by Susan Thorpe-Vargas PhD The Immune System and Vitamins In developing puppies, the passive immunity received from their mother's milk starts to lose its efficacy somewhere around the eighth week of age. However, the puppies' own immune systems are not quite on-line yet. This is an especially vulnerable period and is also the time when most vaccination regimens commence. At this time it might be a good idea to supplement with the antioxidants-under the supervision of your clinician. Recent studies have demonstrated their positive role in the developing immune response, especially Vit E. Dog food companies make a considerable effort to provide the proper nutrients in their correct ratio. Do not routinely supplement your puppy unless your veterinarian suggests or supports this. The next article in this series will discuss the specific nutritional and energy requirments of the large and giant breeds.