How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Fleas in Pets

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Romana (Chaparral, Otero County) on 02/10/2009
★★★★★

I would like to Thank you for having this web site!! For those who have no idea how ACV works wonders on cats .. I use it for a flea spray and none of my pets have ever had fleas or ticks . Thanks R.L.W & kitty crew Chaparral N.M

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Romana (Chaparral, Otero County) on 02/10/2009
★★★★★

I would like to Thank you for having this web site!! For those who have no idea how ACV works wonders on cats .. I use it for a flea spary and non of my pets have ever had fleas or ticks . Thanks R.L.W & kitty crew Chaparral N.M

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Dan (Brooklyn, Iowa) on 02/06/2009

I don't have hardwood floors, I have vinyl and carpet, what I use for fleas on my floors may work for your hardwood floors. Since I have 10 cats,I use one box of baking soda to 4 tablespoons of table salt, mix them togethor and sprinkle on the floors covering the whole floors leave standing for 24-48 hours, then vaccum repeat process every 15 days for 6-8 weeks depending on how bad the infestation is. Why does this works for me is the baking soda kills live fleas, and the salt dries up the eggs, bonus its safe to use around your pets (no hazardous chemicals), and it leaves my carpets smelling fresh. For my cats I put 3 drops using a eyedropper of ACV into their water, this leaves their coats shiney, velvety soft, and thick, plus it gets rid of fleas, its been proven fleas don't like acidic skin. I hope this helps you.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Shanna (ottawa, ontario) on 11/22/2008

I just got a kitten, he's 8 weeks old. He is infested with fleas. I also have an 18 year old cat who now has fleas thanks to the kitten. I treated him with Zodiac spot on...What a waste of money, infact it seemed to get worst. I was wondering if ACV is safe for a kitten his age?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Maribel (Detroit, Michigan) on 11/15/2008

hi everyone but i have a question... i see that some people reccommend the acv and some don't but is it safe to use it on pregnant dogs or lacting dogs, and or on the pupies??? I have a 1yr. 11 month old chihuahua that has been now itching badly and we hav seen fleas on her. we have not been putting any flea products on her since sh'e 6 weeks pregnant. we usually put something on her every month or was her once a week. but like i said she's pregnant and their isn't much we can do. even though now that shes been pregnant for these 6 weeks my children, husband and i ahve been getting bite by these fleas. so i was wondering if someone can tell me if it is asafe to use the acv and the borax for here and my children in the house??? please help i'm going crazy with this..,.. and my children are getting bit all over...

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jen (Kirkwood, MO) on 11/04/2008

I have purchased ACV in a tablet form. I wrap it in cheese and give to my dog. I also am taking it myself. It's much better than drinking it! We just started it for fleas, so I'm not sure if it works yet, but I'll try to post back.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Toni (Ponca City, Oklahoma) on 10/21/2008

I don't have a comment yet, just read your articles yesterday, however, I have hardwood floors in an old two-story house. I have many cats, 2 older dogs, aquarium fish and 2 parrots. No one had comments on the hardwood floors, danger to birds and cats walking on some of the treatments mentioned, namely distomaceous earth. I got a flea infestation this year and they are attacking me too, but no sores (not allegeric I assume). Any suggestions about cats walking around on these treatments or my birds inhaling any of these products? Pets and me leaving the house is not an option.

Would appreciate your feedback and I will use the ACV and garlic as a spay on the hardwood floors, on the cats and dogs and in their water (organic, I assume or distilled?)

Thank you, Toni

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Pat (Monticello, Georgia) on 10/20/2008
★★★★★

My 5 month old kitten unfortunately has fleas and so he is constantly scratching and biting. I read on another website (written by a vet) about using ACV. You use 1/2 water & 1/2 ACV or just regular vinegar in a spray bottle. While you spray it on you also rub it into their skin. Apparently the fleas don't like the smell or the taste of it and won't stay on the cat.The article also said that cats don't like the smell of vinegar. It seems to be working. My kitten isn't scratching as much (hardly at all), but boy is he licking at the vinegar and water combination. The article also said that the vinegar and water combo will help heal the sores that were created from the scratching and biting. I just thought I would pass this on.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Pat (Monticello, Georgia) on 10/20/2008
★★★★★

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Suzanne (Harrisburg, PA) on 10/06/2008
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

I used organic apple cider vinegar in the past in my dogs water, but lately I have gotten a flea infestation. One of my dogs is allergic to fleas and has lost hair and had open sores on his body because of his biting. I just wanted to let people know who use the apple cider vinegar NOT TO SPRAY THE DOG WITH OPEN SORES WITH THE VINEGAR. Some people may know this and some people may not. I had flea bites myself and put some on the bites and about cried it burned so bad. So please if your animal has open sores don't spray them with this. I would rather put it in the water.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Aprilluvv (Los Angeles, CA) on 08/23/2008
★★★★★

Borax in the carpet for a few days before vaccuming works and the ACV does work in the house but it will make you house stink. I didn't care, I had GHETTO FLEAS FROM HELL for 2 months. ACV works well on your body too.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by C.K. (St. Louis, Missouri) on 08/20/2008

Do not use garlic in ANY sort of dog food. It is toxic and can kill your dog, just like onions and grapes. It's simply foolish that someone would encourage you to feed that to your dog. I'd take fleas over a dead pet any day.

EC: Please read the (mostly positive) feedback on our Garlic for Dogs page.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Virginia (Cushing, OK) on 08/07/2008
★★★★★

FLEAS/TICKS and ACV: Full Strength ACV on dog that was scratching constantly. His hair under his tail and on his abdomen had a red tint to it (he is white) and I am not sure it wasn't some kind of mange problem too since it had a terrible odor which wasn't helped by bathing. After spraying him down with full strength ACV the odor dissipated and his scratching has stopped. I sprayed him for 3 consecutive days at first but skip a day or two now. Thank you for saving me a vet bill...

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Rachel (Johns Island, SC) on 07/22/2008
★★★★★

After reading all the feedback about Apple Cider Vinegar, I was eager to try it. I originally researched it because of the horrid flea infestation on my dogs. I have two Great Danes, one of whom recently experienced a bad reaction to the Frontline we had been using (weird!) for years.

So, I bathed them in baby shampoo and then sprayed some Apple Cider Vinegar on them both. Poof! Within two weeks of spraying every other day and adding a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to each gallon of their water, they practically live outside (Johns Island is notorious for fleas) and not a single flea. I'm not sure about ticks, though, because they rarely get them in the first place.

So, meanwhile, my son is getting eaten alive in our house. The fleas didn't touch the cat (I used the same process on the cat), my husband or myself but apparently my son was delicious. We tried gentle bug-repellent, natural bug-repellents, nothing worked to keep them off. I bombed the house, but then the eggs hatched and we went 'round and 'round again. To top it off, he developed an allergy to flea bites so now instead of just itchy little bites, each bite turns into about a dollar-bill-sized rash.

So, I began to give him a light tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per day mixed in with 8 oz. of water. Not three times like you'd do for weight-loss, but like you would do for the dogs or the cat and lo and behold, after another week of benedryl and calamine lotion, he stopped getting bitten. It took almost three weeks to really work for my son, though, so be patient if you want to try this. I also talked to my doctor and he says it's alright (for my son, not medical advice!) just as long as he kept drinking lots of water and kept up his vitamins because, apparently, a high dosage of vinegar can sometimes deplete you of necessary vitamins and minerals as well as speed dehydration, not much but enough to notice.

I kept this up until I didn't spot a single flea for about a month, then took my son off the vinegar (about two and a half months).

Now, I don't know if this was a side effect of the vinegar or just getting rid of the stress of the flea bites, but my son stopped wetting the bed about halfway through the vinegar "treatment". The only reason I mention it is because someone else posted on here that her grandfather? (sorry, not sure) gave her a spoonful of vinegar and honey in water to help her to stop wetting the bed. But, like I said, it could have been either and most likely taking away the rash-stress was the determining factor.

I just started reading the comments on how Apple Cider Vinegar can help you shed those few extra unwanted pounds, so I'm trying it. I'll try to keep you guys updated, I'm pretty excited about it!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Linda (Miramichi, Canada) on 07/10/2008
★★★★★

My little Venus has been going nuts with itching and biting..had 2 spots size of toonies on her rump..one with a scab, one with hair off and bald. She is on a regime from vet for fleas etc. In desperation, one hot day I sprayed apple cider vinegar and water {half and half}all over her skin and especially on those 2 spots. She stopped scratching for about an hour and a half. So we now put 5 ml/ 1 tsp. mixed with a tsp/ water in a 5 ml. syringe and shoot it into her mouth once a day. She wouldn't eat if we put it in food or drinking water. VOILA!!! NO MORE ITCHING AND BITING

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by LovesDachshunds (Bayonne, The United States) on 06/29/2008

Every month I give each Dachshund a Sentinel flavor tab, which you get from your Vet, and I also use as backup Frontline Plus for dogs. So far so good.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Lori (West Allis, WI) on 06/18/2008

To get rid of fleas in the house you can put a bowl of soapy water (ajax soap works well) under a night light or smaller lamp. The fleas are attracted to the light and will fall in the water and die. It worked for my family when I was young and our cat was infested with fleas. Set up more than one of these traps and I'm sure it will work. Good Luck, Lori.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Cindy (Buckatunna, Mississippi) on 06/11/2008

Will the acv work in the house? I have tried everything possible. Fleas are taking over our house!!!!!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 06/03/2008 490 posts

Spray your dog with pure ACV - no diluting required. Works the same way for you - except instead of spraying it on, I wet a wash cloth in vinegar and make like I'm taking a bath. After letting it dry and getting dressed, I head for the fields or woods with no fear of ticks, chiggers, or sand flies.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Laroka (Detroit, Michigan) on 06/02/2008

What is the ACV solution you use to spray your dog with? (What is the water/ACV ratio?) Also, how much ACV should we put in their water bowl? Thanks!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Brandy (Dallas, TX) on 04/12/2008
★★★★★

I have a one and a half year old pekignese/pomeranian mix who in the last couple of months has shown symptoms of flea allergies, constant licking biting and scratching of her hind legs and rear end as well as her feet. We would find maybe 3-4 fleas on her a week. Which on a dog without allergy probably would not cause this kind of reaction. I wanted to only use natural treatments to try to cure this problem so I looked online and found alot of information. To treat my yard I used diacomateous earth, which is a fossil that kills bugs by injesting/breathing these sharp peices of fossil. Inside my house I did a salt and borax detergent on the floors and furniture. I did this every two weeks attempting to rid my house of any fleas. My dog still had hot spots, and was losing hair and getting scabs from her itching. I also tried lavender essential oil on her collar, and in the bath, and I used Dawn dishwashing detergent to try and drown any fleas that may be on her. This was all in addition to the advantix monthly treatment. These monthly treatments kill the flea when they bite the treated animal, the problem was keeping the fleas from even getting on her. One bite meant misery for my sweet pup. My vet told me to try benadryl and I did that to try to prevent her from itching, while I looked for another remedy. I came upon this site and started using it in her water just a small drop in her water once a day. Then last weekend I tried the half water half ACV rinse after her bath and let her air dry. I have seen MAJOR improvement this week, and have cancelled my appointment with a specialist to find a better way to treat my dog. I am a beleiver now, and will continue using this method as it really has proven itself to me. It is peak flea season here in Dallas and I am amazed at these results, and have even shared them with an online dog allergy group that I belong to. I am so thankful that I dont have to medicate my dog, or use unatural treatments. Thank you so much to this site and everyone who shared their success and failures, My little Nilly thanks you also!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Debbie (Oklahoma) on 04/24/2006
★★★★★

I am a Dog groomer. I ran across this remedy about 4 months ago and tried it on my dogs..I was unhappy with products like frontline (which I was a firm believer) because it seemed like I would still see a flea or "flea dirt"... Nothing is on my girls. NOTHING!!! So now I am letting all of my customers know. I tell them it can take 4-6 weeks to see the benefit. I put it my girls drinking water... 1 tsp.ACV to 1 quart water. When I started trying the acv, I thought what the heck.. If it doesn't work for the fleas it has alot of other benefits.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by MJ Fox (Ireland)
★★★★★

I use ACV in my rescue dogs' food twice a week and give them diluted ACV rub downs with a wet sponge or rag about every 10 days. There are no fleas on these dogs at all, which I think is a result of the ACV. I also use it full strength for ring worm and seem to be having some good luck with mange.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jennifer (Doonan, QLD, Australia)
★★★★★

It truly works for eliminating fleas from dogs. Just a few drops in the drinking water each day BUT it does take about six weeks.I have also sprayed the dog's beds and cleaned rugs and floors every day so it is an ongoing chore to for the six weeks but I am now on top of the situation.I run a Poodle resort so I have quite a few dogs and to have solved the flea problem is an enormous relief.