Apple Cider Vinegar for Dogs
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Apple Cider Vinegar for Dogs: Natural Remedies for Common Issues

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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Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Katyvan (Wpb) on 07/31/2016
 ★★★★★

ACV for Ear Infections and Hot Spots

Each summer, my dog, Murphy, has had numerous issues with ear infections, head-shaking, smelly ears, and constant itching to the point of being totally miserable. I thought the problem was due to retaining water in his ears after our swim, so I very carefully dried his ears each time we got out of the pool. It didn't help. I was fairly confident his problem wasn't a result of his food because he's always eaten either high-quality expensive store-bought food and/or a BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food), and NO GRAIN! I tried several holistic remedies both internally and topically, and I also tried expensive prescription drops with very short-term results. The infections always returned. My vet told me it was quite possibly an environmental infection resulting from lawn chemicals used by my HOA.

In addition to his ear problems, he also would get one very nasty hot spot each summer near the top of his tail/butt area that took months to heal. The skin was completely bald in a baseball-sized area and the skin was raw and sore. The only treatment that provided a little relief was a bit of vaseline on the skin to keep the bugs away.

Then I remembered how my mom always said that ACV will cure “just about anything that ails ya.” It was then that I started adding about 1/2 teaspoon of ACV to his food every morning. (He is a 75 pound black lab.) No need to dilute or try to disguise the taste. He doesn't mind it at all. I just mix it in with his wet food. Within about 4-5 days he was hardly scratching at all and the smell and infection was gone very quickly and hasn't ever returned. And I haven't seen a hot spot in years! If you're going to use ACV, use a good one, not some cheap garbage from the grocery store. And don't use white vinegar except to clean your floors! Murphy now gets organic ACV every day.

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Pamela (Calgary Alberta, Canada ) on 07/08/2015
 ★★★★★

Tried your solution for our dog ( ACV ) for ears with great success!! We are very grateful to have found you on EarthClinic Natural Cures.

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Lisa (Sioux Falls, SD) on 10/31/2014
 ★★★★★

I have a westie and they are known for their large ears and infections within. I was out of the eardrops and have recently been a believer of Apple Cider Vinegar and I thought I'd give it a try 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar and water mix and one application and no more ear problems. Thank God cause I'd be in the vet and then prescription drops. But I akready have the treatment at home and cost be nothing

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Shaun (Portsmouth Uk, Uk) on 11/02/2010
 ★★★★★

May 2009 I placed a thread concerning ACV. (Apple cider Vinegar, regarding my dog's ears. Without warning my dog's ears would start to get red and inflamed. After the first signs a day or two later they would be very bad. Red, sore, and in some cases bleeding. I then apply a solution of ACV (equal amount 50/50, Apple Cider Vinegar and water), twice a day, and this within 3 to 4 days would solve the problem. Before I tried a number of vets without any resolution. They would at great cost give me ear drops and other creams etc. They never worked just money down the drain.

I now apply ACV once a week to my dog's ears using a large cotton wool ball. I just wipe the inside of the ear and squeeze the AVC solution down the ear, I never push the cotton wool ball down the ear, just simply allow the solution to run down the ear channel. I believe the problem with my dog is down to his reaction to pollen, like rolling in cut grass. If it was not for ACV, I would not know what to do. Shaun Cunningham
Portsmouth
UK

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Sean (Hawkeye, Iowa) on 06/24/2009
 ★★★★★

Simply Amazing. Our Dauchshound had bad eye gunk to the point he could not open his eyes. We were constantly using a warm wet wash cloth to clean them 5 plus times a day. Yesterday he just looked so depressed and was so tired. Found some spots he must have been biting at so we were concerned. We were going to call the vet again to make an emergency appointment in the morning. 2 Different vets have just given him eye medication previously but it never seemed to work. I found this site yesterday looking for what has worked for others. I ran straight out to the convienence store, bought some ACV and came back to the house. I put a half mixture of ACV and water in a spray bottle. I bathed him, then after his bath I spayed the mixture on him. I dipped his Pupperoni Stick that he loves so much in a 1/3 miture ACV to water and tried to feed it to him as his treat after his bath. He refused to eat it. I then dipped my fingers in the sollution and opened his mouth and driped a few drops into his mouth. Also BTW I did not dry him off after the bath i let him air dry in the ACV mixture.

The Very next morning he has NO EYE GUNK! His coat looks great, he is not itching, or biting anywhere! He is running around as happy as can be! And NO vet! As someone said before, sometimes a vet can't get your issue taken care of as we had found. It is not that we dont care enough to take them to the vet, BECAUSE WE HAVE, its because the Vets solution does not always work. If it did I would have never found this website. After 2 summers of seeing my dog suffer from allergies, I can finally say we found a solution and he is right as rain!

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Georgina (Hobart, TAS Australia) on 06/21/2009
 ★★★★★

Apple Cider Vinegar for dog's eye infection

I noticed my 2 yo Labrador had some gunk in the corner of one eye 2 days ago. It looked like the normal eye-boogies he gets so I ignored it until later that day when it was clear he had an eye infection, as I could see drak green/grey gunk inside the eye itself. It was a Saturday morning so I called the vet to make an appt for later that day. I really didn't want to fork out $130-odd bucks (by the time you factor in the weekend consult plus anti-biotic prescription and then the follow-up visit), so I started searching for home remedies. I've used this site before for some opinions on extra virgin coconut oil (which I now use solely as my beauty routine and for any cuts/abrasions/infections) as well as Apple Cider Vinegar (which I use for digestive balancing).

I saw all the posts about dabbing ACV on the back of a pet's neck and thought, well if this many people swear by it I'll give it a try. I tried this as well as a weak solution (just enough to colour the water) to flush my dog's eye. After I washed the eye out I applied EVCO on a cotton ball to soothe the skin and hopefully help with the infection. I did this several times over the course of the day and it seemed to improve so I cancelled my vet appt, thinking at worst I could take him on the Monday. I thought the EVCO was doing the job so I continued with this as I figured it was also more comfortable for my dog. His eye got worse again in the afternoon and was quite yucky by evening. By this time it was too late for a vet visit and I felt like a terrible "mum"!

I tried the ACV on the back of the neck again, and this time I used at least a quarter of a cup undiluted, as he has SUPER thick hair and I really had to work it in to reach the skin. Most of it rubbed off or stayed in the outer coat I think. Anyway, enough must have got in this time because he started really quickly improving, so I did one more dose before bed. This morning I very tentatively checked on him thinking it would either be much better or totally disgusting. Luckily, it was much better and today after a couple of the same treatments it's looking really good. Still some eye-boogie but the reddening inside lower eyelid has really improved. I still used some EVCO for soothing the eye area, he seemed to like that.

So he stinks like high heaven and the house smells like "rotten feet" as my boyfriend tells me, but he's just as impressed as I am and I can't believe this actually WORKED. I don't know HOW this could work but the main thing is it does so without risk of harm. As any lab owner would know, they traditionally have pretty sensitive skin, but this doesn't appear to bother him. It saved us a wad of cash and it cleared his infection quicker than anti-biotics would have. I think he knows it's working too because he willingly leans his neck toward me when I put it on now. Cute little fella! :-)

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Patty (Oshkosh, Wi) on 01/25/2009
 ★★★★★

Our Itallin Mastiff has allergies & constant ear infections. After trying antibiotics and drops for a month the yeast infections come back. Our Vet said to use 2 parts apple cider vinegar to equal parts water & 1 part 99% rubbing alcohol. (NOT 70% you get in the drug store) He said the 90-99% doesn't burn. Then to flush out his ears 2-3 times a week for the 1st week then cut back to 1 time per week. I went further to add healing herb extracts & have been rinsing him with the ACV mix for his allergies for a year now. I also make him all-natural soap. His coat has come back and we are down to 2 ear infections this last year instead of every month. I am going to have all-natural herbal dog soap, ear wash & more for sale next month. somethintohowlabout.com

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Debra (Morganton, North Carolina) on 09/21/2007
 ★★★★★

Mandy and I just moved into an area where pets are allowed, which in itself is a rarity. Fleas are an issue. Mandy is my only (baby) still at home and she's a 14 yr old schnauzer. She depends on me for everything as it should be. I depend on her for "lovin' and cuddlin'" and she's very good at it. Anyway, I've only recently discovered (lemon) flea killer, however, after using this half and half mixture leaves me to wonder. Did I do this right because this smell is almost unbareable it really smells like wet dirty dog, but not on Mandy only where she's been ie under coffee table, her bed' etc... Can anyone tell me how I messed this up because I don't see how??

Also, I have used the vinegar solution (one (1) part vinegar to two (2) part water) for a yeast build-up in Mandys ears and as of this day I'll swear by how well it works three (3) or four (4) days in a row then weekly treatment, amazing, and no vet bill nor chemicals which is a bonus for us as well as the world. THUMBS UP!!!

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Carolyn (Gallon Jug, Belize)
★★★★★

I use a few drops of ACV solution (1 part ACV, 1 part water, 1 part rubbing alcohol) applied with an eyedropper in my dog's ears after a bath. It cleared up her dark ear discharge completely. We use it on ourselves as well since ear fungus is common in this humid part of the world.

Ear and Eye Infections
Posted by Anna (Ottowa, Canada)
★★★★★

Our 13-month old female Black Lab-Rotty mix dog Maya has been suffering from recurrent eye and ear infections for the last 7 months. When we first took her to the vet 7 months ago, the diagnosis was ear mites. We treated her with Revolution - twice. The infection seemed to get better at first, but then returned quickly. I then treated her ears with Yellow Dock for a few months, it seemed to keep the infection under control, but had not cleared it. Last month, Maya got a very severe ear infection and we took her to emergency - the test showed NO MITES - YEAST infection! It meant that I have been treating her all this time for the wrong cause - thanks to the vet who did not perform any tests the first time around and simply "guessed" that Maya had ear mites. To cut the long story short, the emergency vet gave us some antibiotic cream, which helped at bit at first, but then we saw no improvement, especially around the eyes, so I found this website and decided to treat Maya with an organic ACV (half and half with water). I sponged her back (she had a few lesions there as well) and her ears twice a day, I let her shake and then wiped her ears dry. I sponged her eyes gently as well. Her eyes were circled by an elephant-like skin with no hair, and it seemed that like would never go away! Within 2 days we noticed a great improvement. I continued the treatment for a few days twice a day, and her conditioned improved 99%. I've read that it takes 3-6 weeks for it to clear up completely and that it is suffice to do it three times a week.

I measured her pH balance and noticed that it was too alkaline (around 8). This helps yeast to grow, so we started adding a bit of vinegar to her food to stabilie her ph balance. We've also implemented other dietary restrictions that are typical with yest

Overall, we've definitely found success with ACV, and I hope that other dog owners would be able to learn from us to help their furry kids.



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