Dog Community

Apple cider vinegar

Posted : 3/15/2006 8:30:28 PM

I just read this (excuse the long copy and paste below). What do you think? Should we be feeding our dogs apple cider vinegar regularly? The site had the suggested amounts to giver depending on weight. ([linkhttp://www.tailwagginsbakery.com/newsletter.htm]http://www.tailwagginsbakery.com/newsletter.htm[/link] scroll down a lot)

Perhaps the most common use is as an earwash. Wetting a cotton ball with a solution of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and wiping the inside of your dog's ears can help control the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeasts. For dogs who are constantly scratching at their ears, a weekly cleaning with vinegar can help to cure this problem.

Somewhat less common is the use of vinegar as a topical treatment for various skin conditions. After bathing your dog in warm water, rinsing with a solution of one part apple cider vinegar to three parts water can help reduce the suffering resulting from dry itchy skin, hot spots and general skin infections, and can help promote the healing process. Other minor traumas such as mild burns or skin acne can be aided and healed through direct application of undiluted apple cider vinegar, gently blotting the vinegar on with the help of a soft cotton ball.

Many holistic vets recommend a daily dose of apple cider vinegar added to your dog's food or water. A small amount of daily vinegar can help inhibit the growth of unfriendly bacteria in the gut, aid with digestion, and help maintain the appropriate acid/alkaline balance of the entire digestive tract. Additionally, it is suspected that the natural pectin found in apple cider vinegar binds with certain toxins in the stomach and intestines, and allows these toxins to be eliminated rather than assimilated.

Good news for the kidneys and bladder as well.. that daily dose of cider vinegar in your dog's drinking water may just help prevent the formation of certain types of kidney and bladder stones. In fact there are some doctors who believe that a daily regimen of cider vinegar can not only prevent the formation of stones, but actually dissolve existing stones, allowing them to safely pass through the urine. Although this latter claim has not been fully proven, there is promising information being published.

And, good news for the joints too... many doctors and patients believe that apple cider vinegar added to the diet on a daily basis can prevent the formation of mineral crystals which are deposited in the synovial spaces of articular joints, particularly in arthritic patients. As the joints are taken through their range of motion, these crystals cause a painful irritation of the cartilage and synovial membrane.

Perhaps the most interesting benefit of adding cider vinegar to your dog's drinking water is it's effect on ticks and fleas. Many people claim that a small daily dose of cider vinegar keeps their dogs flea free through the worst of the season. Some of this camp claim that the vinegar is exuded through pores in the dog's skin, and this causes the dog to be unpalatable to the flea. Others claim that it changes the pH of the dog's skin, and again makes it usuitable for the fleas. And, it is possible that vinegar causes subtle changes to the blood chemistry, making it less desirable to the fleas.

dyan

Posted : 3/15/2006 8:38:01 PM

A few years ago I came across tons of things to do with Apple Cider Vinegar for humans and another for pets. I ran to buy some immediately. Can't remember any of the good things to do with it except clean their ears.

A long time ago I was at a luncheon with a neighbor who told me that she drinks a full glass of water with ACV everyday to balance her PH.

You can do an Internet SEARCH and find all kinds of good things about ACV.

minimom

Posted : 3/15/2006 8:39:45 PM

Good news for the kidneys and bladder as well.. that daily dose of cider vinegar in your dog's drinking water may just help prevent the formation of certain types of kidney and bladder stones. In fact there are some doctors who believe that a daily regimen of cider vinegar can not only prevent the formation of stones, but actually dissolve existing stones, allowing them to safely pass through the urine. Although this latter claim has not been fully proven, there is promising information being published.

I'll be interested to hear what others think about this part in particular as I've read that cider vinegar is useful in preventing beard staining because it does change the ph levels (which is thought to cause staining in some cases).

However, I've also read that with dogs/breeds that are prone to stones, crystals and other urinary problems, that you need to be careful about messing with the PH levels.

myorganicpets

Posted : 3/15/2006 9:09:26 PM

ACV is probably one of the best things you can add to your dog's diet and your own. I can't stand the smell or taste of it though.. EWWWWWWW. I do use it when I make homemade dog biscuits. The dogs seem to like it. I'll have to try adding it to their water. I'll bet it helps w/gas too.

minimom

Posted : 3/15/2006 9:18:50 PM

Hmmm, I've always been tempted to try it in the dog's water bowls (to help with beard staining), but have always been leery about anything that changes ph levels because Schnauzers are prone to stones, and that ...knock on wood...is one of the few things I haven't had to deal with. But this sounds like ACV helps to prevent stones. I'm definitely going to run this by my Vet next time I talk to her.

labcrab

Posted : 3/16/2006 10:53:28 AM

I use ACV everyday, mixed in with the raw food. He doesn't seem to like it mixed with his water. I noticed that he wasn't drinking as much when it had the ACV in it - so now it just goes in his food.

I also can personally attest to the wonders of vinegar in the ears! I actually just use white vinegar in the ears (1:1 ratio mixed with water) and my boy's yeast is gone! He had major problems with yeasty ears and nothing was working. I tried the vinegar and it completely did the trick. I do maintain by using it 1/week.

doglover2008

Posted : 3/16/2006 4:01:47 PM

my dogs dont really mind if i put some acv into their water, i also use the acv when i bathe them. i mix 1/4 cup of acv with water to pour onto their coat as last step of bathing them.

christine

Posted : 3/16/2006 7:28:50 PM

i mix 1/4 cup of acv with water to pour onto their coat as last step of bathing them.

Would this help with yeasty feet,do you fill the tub up with water,or only enough to cover the feet?
I've been trying to get my dogs to accept ACV for years,it has so many great healing properties! There's no way they'll take it in their food and when i put it in their water they hardly drink anything! I havnt tried it for ages,i might give it another bash....

cakana

Posted : 3/16/2006 7:49:06 PM

Two of the derm vets I've seen have recommend using a vinegar/water solution for the final rinse after bathing, for rinsing the feet and most recently she said it would work well for the yeast infection Sassy has on the vulva area except it's too sore and raw to use it on right now. For the bathing they said to use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. I imagine it'd be the same for the feet or other areas. You could probably mix it in small bottle and just use a little at a time.

doglover2008

Posted : 3/17/2006 3:18:37 AM

ORIGINAL: ozzie72

i mix 1/4 cup of acv with water to pour onto their coat as last step of bathing them.

Would this help with yeasty feet,do you fill the tub up with water,or only enough to cover the feet?
I've been trying to get my dogs to accept ACV for years,it has so many great healing properties! There's no way they'll take it in their food and when i put it in their water they hardly drink anything! I havnt tried it for ages,i might give it another bash....

i didnt fill up the tub, i just mix the acv and water in a big container and then rinse them after bathing. but my bf said the smell really weird, lol !! it works on my pug, reduce itchy, u can give a try.

doglover2008

Posted : 3/17/2006 3:20:30 AM

ORIGINAL: cakana

Two of the derm vets I've seen have recommend using a vinegar/water solution for the final rinse after bathing, for rinsing the feet and most recently she said it would work well for the yeast infection Sassy has on the vulva area except it's too sore and raw to use it on right now. For the bathing they said to use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. I imagine it'd be the same for the feet or other areas. You could probably mix it in small bottle and just use a little at a time.

right, that's how i did to my dogs, tkx for the ratio between acv and water