Despite our best efforts our dogs are exposed to toxins every day. For those who don’t eat organically raised meats such toxins include hormones, vaccines and antibiotics. Non-organic household cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals in non-filtered water, etc., all have a negative effect on your dogs’ health. Although the body is incredible at detoxing itself on a day to day basis, fasting kicks this function into overdrive.
Let’s take a look at the wonderful benefits of fasting your raw fed dog.
Fasting elevates macrophage activity. Macrophages form a first line of defense against harmful particles that enter the body. They destroy viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances. They also engulf and ingest abnormal cells and as research has found, abnormal cells have the potential to become cancerous, making fasting a preventative of cancer.
Fasting increases the bacterial killing functions of monocytes. Monocytes enter inflamed and infected tissue and ingest infectious agents and other large particles.
Fasting enhances natural killer cell activity. These cells reside within the blood and lymphoid tissues. They have the ability to kill tumor cells and cells infected with viruses.
Fasting increases immunoglobulin levels. Immunoglobulin provides passive immunity against a variety of diseases. This protein is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize things like bacteria and viruses.
Fasting increases neutrophil bactericidal activity. Neutrophils engulf bacteria and other microorganisms and once engulfed the neutrophils destroy the ingested bacteria.
The demand of digestion uses up all the resources of the immune system. If you’re dog’s gut is constantly digesting food it doesn’t have time to use its resources to do all of the above. Regular fasting helps the immune system flush toxic build-up and restore normal homeostatic balance.