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How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Fleas in Pets

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Posted by Lisa (US) on 02/15/2015
 ★★★★★

For fleas, I soaked chicken liver in ACV and then cooked it with it. Mixed it up with rice and my dogs loved it. Good way to get it into their system.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mage (Australia) on 11/04/2014
 ★★★★★

For fleas, just add the apple cider vinegar to the dog's bath water. This is all I do, my pets have not had fleas in 4 years

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Marianne (Toronto, Canada) on 10/22/2014
 ★★★★★

Hello!

I was given your website by an employee of Global Pets here in Toronto Canada. I have a Shih Tzu who has had a terrible summer of scratching due to fleas and allergies. She specifically mentioned using Apple Cider Vinegar to help rid the fleas. I have used it on Max for the first time today, but wanted to contact you to say how happy I am to have found your site! I'm sure I'll be visiting it often as I really don't like to give Max anything that has toxins/chemicals and am always looking for a natural way of curing his ailments.

Thank you so much for the info and don't ever stop what you're doing! Cheers.

Marianne and Max

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Denise B (Georgia, US) on 08/18/2014
 ★★★★★

White vinegar for fleas.

I just had my pug and toy poodles dipped for fleas last week. The pug is already scratching again, rubbing his back on furniture, chewing his tail, and keeping me up all night with his whining. A friend told me about vinegar killing fleas, but I wasn't sure, so remembered to check this site.

I combed the pug out and found a couple of fleas, so I grabbed a spray bottle and filled it with white vinegar. I soaked him down, spraying him from his neck to his tail.

It hasn't even been five minutes, and he is now laying calmly at my feet! Tomorrow, I'll spray the poodles, the bulldog that lives outdoors (that sleeps inside on the sunroom), and the house. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Virginia (Ponca City, Ok) on 08/03/2014
 ★★★★★

I came home from work one day and my legs were black from the knee down with fleas. Somewhere I heard I could spray ACV full strength all over my carpet and anything else in the house. It was hot in Los Angeles at the time so I shut the house up, turned off the A/C and let it bake for three days while I was gone to work. I continued spraying for about 3 days just to be sure they were all killed. Amazing how this works, but it does!

Grease cutting blue dish detergent works for bathing my dog. Also, I have used diluted ACV which works too.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Toni (Jacksonville, FL) on 07/25/2014

Hi, my dog Peddie scratches so much, I need to get some more ACV and I need to be putting it in his water. He is 3 years old. I don't have transportation to take him regularly to vet. Please, tell me what can I do. I love my dog, he's been a life saver for me.

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
07/25/2014

Hey Toni!

If you feel you need to add ACV to your pet's water then that is what you should do.

You might also want to bathe him if he has fleas on his body.

Another way to combat fleas and itching is to alkalize your dog's drinking water; put 1 teaspoon of baking soda into 3 liters of water and have that as your dog's only drinking water for 1 day; increase to 2 spoons per 3 liters for the 2nd day; on the 3rd day add 3 teaspoons of baking soda to 3 liters of water -and do this for a total of 5 days. After 5 days drop it down to one half teaspoon of baking soda per 1 liter of water - this is an ongoing maintenance dose. This helps to change your dog's PH so he is not so attractive to fleas. You can add the ACV to this baking soda water when it is at the maintenance dose.

Also there are mobile vets now - you can have the vet come to you if you have no transport:

http://www.animalcareonwheels.com/

Replied by Suseeq
(Sydney, Australia)
07/25/2014

Just put some vinegar in a spray bottle and spray dog every day until fleas are gone. Only needs about three days, then spray when necessary, I haven't sprayed my dog for over 6 months.

Replied by Fulu
(Nevada, US)
10/06/2014

I wanted to know do I add water with the vinegar or just the vinegar by itself?

Replied by Om
(Hope, Bc Canada)
10/07/2014

ACV for flea spray needs to be diluted. Some dogs can't hack the smell. So try 50/50 w. water.

Namaste , Om

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Daisy (Los Angeles Ca) on 02/23/2014
 ★★★★★

I had just about had it with my dog trixies scratching. I felt so bad for her, she would scratch and bite her vagina. Her hair was shedding like crazy, creating black marks and her belly was red and dry. I thought maybe it was the detergent, smog, house cleaners, or her love of swimming. I've never seen a flea on her so I never suspected it to be fleas.

Yesterday I poured half ACV and half water into a spray bottle and sprayed her down. Half an hour later I bathed her with Dr bronners baby shampoo. It worked!!! Thank god for earth clinic!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lynnie (Columbus, Ohio, Usa) on 10/06/2013
 ★★★★★

Went online this morning to research a "natural" remedy to rid my Miniature Schnauzer of a few fleas. She currently is on flea medication from the vet, but it just wasn't working, also was very pricey. Found this wonderful site & used the 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar in a spray bottle. As soon as I sprayed her, the fleas came to the surface of her fur and died. She was so relieved, she laid down for a nap. So nice to have my baby dog not scratching & chewing herself raw. Will also start adding to her water. Thank you so much!

Replied by Lindsay
(Florida)
09/04/2013

Where do you get the good stuff?

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by June (Winfield, Kansas) on 07/18/2013
 ★★★★★

I never bathe mine in ACV. If they are infested I guess you should bathe them to get the fleas off, probably with soap so it kills the fleas, but you can also just put a few drops of ACV on their fur and rub it in. Also put a few drops in their food every day. You will see the number of fleas decrease within a day or two. All my cats are outside and none of them have fleas. I have been using ACV for several years now. I put a few drops of ACV (organic with the mother) in their food every day. It works like a charm.

There is also this stuff called bug arrest you can buy online. It's non-toxic and contains no pesticides. It has enzymes in it that eats the exoskeletons off bugs. It will get rid of mange, scabies, earmites and all other bugs.

Good luck.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mrsg (Jupiter, FL, USA) on 06/13/2013
 ★★★★★

I have a 10 month old Maltese. I add ACV to my dog's food and water, also use it as a rinse after shampoo and I think I helps keep fleas and ticks away.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sandee (Huntington Beach, Ca) on 08/19/2012
 ★★★★★

(YEA) My Husband & I came home from a two week vacation to a unhappy flea infested cat and house... Yikes... We had our two Scotty's with us and they showed no signs of fleas till our return... It was misserable for all of us, we were ready to go to a hotel... We took both dogs and our cat to the groomer to get defleaed (with Frontline) while our home was being sprayed... It did not solve either problem... Still we had fleas... For three weeks we treated our dogs & cat with flea shampoo and pest control, still fleas... By now our dogs have soars on them one was getting an ear infection... Yikes... I took the advise of ACV put it full strength into a spary bottle sparyed everything in the house (including pets with 1/2 Water 1/2 ACV solution) no more fleas! I will continue with this natural remedy from here on... Yeaaaaaaaaa! :)

Replied by Alicia
(Mart, Tx)
05/28/2013
★☆☆☆☆

I must be doing something wrong. I have 7 dogs and 2 cats. I have been trying ACV to get rid of their fleas and its just not working. I have bathed them all with dawn and then used the ACV / water mix. The next day they are covered with fleas again. What am I doing wrong?

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Marilyn B (Vancouver, Bc) on 11/24/2011
 ★★★★★

Hello to ALL: Regarding the apple cider vinegar..... Am a skeptic to start with... Nothing ventured/nothing gained.... My wee 3 lb 9 yr old chihuahua, had his first flea EVER!!! Did the dawn dish detergentX2, washed all the bedding and now the apple cider bit..... Well, after bathing him, and rinsing him with water in the kitchen sink, I finished with the appe cider... 2 tsp to 1 pint of warm water, in a spray bottle... His fir looked oh so funny, but AIR DRY ONLY, so that the apple cider seeps into the pores... No harsh chemicals used... I spray him also every time he comes in from the outside.... Also wash all his bedding, and spray 50/50 solution around the living areas..... 50 apple cider and 50 water in a spray bottle. I did this every 12 hours for 2 days!!! ... I also put apple cider in his drinking water, and guess what....... He did NOT even detect any difference!!!

For the drinking water, I used 2 tsp to a pint. Keep it in the fridge... I also find he is drinking way more!! Than without the apple cider and finally...... I find the appe cider is GREAT for his bowels... Take for instance, in the mornings at 7AM, he always did the pee pees... NOW... He does the peepees and the bowels at the same time.... Before he did the bowels at 11AM... The apple cider is definitely a natural laxative...... So bathe your pet regularly X1 weekly, use the rinse with apple cider, a everynd the drinking water also with the apple cider, and spray him 2-3 X daily... He is a happy little man, coming 10 yrs in Feb. And he thinks that I am GREAT! .....

An inexpensive way to control the fleas without a vet trip..... Ps by spraying him X2 daily, apparently, the fleas DONOT like the taste of the apple cider on the outside skin OR coming through his pours on the inside, by way of his drinking it.... Just make sure, you spray the carpets, and mop the hardwood flooring every day... When using the vacuum, try to seperately bag the used bag so that any fleas donot jump out... OR seperately bag the used bag and put it in the freezer, which will kill the fleas until you use the bag again. Donot use the vacuum bag more than twice.... Hope this info helps!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tiffany (Los Angeles, California) on 08/25/2011
 ★★★★★

I have a small dog who was miserable with fleas I bathed him with dawn dish soap and rinsed him with a 50/50 mix of Apple Cider Vinegar and water after, he was dry I massaged organic olive oil in his skin which was red and inflamed. He finally stop scratching! And the fleas are gone for now I'm sure I will have to repeat this process until all the fleas are gone.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dianec (Los Angeles, California United States) on 07/14/2011
 ★★★★★

My dog Maggie a chihuahua/terrier mix had a problem with FLEAS! And her body would smell like a fish. After a bath is the only time she smelled good. The next day she would smell bad again. Well I read that dogs with this condition have too much alkaline in their system.

And that about 1 cup to 1 cup and a half of Apple cider vinegar in a pail of warm water might help.

I bathed Maggie using commercial dog shampoo and rinsed her in warm clear water and then I used an apple cider vinegar rinse, WELL IT WORKED! Maggie no longer has fleas and she doesn't smell bad. I also dip her in the apple cider vinegar rinse about twice a week. In the past even with Frontline she would have a few fleas. And her skin would get pink to red.

She is now normal. And no fleas! For me this apple cider vinegar rinse was a miracle.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Alyssa (Austin, Tx) on 07/03/2011
 ★★★★★

Apple Cider Vinegar as a flea remedy:

My cats were keen to the ACV added to their water to prevent fleas, and they would steal water from their loving humans to avoid it. A little over a week ago, I started adding a few drops of ACV to their nightly soft food. The food is pungent enough to cover up any hint of the ACV odor. They no longer scratch themselves to the point of scabbing up and I can't find any fleas on either cat. As always, ACV is amazing!


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