With the winter holidays right around the corner, pet owners everywhere are searching for the perfect stocking stuffers to surprise their beloved four-legged friends with. Although items like blankets, toys and treats are staple gift ideas, another great gift you can give your pet is a healthy immune system.

In addition to the everyday immune-boosting things you do, like feeding your pet a healthy diet and exercising them regularly, immunity supplements can help strengthen your pet’s immune system and give them the best chances for good health—and what better way to say “happy holidays” than with wishes of health and happiness?

Immune supplements are a gift of good health

A lot of pet owners don’t consider health supplements good gift options for the holidays because they appear similar to medicine. But, truthfully, supplements can be just as tasty as treats while offering a breadth of benefits for your pet, helping them to live healthier, happier lives.

Immunity supplements, in particular, are great choices for pets of all types. These supplements nourish your pet’s body with what they need to build strong immune responses and stave off potential illnesses. Healthy pets feel better, are more active and playful and live much more comfortably than those with potentially avoidable health conditions. Thus, the gift of a healthy immune system is a much more impactful and longer-lasting gift you could give your furry friend than any toy or bag of treats!

Natural immune supplements can benefit pets in many ways. For the average, healthy pet, they can help maintain a strong immune system to ensure that common illnesses or infections your pet encounters at doggie daycare, a boarding facility, the park or just around the home are prevented or fought faster and easier. Additionally, proper immune health helps in reducing inflammation, which is one of the leading causes of disease in older pets.

If your pet has a health condition, such as chronic infections, diabetes or even cancer, immune-boosting supplements can help them, too. Pets suffering from health problems tend to be at greater risk for developing secondary problems because their immune systems are already working hard to keep them healthy in spite of their illness. Giving their body the tools it needs to stay strong and fight off pathogens—alongside its normal treatments—can help prevent future problems or complications and make your pet feel healthier.

Types of immune-boosting supplements for pets

If great immunity sounds like the perfect gift idea for your pup or kitty this holiday season, you’ll want to consider which form of immune supplement is best, given their age and health condition. If you find a supplement or two you’re interested in, check with your vet to make sure that the supplements won’t interfere with current medications your pet is taking.

Here are some of the most common and most effective forms of immunity supplements:

• Probiotics: A large portion of your pet’s immune system resides in its gut, which means that keeping your pet’s gastrointestinal system in good condition can help strengthen their ability to fight off infections and illnesses. Many pets could benefit from probiotic supplements, which introduce beneficial bacteria into the colon and help them thrive to prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria and the weakening of the immune system. Probiotics are particularly useful if your pet has recently undergone antibiotic treatment.
• Herbal immune boosters: Herbal immune supplements tend to blend different anti-bacterial and anti-viral herbs with immune-boosting nutrients like vitamin C. Together, this blend of compounds helps support the immune system and make it easier for your pet to fight off bacterial or viral pathogens. These kinds of herbal remedies make great additions to your sick pet’s treatment plan, as well as a boost to a healthy pup or cat’s daily routine to prevent illness.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in your pet’s overall health by providing a number of benefits. These fats can help improve your pet’s skin and coat, bolster heart and brain health and—most importantly—keep the immune system in great shape. Omega-3 fatty acids help keep unnecessary inflammation at bay throughout your pet’s body while strengthening the immune system overall, so it is better at mitigating illnesses.

The holidays are the perfect time to show your family, friends and furry companions that you love them and want the happiest, healthiest life possible for them. By gifting your dog or cat immune supplements, you’ll show them that you truly care about their health and wellbeing and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure they stay healthy for a long time.