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I have 3 male cats. One 3 yrs old I'll speak of because he's 10 times worst than the other 2. He's biting and licking his hair and scratching all the time. At first we thought he became Alger to the food so we changed it. Then we realized it was fleas but there was not that many. Last yr I bathed him in ACV and it helped. Now he's licking his and biting his hair and scratching and sores all over. We did everything to the floors we could. I tried putting ACV in there water, food, no good. So I decided to get a eye dropper and gave him half and half water and ACV led up to 1 tablespoon. Is this to much or not enough, how often sould I give this to them? And what else could I try?
This is very good information. I am very glad to be informed regarding how well apple cider vinegar helps with itchy skin. Thank you to everyone for posting the helpful comments
She is not depressed! she is exhausted from itching, and when she doesn't have to itch she is resting peacefully. imagine your whole day itching uncontrollably, and all the sudden you don't have to itch anymore. You would feel like whew! im exhausted! Shes clean just had a nice bath, warm, fed, and thankful. let her sleep.
Posted by Janet (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 09/07/2009
One of my four cats has had a skin problem on and off now for quite some time. It seems to come on every six months and I usually have to take him to the Vet for a steroid injection which does help but I have to do this every six months and as I have four cats it is quite expensive. At the moment Ginger is going mad scratching and pulling his fur out. His back is red raw but at the moment the Vet is not affordable. I have heard about rubbing with ACV but I was a little concerned that it would burn his raw skin so have been afraid to do this. Has anyone out there got the same problem and knows of a natural remedy please?
Posted by Ambercleveland (Indianapolis, In) on 01/27/2011 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
Specifically in regards to pets that look like they are scratching to the point where they have scabs, if you are feeding and watering them out of plastic bowls, switch to stainless steel. I had a dog that had a similar problem, turns out she had an allergy to something leaching into the water from her plastic dog dishes.
HI, has he recieved any shots in the last 3 months if so that could be the reason give him homeopathic Thuja 30c to detoxify. If not it could be mites, sometimes ear mites are transfered when the dog scratches his ear. Either way I would use Thornit powder. We have it here in England. It is simply wonderful. I advise all my clients to use it. If you can't get any email me and I will try to sent you some.
Posted by Janet (Greeneville, Tenn) on 02/22/2018 ★★★★★
Itchy skin relieved for my cat. My little almost nine year kitty has been horribly itching all over so the other day I diluted 1/2 of organic apple cider vinegar with filtered water.
I used a cotton ball and it was pretty much immediate relief for her.
I also use the mixture on my other cats and they stopped digging and biting.
On Earthclinic I watched a great presentation for this and I'm very very pleased.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Yes, this solution will sting if your cat has raw spots from scratching. You might consider Ted's Mange Remedy which will help with itching and fleas, and I know from first hand experience with open cuts on my own skin that it does not sting.
Posted by Jackie (Tenerife, Canary Island) on 08/10/2015 ★★★★★
We are fostering a little pup and he was going mad biting and scratching his back, I came across your site and started him on the 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar and water and it worked a treat so it's now part of our twice daily system, which he is now getting used to, however because we are on a small Island we could only get organic so am using that. I have just started to add a tsp to his drinking water... Let's see how we get on with that. I have tied this in with 1/4 tsp of coconut oil in his meals and that goes down a treat as well.
Mix up a solution in a spray bottle of 1/2 organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), the one that begins with a "Br", with 1/2 distilled water. Spray all over the dog; get him completely soaked with the spray. Let him air-dry. You do not need to dry him with towels. He'll smell like a salad for a couple of hours or so, but the scent will go away. No need to be alarmed.
You should also make sure he's eating a high-quality food, one with NO grains, NO corn, NO fillers, NO rice. You can also mix a tablespoon of ACV into either his food or into his water. He'll probably won't notice it in his food, so put it there if he won't drink his water with the ACV in it.
Posted by Nanci (Tallapoosa, Ga) on 07/06/2015 ★★★★★
My Baby has been wearing a Seresto collar for a few months, and while it works well for fleas and ticks, something has been causing her to itch terribly for the last couple of weeks. She's been biting and clawing, and it's horrible to see her so miserable. I use ACV daily for it's health benefits, and last night I Googled it to find out if it might help her, and thank goodness that I did! I mixed it with water in a spray bottle, and although she hates being sprayed with it, I saw almost instant results. She had stopped most of her scratching a few minutes after application, and she didn't wake me up doing it in the night, as she has in the last few days. She was scratching this some this morning, so I sprayed her again, and she's now hid out under the couch sulking, but she's not scratching! I truly think that ACV is one of nature's true miracles.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I am glad the ACV is bringing your dog some relief! But please 'google' this collar and read the 1 star reviews on amazon and others. This collar has been linked to nervous system disorders in dogs as well as skin irritation, and a host of other health issues. My advice to you to prevent further discomfort and irritation to your dog would be to immediately remove this collar and discontinue its use, and consider organ cleansers such a milk thistle, bentonite clay and activated charcoal.
ACV is great for keeping fleas at bay due to it making the skin acidic, so you should not have to use other alternatives too. Due to how my pets reacted to modern vetinary treatments for fleas and worms, I now use ACV only. Worms will not attach to the intestinal wall if ACV is in the diet and mixing 50/50 and spraying on the coat will deter fleas and ticks.
My sister's Shi Tzu has been itching very badly for about two week. His hair was all over the floor thru out the house. He'not scheduled to go to the Vet till next week. I found your site a couple hours ago and were so happy I did. The ACV was a miracle for him. No more scratching. What a relief. I couldn't stand seeing him suffer till next week. Thank you so much for your site.
Posted by Cynthia (Lindstrom, Minnesota) on 04/06/2015
My 11-year old, 63 pound, female Golden Retriever has been suffering with constant itching, biting, licking, black "freckles" all over her belly and armpits, hot spots, ear infections, and now has been off her food for two days. She wakes me at night with constant itching and biting. Yes, I have tried EVERYTHING...allergy diagnoses and shots, prednisone, literally thousands of dollars worth of "vet" directed remedies. My poor girl just got worse. I do have an anti fungal ear wash, but there is no odor or red gunk in her ears now.
Today, I bought her Orijen adult, grain and as low carb kibble I could find. I used some raw food in her night meal (which she ate with gusto), I used filtered water in her dish and added a capful of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to her water dish. I will bathe her tomorrow, and rinse her with some 1/2 water - 1/2 ACV - and leave it on.
Big changes for her. I hope for the best and will post as this new procedure for her progresses. I am HOPING it gives her some relief.
I want to put my dog on a raw diet but not sure where to get the meat besides a grocery store. I only want to by grass feed or/and cage free food for him. Can I get more info from you about this or a web site that might give me some ideas?
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
There is no set way to do this - it is something you will need to play by ear based on the results you get. You might find using a plant misting bottle to be the most effective way to apply it. Start out applying it am and pm; if no results try applying 4 times a day - or if stellar results once every other day.
Thanks for that advice. Our Irish Setter suddenly started biting at his back and scratching. Now there are several hotspots and some blood. :-( My husband keeps insisting it's not allergies but maybe it is! I'll try the ACV and/or Benadryl(which our vet did recommend).
To Lynn from Elmira, NY: Please make sure you're using ORGANIC Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). The organic kind has the nutrient-rich sediment at the bottom of the bottle; you just shake the bottle before using it.
Then, you can put a teaspoon into her food and mix it all up. Do this every time you feed her. It should clear up any rashes she now has, and will help prevent future rashes.
You can get more info about ACV's uses by searching here on earthclinic.
Posted by Trish (Daytona Beach, Florida) on 10/03/2012
Hello, I have an american bulldog, and he loves our salt water pool. I mean it is "his" pool!! He's swimming at the least twice a day. His skin is itchy to the touch, I go to pet his back and he squirms to be itched! I was wondering if apple cider vinegar would help? Thanks, Trish
My poor pup literally has a crazed look in his face he's so uncomfortable, scratching non stop! I'm going to try the ACV. I used to work in a high end salon that used a lot of natural and organic products. They sold ACV with a top name on the bottle for $16 a bottle $8 a treatment!! Using it for when a customer had a bad reaction to color and there scalp was burning or itching. I had a bad chemical reaction one time and they poured it over my head and instant relief! So I believe it will work for the pup! Thank you.
Posted by Clay The Cat (Tallahassee, Fl) on 10/02/2011
RE: ITCHY CAT
Its probably WHEAT FLOUR/GLUTEN! Check his cat food, it is in almost everything. It is in the cat treats, even the pill pockets you give them to be able to take the medicine to help with the itchness. Once I cut this out of my cat's diet, the sores and itchyness went away. Iams wet food, salmon/tuna flavors don't have it, also those Appetizers don't have it, there are some brands out there, just read the labels. Good luck!
Posted by Alabama (Andalusia, Alabama) on 03/31/2011
I HAVE TWO INDOOR DOGS, THEY HAVE NO FLEAS AND THERES BEEN NO CHANGE IN THIER FOOD BUT THEY ARE SCRATCHING CONSTANTLY, I HAVE TRIED EVERTHING, I WOULD LIKE TO TRY THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BUT HOW MUCH DO I GIVE THEM ONE WEIGHS ABOUT 30 # AND ONE WEIGHS ABOUT 10. ALABAMA
Posted by Diamond (Salisbury, Ma.usa) on 04/02/2011
Alabama; You might want to try small amounts at first, try using the Apple Cider Vinegar which is natural, I use _____s with(mother) organic, no one animal or human likes the smell because it's so strong, I use fish oil capsules and put it on top of the dogs food. Then try by putting some vinegar on the back of their neck. Because vinegar is all pure and natural I don't think it to be a problem of over dosing other than an issue with their organs, where that would take years to affect organs. Also it could be their dog food. I use Newmans own at big market basket but the vets also sell good can food;dogs need can for their coat, oils etc. Good luck.
Posted by Atomiconion (Montgomery, Alabama) on 08/29/2011
on the itching dogs, rub the dog down firmly with diatomaceous earth every few days, put a pinch of cat claw powder in the water put powder at bottom then airrate when you put water in so it mixes and every time you change it they may not like at first but will aquire taste soon enough and most important put a slice of onion on forehead you may need a dog hat but until you can get it to stay on forhead find a way to put in something like a sock with holes in it tied around collar on back of neck I think there is a mycoplasma that feeds on frontal lobe and onion on forhead is only thing that kills mycoplasma all the other things just treat symptoms the mycoplasma allows the mites to live and breed kill the mycoplasma and the mites will go to. This will work and it takes time but the de earth and cat claw will give relief until you can kill mycoplasma. avoid ammonia and acids if you smoke go to organic because the ammonium nitrate in regular cigs makes this worse.
Posted by Kanika (Virginia Beach, Virginia) on 01/27/2010 ★★★☆☆
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hi my six month old lhasa apso has been itchy now for over two months. I tried meds from the vet hot spot spray oatmeal shampoo but nothing worked. I then found this site and tried acv. Now I first washed her with the oats shampoo and then used one cup acv in one gallon water for the final rinse. I am also spraying her with one part acv with 2 parts water and also giving half teaspoon orally. I have done all of this in the last 2 days and her itching has gonne down by about 60%. I have however noticed that everytime i spray her with the mixture she gets very depressed and falls asleep. She seems very lethargic and I am wondering if the acv has anything to do with it. Also she has 3 very noticeable bald spots on her hind legs and although the itching has decreased it hasn't disappeared. I asked the vet and she has ruled out a yeast infection. My question is that can acv cause depression or a change in behaviour or in a nutshell can the acv have any side effects on my puppy. Also how long will it take for the itching to desappear completely if I continue to use acv?
I am very worried about my baby. I am glad that she isnt scratching and licking so much but I dont want her to be sad and depressed. Please help me Earthclinic.
I have a chihuahua that licks, and bits all her hair of her tail where it irritates her. I saw it closely and looks like she has little bumps. I am wondering if its an allergic reaction, because she gets this itch every spring. please help me to figure out what this cause of itch is from and how I can heal it. Please and Thank You!
EC: Did you test the area with a flea comb? If you find black droppings, it may be a reaction to flea bites!
Posted by Diz2ydez (San Pablo, Ca, Usa ) on 09/10/2012
Hi , I just wanted to let people know that my dog was always itching , after a bath, after I put her drops in. I Never tried Apple Cider Vinegar cause I was afraid of how she might react to it. I bath her with her shampoo and conditioner. After I used her shampoo and rinsed her with warm water more on the colder side, I used my shampoo, I used a small amount of "head and shoulders 2 in 1". I dont know if the Head and Sholders will do any harm but I noticed she hasn't been itching as much. Just thought I should put that out there.
Posted by Christy (Chocowinity, Nc) on 09/21/2009 ★★★★★
I recently read that ACV would help my dog with her scratching. I have been battling with this for years and spent several thousand dollars on trying to cure her but nothing worked. We tried RX food, supplements, shampoos etc... I sent my husband to the store to get some ACV and I mixed 50% V and 50% warm water in a spray bottle and applied it to my Shih Tzu. She immediately stopped scratching. It has been such a long time since I have seen her so relaxed and actually resting. I have not noticed any side effects yet. I also put it in her drinking water 4tsps per 2 cups of water to see how it works with repeling fleas. Thank goodness for ACV! Who would have thought that $3.00 would have saved me a lot of money at the vet.
Posted by Anonymous Coward (Boston, Ma) on 09/03/2009 ★★★★★
Dog itching and vinegar treatment:
My dog was scratching his lower back furiously for the past few days to the point I knew I had to do something. I've been laid up in bed and only managed to go to the health food store to get unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, per the postings here, because the store had no doggie medicines.
I cut the vinegar with water, half and half, and sponged the mix on his back up to his neck, because the itching had spread upward. He is a small dog with short hair and so I just soaked the area and rubbed it with my fingers. Within minutes he stopped scratching. He did lick himself for a while off and on but then he want to sleep and didn't constantly wake up to scratch furiously like he had been. He didn't have raw or even red areas but there was a a tiny amount of granular material that might have been frass (bug doodoo) on the surface of his fur. The material was too uniformly small to have been some kind of skin or scab shedding.
I've given him four or five applications over the last few days and his itching is markedly reduced, to the point he doesn't scratch at all for hours. There is still a very tiny amount of the frass-like material but I have not seen anybody occupying his fur. And again, he has no redness or raw areas. Another interesting point is he's never had any skin-related conditions ever and he is eight years old. This came out of the blue and in a major way.
For raw hairless fur rub an anti-fungul cream on your dogs back. hair will grow back. it works on my dog. rub it on entire area where hair is missing and watch how fast it clears the skin.
I have a 7 month old puppy (a St. Bernard/Black Lab mix, coming in at roughly 95 pounds now), and over the past 2 months or so has been nibbling, furiously, at his backside, around his haunches and the start of his tail. My boyfriend and I noticed it and took a look at his skin, and he started getting small scabs around those areas he was nibbling. The vet attributed it to fleas, but Duke didn't have any fleas; someone suggested changing his food, but that didn't help either; I rubbed plain, unscented moisturizing lotion to the affected areas, and it seemed to help temporarily, but eventually the nibbling started all over again. I feel so bad for him, because it keeps him up at night, and I can tell it irritates the heck out of him. Any suggestions for stopping whatever is itching him, or does anyone know what could be causing it? Thanks!
Posted by Sarahc (New Canaan, Ct, Usa) on 12/23/2009
Hi, yes one of my dogs when through this about a year ago. Same small scabs on his rear end, top of tail. I bathed both dogs, worked temporarily, changed the food of the itchy and scratchy one. I also flea combed both dogs every day and never saw one flea dropping! A friend told me her dog was infested with fleas and it was a really big issue for everyone, so I figured possibly he had one flea running on him that I couldn't find. Even though I hate to put chemicals on him, I applied 1/2 a bottle of Advantage to his neck and a small spot on the top of his tail and the obsessively scratching stopped within 12 hours. I put the other half of the bottle on my other dog just in case. It worked. I'd guess you have a flea issue!
Posted by Danielle S. (Duvall, Washington, Usa) on 08/09/2011
My name is Danielle and I have a 11 year old pug and for months now is constantly itching his chest and chewing on his front legs. There are huge hairless spots on his chest and are sometimes bleed and are really raw. They are also forming scabs. Recently I noticed he is getting it behind his ears too! I dont think its flees or ticks cause he is an inside dog. I have tried to regrow his hair and it started to work but he kept itching it and it didnt help much after that. I havent tried much and I need some advice on what to do!!!! Something to stop the itching and regrow the hairless areas. I dont know if its because of his old age or something else but I need some advice to ease the ithcing and scabbing PLEASE.
Daniielle, don't rule out fleas or ticks because you say you have "indoor pets". Even one trip outside can expose your pets to these parisites. Fleas can be hard to spot, more often then not you will see their droppings (looks like little flakes of black sans) before you see them.
I would first try the ACV dip/rince first, and then some antibacterial cream for exposed areas. If this does not help you should seek advise from your vet.
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