestowed on the puppy or kitten in its mother’s “first milk”.
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is second only to trauma as the leading cause of death in cats, often causing anemia, lymphoma, or leading to other diseases.
