My dogs never get colds or the flu, whether it’s winter or summer. That cannot be said for dogs who go into boarding kennels or doggy daycares, where rates are higher.
Essentially, my dogs live in a bubble, mostly isolated from other dogs. The odd dog sniff and humping on the beach doesn’t seem enough exposure for them to contract a virus.
That’s worth thinking about now that we are in cold and flu season because it helps dispel the myth that by going out in the cold, “you will catch your death of a cold.” It’s just not true; cold weather means we hang around inside more, nicely passing viruses among us and perhaps because the weather is a bit colder, the viruses hang around for longer.
So, if you are thinking about how to support your immunity this cold and flu season, don’t use the cold weather as an excuse not to go out.
Physical activity, a good diet, oral probiotics, and hand-washing are all proven ways to support your immune system and fend off viruses. I might also add that cruise ships are not a great idea if you are immunocompromised, as we are seeing with the spread of the hantavirus on the MV Hondius ship.
So, the moral of the story for good immunity is to stay active, wash hands, eat well, stay off ships and choose your bubbles!