How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Allergies in Dogs and Cats

Apoquel is a terribe exploratory drug that is largely untested over a long period of time.

My Westie had lost all his fur a year ago, so I found a vet that would prescribe Apoquel (I knew the possible side effects, but it was that or permanent sleep). 16mg daily because his condition was chronic, according to the vet. A little over a year later, the Apoquel became ineffective, his eyes, face, ears, loaded with the yeast. Changed vets, new meds, his eyes are clear, fur growing back on his face, however as a result of the Apoquel, his immune system became compromised, so I am now going through all sorts of treatments trying to battle this infection. I have him on Acidophilus, Caprylic acid, antibiotics, anti-yeast medication, in an effort to restore his immune system. A long process, doesnt work overnight. I will now try the apple cider vinegar treatment and start bathing him in a tree oil based shampoo twice weekly. I will also start washing his feet everytime he goes out. I need to get him in fighting condition when the heat and humidity of summer hits this region around May, or I will lose him.

Hi Pauline, my 50+ pound mutt is on low dose Apoquel for the past two months. I cut a tablet into 4 pieces and use 1/4 morning and night. He seems to do well on the lower dose but I have heard that apoquel stops working after a time. However, it's done wonders in helping his skin issues. No more yeast smell or scratching.

Because I have read up on side effects on dog's immune systems when I started him on this, I give him 1 turkey tail (medicinal mushroom) capsule with every meal. Perhaps that will help build your dog's immune system. I was giving him a comprehensive mushroom support formula but it's very pricey. I think turkey tail is excellent and less expensive. These medicinal mushrooms seem very safe for dogs, no side effects... Good luck with your pooch. Sending prayers.

DC Jarvis book Folk Medicine free .pdf: https://www.biri.org/pdf/books/JARVIS-DC-Folk-Medicine-1960.pdf

I also have a Lab that's been itching like crazy.... driving me nuts.... I'm trying the ACV spray but she hates it.... I ordered pills to try... Any idea how many to give a 12 y/o Lab at approx. 60-65 pounds?? I decided to try to heal from the inside....

Try rooibos tea topically and internally. Just make up tea, let steep 30 mins add half cup mix in meal ,use rest topically.

Hi Lola. I have a shih tzu/schnauzer mix and went through the biting of feet and scratching and everything else. I tried using Selsun Blue dandruff shampoo that is a selenium sulfide solution that is found in the pharmacy. I would lather him up and leave on for a couple minutes before rinsing and after a few times it really made a difference. I would also lather up his feet more often and then rinse them off. I also changed his dog food to a single ingredient blend of duck and Bartlet pear and alternating after a month to lamb and apple. The blend available to us in Canada is made by Orijen and it is under their Acana label. I find when looking for dog food it is wise to look for one with the least ingredients and keep chicken or chicken by products and wheat and soy out of it as they can be allergy producers. Hope this helps. Mike

Your dog has "Hot Spots" from eating wheat flour which is a type of candida yeast infection. Stop all wheat flour treats and bread type food with grains (they are bad for us too)! Most people have wheat gut (Candida) and don't know it. Pau d'Arco tea kills the fungus. Give probiotics and smell paws to notice that particular smell. I don't agree with vets giving dogs steroid shot and antibiotics for a month because you are destroying good bacteria in gut and only putting infection in a dormant state not ridding yourself of the problem.

Hi Lola,

I am wondering what breed your dog is if I may ask? We adopted a pooch that could be a littermate she looks so similar...but we got her from the Humane Scociety and they listed her as a 'lab mix', and didn't know much about her.

She's got itchy skin too, and we are trying to figure out how to help her. Just wondering if you knew what your girl's heritage is? I hope she is still itch free!

If anyone else on EC knows what breed Lola's pup is....please feel free to chime in as well! Thanks for any info.

Hey Tina!

What, exactly, is your lab suffering from? Skin breakouts? Gunky ears? Feet chewing?

So she is on three meds currently?

What are the weekly shots? Cortizone/steroid shots or ??

What is her current diet? When did her allergies start? What is her vaccination history?

Please give this info to start.

Thanks!

I see you mentioned cyclosporine.Well that didn't help much and was expensive. Apaquil is new and helps however isnt a cure. It is the best so far tho and cheaper. It is fairly new and vets all love it. It leaves the body thru their kidneys.

Altho one of my dogs is on Apaquil I am going to try some of these ideas you all posted!

Have you tried Calcium Montmorillonite? I was about to put my 19 year old cat to sleep because his IBD was so bad. He had bloody diarrhea, allergies and used to walk like he was in pain from old age. First the vet tried B12 injections and at the same time I begun giving him 1/2 teaspoon of the clay twice a day and he better then before he got sick. he is full of energy, acts like a kitten. I forgot to mention that he was on steroids too for three days so if he can make a comeback so can yours.

I am using clay from this website.

http://www.healthy-lifestyle-store.com/montmorillonite-clay

good luck.

Just a head's up about the Apoquel~

It's pretty fresh onto the scene, and as we have been fighting allergies year round for years (with no success), we jumped on it immediately. (Curtis chews until everything is raw, bleeding, and limping. His face is red-he's just been hot mess.)

First, I will say it has been about 85% effective in suppressing his symptoms. My understanding is results vary. That being said, I said suppressing for a reason. It's scary stuff and opens the door for cancer and all kinds of other sickness, disease and issues. Since he's been on it he has developed a whole new round of hot mess issues to deal with.

Meanwhile, I stumbled onto info that wasn't available to the public before. I took him off of it immediately after reading, realizing the meds were the cause behind his new issues.

Here's an article about it~please read it before you give it to your dog. You at least need to know what it does to their bodies.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/wouldnt-give-dog-new-allergy-drug/

Try the remedy for Mites.

To Janet in Manchester, my cat Baby had the same problem with going bald on his back, it was so bad that he stayed out in the rain to relieve the inflammation. He had multiple allergies to foods and the environment. $3000 dollars and two years later he is better because I changed his diet. Spend the money on organic cat food, it is people grade food without the fungicides and pesticides that they spray on regular pet food (scraping the slaughter house floor and selling it to pet owners in the guise of food.) It is more economical to buy the good pet food, my other cats also benefited from the changed diet. Their coats got glossy. I had raised Baby on canned cat food, a popular brand, it seems that that is what caused him the allergies. My other cats had been mousers and support from dry cat food. Many animals are allergic to corn and fleas.

I would first like to express my gratitude for this website. I don't have much faith in the medical profession, these days, and being old-fashion anyways, I prefer home remedies over prescription drugs or cures any day. With that said, I was wondering if anyone could help me with a problem I seem to be having with my 8 yr old Border Collie/Husky mix. QT weighs approx. 100lb and is a very lovable companion. I will do anything possible to make her better, she deserves that. When she was young, the vet diagnosed her as being allergic to fleas, which I have found to be their answer for anything that they can't really pinpoint. So we did the Prednisone and the allergy meds, which worked at first, but not a cure. Also, I use Advantage once a month for flea control. So she has no fleas, but she constantly scratches and bites herself. I came across you website and I have been trying Ted's Mange cure for Sarcoptic mites, but still not seeing a change in her. Since she has really thick fur and I wasn't sure that I was getting her soaked to the skin, since she repels water like a duck, I shaved her and what I found under all that hair appalled me. I believe I will be switching to the ACV and BSM treatments next, because her skin is in a terrible state. The other issue I found I have not seen any post about on this website. She has some lumps. One major one where her tail joins her body and another smaller one on her right hip. I know the one at her tail joint bothers her, because she walks with her tail swooped to the opposite side. It, also, itches. She wants me to rub it all the time, but I don't, because I don't know if this will just aggravate it. I will keep you all posted if the ACV and BSM help, but I could use some feedback on the lumps. Don't know if something has embedded itself inside her skin, or if its just part of her skin condition. Thanks for letting me vent. Have a blessed day.

I had the same problem with our german shepherd, and it was yeast on the skin. Does your pet have dark spots on her legs, and inside of her ear flaps? This is a yeast problem. I have had my darling Dutchess to the vet. He gave her a bunch of anti yeast meds, and then also an anti yeast shampoo to do every week. I was told it couldnt really be attributed to the diet. I dont believe it at all. I am assuming she has a grain allergy, and also going to change her food. Yogurt is supposed to help with yeast and I am going to do a google search on how to get rid of yeast on the skin and in the body naturally. The vet visit cost me about three hundred dollars. . . But I am sure that now that I know what it is it would be less to just ask for the shampoo and pills. Blessings,

Robyn

Thank you, Racer, for your feedback. I, too, will start researching yeast infection. I have been trying some of the things here on the website. I tried the 1:1 ratio of the ACV and tried spraying her for the itching, but you would have thought I set her tail on fire, the way she went running through the house. Thank goodness it's a small house. I believe I will need to dilute this solution down a bit for her. I have, also, mixed up a concoction of 4T of ACV, 1/2 tsp of borax, 1 tsp of baking soda and 3T of honey in a gallon of water for her to drink. Only on day 2 of this regimen, will keep all updated. The newest thing I am trying is feeding her a raw diet. This, too, has only been going on for 2 days, so will keep all informed on the progress. Q is a finicky eater, so I have to hand feed her to get her to eat the concoction, but I'll do whatever it takes. At least, this way, I know what she is eating. EC, again, thanks for this wonderful website. Keep up the good work. It's nice to find and share info with people who truly love their animals.

One thing I forgot to mention. Not just any yogurt will work. The best yogurt to get is the Greek plain yogurt. When you read the ingredients and if the package doesn't list all of the ingredients and the way it was processed, do not buy it. They are hiding things you don't want to feed your pet. Thanks.

Our RWIS had a large cyst at the junction of the tail and body. Our vet removed it and she was fine. No re-occurances. Using ACV on broken skin requires a large dilution, 2 tablespoons per quart of water. The main objective is to get the skin healed, so straight ACV can be used.

I was reading your posts and I thought I wanted to share what my dog and I went through. I also had a lot of vet visits that didn't really help. She smelled badly, lots of skin stuff going on, itching, black spots, biting, licking and did I mention the horrible smell even when I bathed her twice a week. Well, I had read enough about how to bring back the balance in a humans body with yeast infections or candida. So, I took all the remedies and did them all. I shaved her down to get to the skin, sprayed her down with the apple cider vinegar mix and then let it sit. I then poured Kefir on her skin and let that sit (its pretty cold) after ten minutes I bathed her. This helped with the smell and the raw skin. I noticed she kept licking the black spots so I after each bath I did Ted's Borax solution. This helped immensely. She no longer smells, no longer scratches all that is left are her paws. I am continuing to do Ted's Borax solution on her paws and letting her stand in the mix. I hope that helps!

I have questions: What is Kefir where to buy?

Recipe for both :

Ted's Borax Solution

Apple Cider Vinegar Mix

First of all, gratitude to EC for this wonderful site. My friends say I should write a book with my experience since I have rescued many cats and dogs for over thirty years. All on a shoe string, but the Lord helps. I think EC is a good way of passing on ones good results, as rescue people have little time to read books. Also, heartfelt thanks to all committed pet owners and rescuers. As in rescuing, one gets to know so called humans from the worst side. It can be very trying. I have also rescued a pig that fell from a truck. She was very grateful and intelligent. As I left the shelter where she found a home, she galloped and stopped by to thank us. She was by then a big girl.

I believe greatly in ACV, turmeric, especially for skin and upper resp., coconut oil, colloidal silver, vit C, nutritional yeast and no chemical meds. We have seen complete personality change and slide in health. Rescuers and groomers mostly blame chem. meds and vaccinations for ongoing problems.

When health is a business, let the buyer beware. Ordinary people cannot support the financial demands of the professional community. But a change will come in the near future. God bless EC and all of you wonderful guardians and care givers of God's creation. Love, Om

I just wanted to add something that I have learned about Black Walnut Hull and Wormwood Tincture. It is a natural dewormer and also kills candida (yeast). If you read the reviews on this 7.00 product you can find on a major online shopping site, you will want to take it yourself!! I added a few drops to some wheat bread which was the only way all 3 of my dogs, big and small would gladly eat it. Clove bud kills eggs, and diatomaceous earth (FOOD GRADE ONLY!!! ) also works well at killing parasites and yeast. Along with ACV and VCO, these products are ones I swear by and highly recommend! Look up health benefits of Diatomacous Earth and SERIOUSLY check out the tincture! It kills heartworm and any parasite that is on your body. Other dewormers can actually send the parasites to the brain, eye, liver or lungs! I deworm myself twice a year. (1 out of 3 people have parasites! ) D.E. will get the crud out of your guts and help get residue from food or meds outta there! It is a must!! (D.E. is also good for hair, nails, and skin! ) I add it to my juice (tbsp) stir and drink. I add to dog water or food. It is a powder. BE SURE THAT IT IS FOOD GRADE! ) Research it! Lots of uses and benefits.

I know it's a very long time since your post, but this might help someone else.

I had a wooden, open slat, gate made which was then fitted right next to the outside of my front door. With a sign of please always shut the gate! It has a simple bolt on. So, when you open the door, the dog can't go anywhere, but they can see and smell, who is at the door. I've taught them what 'back' means and so, then the gate can be opened to allow the visitor to come into the house. (If I want them to)! I have 4 dogs and it works!! It's great for parcel delivery's as well!

Note: Just to clarify. Peroxide should only be given in FOOD GRADE, not the stuff used for boo boos.

My dog has multiple allergies, and developed a horrible inflamed bald spot late last summer. I believe it was from either an insect bite or contact with a plant, as after much research it didn't seem to fit the descriptions of mange. I gently scrubbed the area with plain warm water (to remove the scales), then applied undiluted tea tree oil twice a day. Within a few days the redness and scaling were gone and the skin was smooth and healthy, and within about 10 days the hair started growing back. He seemed to love the gentle scrubbing :)

Best of luck

i would recommend the book "Pets at Risk" by Dr. Plechner. Licking the paws can be a sign of circulation/heart issues as paws can get a strange tingling sensation when circulation is not optimal. The book might guide you and others in the right direction. Kind regards

Hi Marya, just read regarding your dog, my little shitzu has the same problem, I did the ACV wash and internally with no improvement, so I tried the plain yogurt.....literally thought in as imagining things...with in three hours less itching now four days hes almost not itching....he was itching so much he broke skin and lost three pounds...it was bad now almost gone. Hope this helps. Fiona.