You may be able to relieve your dog’s itchy skin with apple cider vinegar, a home remedy straight from the kitchen! Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been a trusted natural remedy for pets, animals, and people alike throughout the centuries. Its mildly acidic character and the nutrients it contains are great for the skin, naturally antibacterial and mildly antibiotic, and can improve a dog’s overall health when added to its food or water.
Dog skin allergies and skin problems can be improved by this weak acid, since the skin itself prefers a slightly acid pH and since most pathogens do poorly under similar conditions. Red, itchy, and irritated skin are often quickly soothed by a topical ACV treatment, and dietary use of apple cider vinegar can provide long-term improvements for your dog’s skin health.
Safely Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Skin Problems in Dogs
Be careful in your use of apple cider vinegar when your dog’s skin is extra raw and inflamed. In fact, in most cases you should dilute apple cider vinegar with equal amounts of water for skin treatment. You can apply apple cider vinegar directly by rubbing it into your dog’s fur, or mix it in a sprayer and spray effected patches of skin whenever necessary (watch out for their eyes). Adding up to a tablespoon or so of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to your dog’s water or food each day can also be a great way to treat dog skin allergies and ailments from the inside. The dosage will vary depending on the size and breed of your dog, but if you start with a low dose and gradually increase to what seems to be an effective dosage for your particular dog, you and your pet will be happy and healthier for it!
Continue reading for extensive feedback from Earth Clinic readers who tried ACV to treat various skin issues in their dogs and whether they were successful. Please let us know if it helped your dog.
Apple Cider Vinegar for shoulder skin irritation
Our dog responds well to the use of half Apple Cider Vinegar and half water on her skin when itching.
My corgi mix has what looks like black dandruff. Her skin is dark so that's why I'm assuming it's dry skin. I make her food with ground turkey, veggies, vitamins, special garlic granules, fish oil caps, olive oil & brewers yeast. Think it would help to give her the vinegar in her water & also spray on skin?
Hey Parkypuss,
Dark skin/blackened skin has been associated with yeast/fungal infections. You might try Ted's Mange Remedy as an occasional dip to bring your dog relief. You might also consider alkalizing your dog's drinking water and also Ted's Borax Protocol for dogs to combat the yeast from the inside out. Finally, you might consider removing the brewer's yeast supplement and use kelp or another non-yeast source for the nutrients you are seeking to provide by adding the yeast.
I had a bad response to an apple cider vinegar rinse with my Westie. He has a black yeasty skin issue that many of his breed have as well as flea bite allergies. I diluted the apple cider vinegar more than 50% as a precaution and used this very dilute solution after his bath as a rinse.
Immediately he began to cry, shake, and almost convulse due to the intense discomfort. I rinsed him thoroughly with water for several minutes and dried him off all the while he trembled and whimpered.
It took minutes for him (and me) to calm down and he was extra itchy for hours afterwards. Luckily there seemed to be no lasting harm.
There was no evidence of open wounds, broken skin, or even red color on his skin or I would not have tried this. I believe that since his skin was irritated it had lost its natural protection to the acid solution, even though it was very dilute. I had researched using apple cider vinegar before trying this and never found someone with a negative reaction.
We get some relief for him using a Tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner baths every other day and follow with a rinse of chlorohexidine to prevent infections from developing. (you can easily find this as a concentrate and mix it yourself) We also make our dog's food in order to control exactly what goes in there.
Good luck everyone with your little loves. I am posting my negative experience on every website/blog I can to try and save someone else the horrible response we endured with apple cider vinegar. Not saying it can't help some, or that my dog's response is typical, but those who have dogs with sensitive skin should not use this topically.
Hey Julie,
A 1:10 ratio is sufficient – it does sound as if your dilution was too strong. Another remedy to consider is Milk of Magnesia – dilute 1:3 [one part MOM to 3 parts water] for yeasty skin. Please continue to share your westie's journey with us.
Thanks for the advice using ACV for flea allergies.
My little Toby is so uncomfortable/itchy all along from the back of his neck to tail. I have mixed 1/2 cup of ACV and 1/2 cup warm water and poured it over the areas after giving him a bath. I've only just done it and was wondering how often this can be done. Should I repeat this again tomorrow and the next few days or only weekly?
Thanks again 🙂
My black lab has been itching and scratching constantly. Tonight when I was brushing him is when I noticed the scabs on his skin (they were hidden well). I finally went and bought some ACV that my co-worker recommended and diluted half with water. I sprayed all over his coat and immediately it took effect. Right now he is snoring next to me. This is the first time in a while that this dog has not been scratching constantly. Wish I would have done this as soon as I found out about it but I was thinking allergy pills would solve the issue.
I am a firm believer that ACV is the answer for all skin issues!
I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar today after reading a lot about it…he went directly (as usual) n rolled in the lawn..or should I say “dead grass” . I is that just re- irritating the problem..or will Apple Cider Vinegar still help?
Hey Pink!
The ACV is one place to start – I prefer using it for an after bath rinse, diluted 1 part vinegar into 10 parts water – rinse through to the skin and leave on to drip dry. Stronger concentrations of the vinegar may irritate rather than sooth the skin.
Another place to start is the diet; go grain free if you have not done so already. Alkalizing the drinking water with baking soda or Ted’s borax protocol for pets is also another tool in the anti-itchies toolbox.
How much baking soda should I put in the water?
Hello Amy,
1 teaspoon of baking soda in one half liter of drinking water can help calm problem skin. Once the skin is under control, for long term maintenance use 1/2 tsp of baking soda per liter of water.
I was wondering if I could use 100% pure apple cider vinegar on my puppy for mites and manage??? I want to try home remedies for I take him to the vet?
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
My 9 week old boxer mix pup was diagnosed with a bacterial and/or fungal infection on the top of his paw and inside his ear. The vet recommended antibiotics and Lotrimin anti-fungal cream. I didn't want to do either but I most definitely did not want to put a cream on his foot that he could potentially ingest.
I found that ACV mixed with water should produce the same result as the cream but without any of the side effects. Immediately there were patches of skin/hair that came off. The skin underneath was pink.
I've been applying the mixture of equal parts ACV and water twice a day for a week and now the skin has gone from a light pink color to a dark almost black color. Also, there are small bumps on the skin. He doesn't show any discomfort when I touch the skin, but I'm wondering if I should be doing something else or if the regimen just needs a chance to run it's course.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I really don't want to use drugs on my pup. Thanks!!
I have a little Jack Russell, and she is on medication for her allergies already from the vet, but they do not work! She is still biting and licking her paws until they bleed and has recently bitten off 3 of her claws! Her skin is also quite red, although a steroid injection that she had at the vet recently has temporarily stopped it, but it will come bad – it always does. How much should I put in her food? And how often? Thank you.
P.S if anybody is interested – My vet friend told me that dogs can be allergic to dust mites and it can make them act this way!
Just as a side note, my dog was receiving steroid injections for his allergies and ended up with what they refer to as “Vet Induced Cushing's Disease”. Be careful about how often your dog gets those injections.
As for dosing, they say 2 tsp of ACV for a 50 pound dog, so for a Jack Russell, it should be appx 1 tsp, and then work your way up to an effective dose. I would give the lowest dose for at least a week (2 weeks is recommended) before increasing to 1 1/2 tsp, then to 2 tsp, etc… Hope this helps!
I had a Jack that had terrible allergies for years. Huge sores on her back that bled. I started making her food with a meat and veggies in the crock pot. Her skin started clearing up, her coat was shiny and her eyes clearer. Her sores completely healed and never came back. She lived to be 16. I also put ACV in her bath in a pitcher with water as her final rinse.
What types of meat and vegetables did you seem to use that worked best? How did you prepare it?
Biting off claws – any chance they were starting to come off on their own? Our dog had SLO – an autoimmune problem. In his case, it seemed to resolve itself after a year or two. I'm not sure if whatever triggered it was removed from our environment or…?
I have a pit bull who jumped in my car while I was cleaning it a couple of years ago, and she is the daintiest little flower I've ever seen. I finally got her digestive issues under control with Probiotic 4, and I recently changed to a higher quality, grain-free food, and now she has spots on her head and ears that are just skin that has dried out and crusted over. I tried coconut oil, but it didn't help.
She also has nearly constant ear infections. I took her to the vet in December, and he gave her a shot of something that helped for a couple of days and some ear drops that haven't done anything.
I can't afford the very best name brand foods for her – I have other pets and house issues that are taking my money right now. I have tried several sensitive skin or sensitive stomach brands, and nothing has changed, but if anyone has a suggestion of one that isn't too highly priced, I'll give it a try.
I'm going to try the ACV in the water and as a bath rinse. Any advice on her skin and ears would be most welcome.
Hey Suzi!
Are the crusty spots on your girl’s head due to scratching because of the ear infections? Most often those are behind the ears but they can scratch the top of the head also. If the head wounds are self inflicted due to scratching from ear infections, you can try a number of things for the ears. OTC and ordered online is Zymox Enzymatic solution for ears – I love this stuff. If you can’t afford to spend any money, consider garlic infused olive oil to help with heal sore skin in the ears and loosen up the gunk. After a few days on the garlic oil and the ears are not raw, you can do a isopropyl alcohol/white vinegar/water solution – equal parts of each. Use this solution to flush the gunk out of the ears and keep infections at bay.
Diet is critical; as long as you are feeding grain free I think you are on the right path. Consider switching protiens from chicken to beef to fish, etc. – this each time you need a new bag; this frequent switching has helped some dogs with troubled skin.
You might find Ted’s Borax Protocol for dogs very helpful for your girl, along with /or alternating with alkalizing with baking soda.
Hi Suzie, Try Zymox Otic from Bella's pain relief in the states. My staff has had many hematomas in her ears from yeast infections. But since I tried Otic, she still has the yeast build up from time to time but never need surgery again.
I will be trying the vingar as soon as possible for her feet. Thanks
I was paying big bucks for Royal Canin got my Chihuahuas, $17.99,3.5lbs. Found out through several dog food tests online it's averaging only a 2.5 star rating. I now buy Pure Balance at Walmart, $9.69 for 10 lbs and a 4 star rating! 🙂 Once or twice a week I put a spoonful, not much, in their dog food and mix it up. Keeps the coat shiny.
Unfilted Raw Honey is a great healer too. It's a natural antiseptic and much more. You might have to shop around a bit. I lived in San Jose then, the big city. I had trouble finding it. You can apply to hot spot, with a cone, if they're really raw.. Or add to their water. I just add till I can detect a slight coloring from the honey. I had one with serious pneumonia once. After two rounds of antibiotics I was desperate to save my boy and low on funds. Scouted for natural remedies online. SAVED my dog's life. Read up on it. Good luck.
For skin it is 50/50 distilled water and Apple Cider Vinegar, you can squeeze a lemon and add it too, works great, for Ears you should use Zymox 1% hydrocortizone the very best ear medication. My Vet gave up on My dogs ears, suggested I let him go??
He lost his balance almost dead and I used Zymox… it brought him out within 48 hours, His is still just fine with with Zymox 2 times a week, as maintainence, it is just natural probiotics… new technology, super stuff…
You can also apply neem to these sore spots; it kills fungus, pests etc, and is an oil, so gentle. consider cooking for your pet; save money and know what is in the food 🙂
Try colloidial silver. Make sure it is a good quality product. It will kill bacteria, fungus and viruses .You can use it for eye and ear infections. Make sure you educate yourself on how to use it. Be careful that you give the proper dosage.
The colloidal silver will kill the bad and good bacteria in the gut so give the dog yogurt or pro biotics while on CS. It will help with skin problems and mites. Coconut oil is also good for skin .
I've read all the benefits of giving my dogs ACV. How much ACV would I add to the 2. 5 gallon water dispenser?
My toy poodle has a terrible skin problem, bacterial and fungal infection…after much distress, the vet dermatologist told me to shampoo 3 times a week with Duoxo, and rinse/spray 2-3 times a day wth 1 tsp BLEACH in 8 oz water. That helped .
Hi, I have a blue staffi and he has skin allergys, I feed him raw food only, so do I give him the apple cider vinegar that you buy n the supermarkets or does it have to be a special one, also how much and how do I give to him, also do I spray it on his feet to stop him licking them?
Hey Lesley!
The ACV has to be a special one, that can be found in many supermarkets. The key is to find a brand that is 1)raw, 2) organic, 3) unfiltered, 4) contains ‘The mother’ [active and live enzyme culture].
You can give your guy the ACV in his water or his food; try 2-3 teaspoons into 1 liter of drinking water or just put it in some wet food. Most do this ongoing, or 3 weeks on/3 weeks off.
One thing to consider with you guy since he is a blue/dilute is CDA – color dilution alopecia – google this and do some research to make sure you are not dealing with this genetic condition.
You feed a RAW diet – kudos! Also consider supplementing with Quercetin or yucca for inflamation, and also colostrum to help build the immune system.
lastly, do consider Ted’s Mange Remedy or Anti-fungal/Anti-staph dip for the itching – dip as frequently as needed to keep the skin calm and itching at bay.
Can you put the Apple Cider Vinegar on dry food?
I want to know, how much apple cider vinegar to put in the water to bath my Little ROCCO. ( doggy ) How much water also. And can I leave it on him? What I did today, I bath him with oatmeal shampoo, then I rinsed him, and put about 1/2 a cup of ACV and about the same amount of water. I just put it on his neck to his back. I left it on, without rinsing him. Was that ok?
Hey Carolina!
I would change the ratio of the vinegar to 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water for the after bath rinse. You can also put a couple of tablespoons of the raw, organic, unpasturised ACV in his food; I hide it in wet food for my dogs when I need to dose it. You might also consider alkalizing your dogs water as that often can help with an itchy skin outbreak.
Carolina, do not bath your furbaby in oatmeal yeast will feed on that and cut out all sugars including honey sweet potatoes and potatoes and bread these will strengthen the yeast to spread more. I also took away all his treats and replaced them with Chicken and he is not complaining at all. I actually started spraying my dog with ACV and water. I used a cup to 16 oz of water for a week now every time he goes outside when he comes in I spray his paws off really well then pat them dry. I also place a towel over his eyes and spray his ears and pat dry. If he starts biting his body I spray him in those areas and it calms him and he now sleeps.
Great advice re quercetin and colostrum, thank you.
Does anybody know if its the Apple Cider Vinager with the Mother or just regular Apple Cider Vinager to use when treating my dog for allergies? Thanks
It must be organic Apple Cider Vinegar, with “the mother”.
Hi, where do you get the organic kind? And specifically what does the label say? Thank you much.
You can find organic ACV in any supermarket that has an organic section or a health food store.
One of my German Shepherds tends to get hot spots during the summer months. We live in FL, she's constantly swimming in a pool and the Gulf and she has a thick double layered coat that takes forever to dry. Vetericyn spray always helped in summer's past and I've got her on Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Dry Food, which she's always done well with. This summer was hardly manageable, not so much with the hot spots but itchy/flaky and black skin appeared and did not go away when the cooler weather came in.
Out of the blue she also started having bad breath, gray gook in her eyes every morning and she started to smell bad – even a day after bathing her. She got some aid from the Vetericyn and Oatmeal baths but only temporarily so I spent time researching online and putting together a plan of attack.
For quick relief (as suggested by so many people here) I began spraying 50/50 organic ACV (Walmart) & warm water all over her under belly and armpits and let it air dry. I could not believe it – she felt better immediately. I bought plain yogurt, which she loves (Publix), Probiotic Miracle and Enzyme Miracle (Amazon), I add all 3 and some water to her dry food and mix it well. She eats it up like crazy. When she's done I give her 1 Probiotic Acidophilus, 2 billion active cultures, human vitamin a day (Walmart). I also add 1 tsp. of organic ACV to all the water bowls.
UNBELIEVABLE – as of today, 4 days later, there's no itching or licking whatsoever and the flaking is 95% gone. There's very little gook in her eyes and absolutely no sign of a bad odor, she actually smells nice for the first time in months. My babygirl is doing GREAT, she's got more energy, she's eating well and is so obviously feeling much better all the way around. Also, I bought her all organic/grain free treats – have you read the labels lately on the treats you are giving your dogs? I was shocked!! I will continue to give her the products listed above, possibly for the rest of her life. Even though the black skin and bad breath aren't a nuisance to her, I'm hoping they too will go away soon with this new regimen.
Either way, she went from being miserable to the happiest girl on the planet in just a few days and the worst is way behind us, incredible. Awesome website……my only regret is that I didn't find earth clinic a few months sooner. Next time I have any health concerns for myself, my family or my dogs, this website will be my first stop, for sure.
I would change to raw feeding. raw meat. raw bones. NO treats. NO biscuits.
Bath in a anti fungal shampoo. Once a week. Rinse well. And then soak her everywhere with a solution of Distilled WHITE vinegar/half warm water. Allow to dry.
Put the same solution in a spray bottle, for daily use on bad arrears and dunk paws in at bed time.
Use bottled or filtered water. Not tap water. Add 1 teaspoonful of white vinegar.
Stay away from the ACV. Apples=sugar.
It's wonderful that you've gone holistic with your pet… I hope you've done so with yourself also… The issues/symptoms that your dog is having are 99% likely to your dog being in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and your pool (if it's chlorine)… These issues affect humans as well as animals… Her skin, itching, breath and the "gook" coming out of her eyes are all related health issues… She is sick and detoxing… Wonderful as I said that you've researched online and, incidentally if you weren't aware, specifically your holistic approach is part of the treatment for those affected by the toxins… The VOC's are plentiful in the water and are also airborne… The chemicals used to "treat" the GOM also bind with chlorine in pools… Good luck and stay safe yourself…
I am trying 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar and water on my dogs itchy paws …but she is diabetic and wnder if sugar in this vinegar is a good idea? Might try plain white instead ..love the website .. thankyou
Thanks for the “plan of attack” on the hotspots. I have 2 beagles suffering with it. I'm a groomer, so I have tried every expensive product out there, to no avail. I wondered if Apple Cider Vinegar would help and I'm so happy to hear how this has worked for your dog. We're starting on it today. Thanks again.
My 11 year old German shepherd mix has been suffering from skin problems every summer. Her belly is pretty much black but areas mixed in that look pink. Her coat has many areas of flaky type of packes all over wspecially under the black saddle part! She scratches and I was told to get her Benadryal to help relieve it. I have shampoos oatmeal and aloe and sprays. But I feel so bad for her. I rinse her off every time she goes into the river! She loves it . Please do you think your remedy will help my girl . Thank you deb
To Debbie Landa in NH:
Follow the recommendations of Lauren (Crawfordville, Fl) who posted above. Most importantly, change her food to one without grain, without corn and without rice. And, get some organic Apple Cider Vinegar (the brand that begins with “Br”). Mix a solution in a spray bottle of 1/2 ACV and 1/2 distilled water. Spray all over the dog, getting her completely soaked, and let her air-dry. You can also add a tablespoon of the ACV into her water or her food. Do the ACV (both spraying and in her food) for at least a couple of months to see the benefits.
I tried your remedy tonight and my puppy seems to be doing better tonite. not scratching at all but still licking some. How often should I spray my dog w/ the acv/water solution? Thanks,
The ACV brand is "Bragg" possibly?
my 4 yo, Max, suffers from hot spots as well. Vet gave an expensive script spray of Relifor …4 oz bottle cost $25+ and didn't seem to work. A border collie mix at about 55 lbs…grain free food doesn't agree with him. A sensitive stomach & skin. The previous owner and foster mom had him on Purina dog chow healthy morsels..first ingredient is corn (ugh) I've only had him about 2 months.
I can't afford the expensive prescription food..not at $75 a 20 lb bag..so I've switched him over to Purina's Pro plan for sensitive skin and stomach. First ingredient is salmon. He's eating better but his skin still has the hotspots..at 55 lbs I'm going to try the Apple Cider Vinegar In food and as a spray. Hope it works.
Have tried this solution and I didn't have the measurements of each of the ingredients correct but it still worked a little bit anyway!! LOL I can almost see it in my mind the proper measures will make all the difference.
My dog has been scratching, biting and licking on her legs and paws and sides. How much ACV do I need to use? Is it 1/2 cup of ACV and 1/2 cup of water?
Hey Rickie!
From EC’s page on ACV for dogs:
Dosage and Instructions: Start with a one-teaspoon dose mixed into your dog’s food twice a day for a 50 lb dog (adjust accordingly by weight) and if necessary increase up to about 1 tablespoon twice a day for the same size dog. For skin application, you can spray on or rub apple cider in directly, or for sore or open wounds mix the ACV with equal parts water before application to the dog’s skin. In the case of pests or parasites, bathe your dog and then apply a 50:50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water. Allow this to air dry on your pet to kill off fleas, ticks, ringworm, etc. and to prevent future infestations and/or infection. You can also spray your dog with apple cider vinegar before going out for a walk, in order to repel fleas and ticks naturally.
Hey. Apple cider vinegar really works. I have been using it on my dog. No more smell and her fur is growing back.Thanks!!!!
Side effect reported
I just mixed some ACV 50/50 mix and sprayed it on my Blue Pit (King) and I took him outside to use the bathroom and he went nuts trying to get it off him. He was rolling around all over the ground trying to get it off. Is that normal with a first treatment?
Hey Fee!
Could be a couple reasons why King reacted as he did. Firstly, if King had open sores or broken skin from scratching, spraying straight AVC on his skin would sting like the dickens, so he might have been reacting in pain.
OR, it could just be he didn’t like the smell.
Years ago I had an OFRN who loved running on the open prairie; I didn’t like dealing with the ticks she always picked up so I got an all natural tick repellant spray and sprayed her down real good before I took the leash off to let her run. Once the leash was off she immediately flopped onto the ground and rolled and rolled, and then took after some bushes and rubbed and rubbed. She had no sores or broken skin – the spray didn’t sting her. She just thought it stunk to high heaven and wanted it OFF in the worst way!
I was just told about this site!!! I am so thrilled… I am learning about the benefits of ACV and am reading about how it will benefit my 5 year old lab. My question is when I rinse her with the 1.5 cups of ACV I am assuming I leave that on her… ACV does not have the best smell, so I was wondering if the smell stays obvious for long or does it evaporate?
I swear by apple cider vinegar for my dog’s acid reflux. The vet suggested pepcid ac but I much rather natural methods without medications. Just shy of one tablespoon in his food- both meals- (he’s 80lbs) and problem pretty much solved. (He gets natural food. ) I also think it is working to kill ticks. I want to try tea tree oil for ticks but twice now I have pulled dead ticks off him– the only thing I can think of is the ACV! At first he wasn’t sure what to make of the ACV but he either loves it now or just doesn’t care. Great stuff.
I have started my ShihTzu on ACV last winter when he started whizzing and looked like he was having trouble walking. After just couple months he was fit as a fiddle so I decided to start drinking ACV myself. It is amazing how well I feel and never get one of the nasty cold that people seem to carry year round… I am using the _____ organic and unpasteurized ACV.
My German shepherd has a yeasty smell. Bottom of her belly is all darkened skin . She had reddy patches of crusty smelly skin near her tail at the bottom of her back. She rubs her whole chest and belly on the carpet. Her chest looks red too. She nibs at her legs as well. Her nose warm too . I relieve her with showers Apple Cider Vinegar rinses but always there. I give her dry food cold meats chicken procesessed ham .chew sticks treats etc. She always looks misable I am trying. Help would be welcome.
Hey Joyce,
Yeasty smell is often related to a grain based diet. What are you feeding your GSD? Take a look at the ingredient panel on the food bag and if you see grains then it is time to upgrade to a grain free diet. Once a systemic yeast infection takes hold it will take time to eliminate. So first cut out the grains and treats with grains and food dyes to stop feeding the yeast. Then consider alkalizing your dog's drinking water, and also Ted's Borax protocol for dogs [also dosed in the water] to knock down the yeast in the GI tract. And to keep your girl comfortable, keep up the vinegar rinses, and also consider a dip in Ted's Mange Remedy once every 2 weeks or so.
I found this website today while researching for home remedies for my puppy which had been scratching her skin and ears for a while now. I took no time to try the suggested remedy – acv. I applied Apple Cider Vinegar on her body and drip a couple of drops into each of her ears and massaged the base of her ears, straight from the bottle without diluting. I also mixed a tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar with her plain yoghurt and she lapped it all up, like she usually does when it comes to yoghurt. I’m very pleased to see that for the past two hours she has not scratched one bit and seemed calmer and even fell asleep, which is quite unusual at this time of night 🙂 ACV works for my precious dog 🙂
My Manchester Terrier (miniature) has a fungal infection after taking a course of strong antibiotics. She is itchy with dry skin and hair loss. I’ve started using ACV on her itchy spots and it seems to help. Should I also give her ACV orally? If so, how much? She weighs 11.5 pounds. Thanks!!
I have taken my dog to the vet in the past for his skin conditions. After 3 different clinics and multiple mis-diagnosis, I was finally told he had a severe allergy to flea saliva. Long story short, he ends up with a yeast infection on his skin ~ rips fur, creates open lesions from chewing etc. I have changed his food to Natural Choice Lamb & Rice and he gets the same brand oatmeal biscuit as a treat. He stays inside year round. He did really well for about 9/10 months, but now we’re back to it again. I did get him some ACV today and spray his lesions. Usually he’ll eat anything he can get to; (and I mean anything) when I put the ACV in his food, he turned it down. How do I get him to eat the ACV? I started him on organic plain yogurt about a week ago. Will the ACV have the same affect if I mix it with his yogurt? He ate that, but I don’t know if the ACV or yogurt is affective this way. Thank you so much for taking the time to help us out here. He’s a great dog!
Hi. Regarding yeast in dogs. You really need to do loads of research. I have a Shihtzu with severe yeast and I have now found the solution that works for me. The problem is that yeast will feed on so many things. Starch, grain, vegetables even have natural sugars in. As much as I love ACV for many things, don’t use it for a dog with yeast allergies. Apple=sugar. Instead, use white vinegar. You have to completely change your dogs diet. The rice, feeds the yeast. Use a good anti fungal shampoo. Make a solution of half water and half white vinegar and use as a final rinse and allow to dry. Make up the same solution and put in a spray bottle and spray your dog, twice a day. Also, put some in a small bowl and put the whole of your dogs paw in, squeeze off the ecess and allow to try. They often get yeast between the toes, then scratch their ears. Make a solution of half white vinegar, hals witch hazel, (as this is drying). Use as an ear wash twice a day. Syringe it down the ear and massage for 1 minute, allow the dog to shake and use a little of the solution to wipe any muck away with a cotton wool ball. Diet is the main thing though. Raw meat and raw bone is best. But my Teddy, will just not eat it. So, I use minced meat. Any kind. Very lightly cook. This is what I give my dog, every day, added to a portion of meat. Half a clove of chopped, fresh garlic. 1 tablespoon of Olive oil. 1 teaspoonful of FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth. Few sprigs of fresh parsley. Half a hard boiled egg. Mix well. Once a week I give canned sardines in oil and add the other ingredients, minus the meat and olive oil. Nothing else. No food scraps. No treats. I also only ever give bottled water to drink. You can add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the water if your pet will drink it.
All the vet did was prescribe antibiotics and steroids. Which of course, make the yeast worse. I don’t have to use any chemicals for fleas or worms either, due to the diet. He is already, 99% better. No more scratching either! I don’t believe in re-vaccinations either. More chemicals. I hope someone else can benefit from my experiences. I much prefer to go the ‘natural’ route with my pets.
Hi, diatomaceous earth is just the best
Thanx for the info….. Yeh, seems to me WHITE vinegar would be more pure than apple would. Heres my issue….. Im terrified to give my dog plain yogurt due to someone elses comment saying they gave their dog yogurt & the yogurt bloated their dog & killed it. Wish someone knew some facts on yogurt as to whether it’s completely safe or not. I can’t seem to go on “safe for some” ….. He’s been itchy for a long long time & as many things as I’ve tried, I’m down to THIS now, trying what some have posted on a message board online. I’m even paranoid about letting him drink the apple cider vinegar now.
I will keep in mind about the white vinegar, just wish somewhere there were some guaranteed facts about what a dog can eat/drink and what they can’t eat or drink.
You are mistaken in concluding that white vinegar is superior to ACV because of sugar. Firstly, white vinegar is made from corn which is extremely high in sugar. Secondly, 90% of corn grown in the US is GMO. I don't want that on my dog. And Thirdly, sugar converted to vinegar is no longer a sugar; it is an acid.
Thank you!
I have a 14 year old, 6 lb, Pom with black, scaly, & crusty spots on his underbelly & back. He is sleeping alot & can’t stop scratching. This is the first time in his life with this type of problem. He has always been very healthy & active. We had a terrible bout of fleas early this year & I believe this is a reaction to them. We have taken care of the flea problem in the house, the yard & he no longer has fleas on him. We have had him to the vet several times & they have treated him with antobiotics but it has just continued to get worse over the summer & now into the fall. I have read many of the posts regarding rinsing/bathing him with the ACV. I also read comments about putting it in food or water, &/or giving it directly to the pet with a medicine dropper. Is it a rinse or a spray or both? Can I give it to him by dropper? Can I use just plain Apple Cider Vinegar & what is the appropriate mixture? He has been a wonderful pet for 14 years & I hate to see him continue to suffer.
Check your dogs upper back also as well as his ears, sounds like he has a major yeast infection. The apple cider will help as long as u give it to him in his food, however he needs an organic diet with simple foods with no sugars involved. Read the label on your dog food and if there is any sugar or sugar like substances, dump it. Plain chicken, beef, and veggies, plus brown rice. My dog had the very same thing and he is getting better on the plain diet.
Side effect reported
My five year old mixed breed dog had a bad rash on her belly and back. I read about acv from this web site I gave her 1/2 tsp in her food. The next day she had horrible diarrhea and she vomited soome blood. I took her to the emergancy vet and they did all sorts of tests and found nothing. The vet said it could have been the acv. That was the only thing different in her diet. I DO NOT recomend acv for dogs!
First start: apply to skin, 1 part ACV + 1 part water. If you feel like feeding ACV, 1 tsp diluted to the water bowl. Do not mix with food undiluted. The next day incident may be just a co-incidence.
My old dog has been plagued with some sort of skin problem for years.The constant biting, scratching, licking have nearly driven me out of my mind. I was doing everything the Vet said, plus gentle baths, brushing, washing her bed lenin in special soaps. Then on Sunday I tried Apple Cider Vinegar. I used about 1/2 cup to a large glass of water. I poured it on her hips, tail area, upper and lower back. I noticed that she calmed down almost immediately. I have done the same thing on Monday and today, Tuesday. The dog is calm, sleeping and "thanking" me. I know she is saying, "Thanks, you finally got something to kill those mites on me."
Trying it tomorrow . If he doesn't settle down tonight. I will give him fish oil. I tried benadryl last year and he went crazy, he was jacked up on it.
Do you pour the apple cider vinegar on the dog, and the dry the dog? Or do you pour the apple cider vinegar over the dog and then rinse with water?
Please advise. Thank you!
Leave the ACV on, do not rinse it. Let your dog dry with it on.
Do you think it would be OK to use the apple cider vinegar on my chihuahua?
Yes, I think you could use apple cider vinegar on your small dog. Always dilute. Use 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. If skin is broken, use even less vinegar. Maybe 2 Tablespoons in a cup of water.
Hi, so did you bathe the dog first, rinse and then apply ACV, also how many pours on her one application, did u just slowly pour and did u towel dry briskley? Thank you!
if your dog is very itchy and has black pigmented skin on the underbelly as well as armpits and paws etc he/she probably likely has a fungus infection INSIDE the gut which is manifesting on the outside. A fungus smell is also apparent. Most likely caused by over use of antibiotics and a combination of that and allergies….impaired immune system. Find an Integrative Vet and go see them, they are much more educated than the regular vet in figuring out these problems. Ours was a godsend when we were at the end of our rope.
Good luck!
I was wondering who you went to in Arizona. I am going crazy with skin issues on my shih tzu…black pigmentation on belly and in arm pits. We have been to the vet numerous times and it is antibiotics for 3 weeks then bathing everyday… heals for a bit and by that I mean 2 or 3 days and comes back. Driving him nuts and me too. Going to start with the vinegar in food tomorrow.
Dogs with skin conditions should never let the dog get wet and just cleanse their skin and fur with apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and wipe fur with a shammy that has Apple Cider Vinegar sprayed on it. If you do bathe the dog use completely natural dog shampoo and rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar and then thoroughly dry the dogs fur, not letting it try naturally in the sun or wind.
The skin conditions love dampness!! Marianne put too much Apple Cider Vinegar in the drinking water! Half a cup to I glsd water is way too much and while it did not do anything negative the first time it would definitely take its toll.
A couple of tablespoons to a large bowl of water is right but build up to this dose slowly. Internally/externally is the best treatment and will deter fleas from other dogs jumping on.
Hey Cindy did you ever get your dogs skin problem's fixed? I'm dealing with a pretty bad mange problem with 6 rather large dogs. Long story short about 7 months ago one of my females escaped and got into something. A few months later they all are losing fur. Itching like crazy. Biting, scratching, it's sad. We have tried most of the internet supposed cures with no luck. Recently started using apple cider vinegar. Now I am reading that one needs to mix borax with the vinegar. We had tried borax and peroxide it worked for a bit then I think the mites built up a resistance to it because it quit working. Don't ever let your dogs get mange here in AZ it's terrible to cure.Then having big dogs, weights from 70 pounds to 145 pounds its really hard for my wife and I to give them all baths at the same time along with washing bedding and bleaching the yard. Then having to do this 3,4 times a week for the first month. Anybody have any secrets on how to kill this stuff and not have to use poisons on my dogs? Thanks have a great day
Holy Moly, you just described the exact thing that is happening on the underside of my Dalmatians belly and inner thighs. She has an awful rash that has turned into dark patches. She has been on many different antibiotics for it. When we go a long time without antibiotics, it gets so bad that a yeasty smell comes from her belly. Will the ACV application help with this? She just had a 3 weeks of antibiotics and came off of them 2 days ago. I'm so worried she is going to get this awful rash back again. Thanks for any help!
Hi, I have the same thing happening to my Dalmatian. Have you found anything to work yet?
Thank you!
I have a mixed papillon/Pomeranian dog who has been suffering from flea bites, constant itching and bald hot spots. No matter what kind of flea shampoo treatments, or house treatments, getting rid of her beds, toys, etc was helping at all. My neighbor has a cat that roams around freely and believe is the culprit to this problem. I researched high and low on the internet for remedies for two years now and finally landed on this website. I read all the testimonials from dog lovers with similar problem and the positive results they were having. I quickly went to my local grocery store and bought a bottle of AVC; mixed it according to the instructions and I could not believe how quickly within minutes of spraying her she relaxed and stopped itching. I am amazed at this and will share this great remedy to all dog and cat lovers. Thank you all so much.
I would like to say, in regards to fleas and pregnant dogs, if you give your dog a bath it will kill the fleas. I know there are many flea treatments under the sun and none are safe for pregnant pups. Soak her, lather her up with a gentle soap [I use earthbath oatmeal and aloe because it helps soothe the itching or if I’m out I just use my soap which is Dr. Bronners] leave the soap on for 10 minutes and then rinse. You will see all the dead fleas washing away. Make sure you are diligent about washing all their bedding, too.
Soap reduces the water surface tension (Chemistry 101), that's why it drowns the fleas. This is a simple flea killer. No need for pesticides on our dogs.
Hey Helen!
DITTO! A simple flea bath followed by a flea combing and your pet is instantly flea free 🙂
what the heck is ACV. PLEASE USE WORDS.
What is avc
What is ABC that you purchased at grocery store?
So, my dog had been scratching, itching, and licking, and chewing for several months. Even the flea med. weren't working. So yesterday I decided to give her a flea bath with ACV. I used warm water, dish soap (blue) and mixed that with the ACV. (Leave on for 10 min) And OMG she has only scratched like 2 times since then. She used to scratch like 50 times a day. I couldn't believe how awesome it worked & really fast too. I am amazed!!! Love it!!!
I tried a 50-50 mix of regular vinegar and water applied with a washcloth to my itchy smelly dog. Will regular vinegar work? He is now running around like crazy – similar to fresh out of the bath. I am getting him off of grain food and bathing once per week with sulfur soap and dawn which does lessen itching for a day or so. He has lost hair on his back half of his body. And he has a distinct odor that is in carpet now. Also have sprinkled carpet with baking soda-salt mixture. I wonder if anyone has any other suggestions? Thanks, Pam
Hey Pam,
For an after bath rinse I would dilute the vinegar 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water; the goal is to change the PH of the skin and that small amount will do it. The dawn -dish washing detergent? – will strip all the oil out of your dog’s skin and screw up the PH; consider a doggy shampoo, or Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castille soaps, or even Murphy’s wood oil soap – original forumla. These soaps are oil based and will not strip the skin of oils. Anytime you bathe with these soaps follow up with a PH balancing vinegar rinse.
It sounds like you may be dealing with yeast; consider Ted’s Mange remedy – one to three dips in that, followed up with his anti-fungal/anti-staph dip. Also consider Ted’s Borax Protocol for dogs to combat the yeast from the inside out. Also consider alkalizing your dog’s drinking water with baking soda. I rotate the borax water with the baking soda water for my crew and get good results.
Use the apple cider vinegar! I use 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup brewed green tea, 1 cup distilled water. I mix it together and put it in a spray bottle. I spray it on my dog daily. His itching and scratching has gone down. His skin looks better. His fur has grown back in places where he had chewed it away.
In addition I am adding 1 TBSPN per day to his food. I have to disguise it in some sort of wet food. I switched to a much better dog food.
As a result of all of this my 10 year old Wolfe dog looks better and feels better… he doesn't stink when I do this also.. If I don't do it he gets that awful yeast or whatever smelll.
IN addition to this, I was having acid reflux.. looked up natural remedies.. well now I take a tablespoon of the applecider vinegar in a full glass of half water/half lemonaide… my acid reflux is now unnoticeable to me. In addition, I realized my nasal allergies are gone. I am now not taking allegra D that I have taken every day for the last 5 years or so. I have found if I don't take the apple cider vinegar for about 2 days.. all of my allergies come back… this stuff is amazing.
Thanks for the ACV approach – I'll start today. I have 4 month old toy poodle pup. He's scratches lots – It has improved since I found a powder called Diatomacious Earth. It's brilliant as you put it on all surfaces (I use an old talc container) including bedding, carpets, crates and all over their coats. It's the human food grade one and people take it themselves in food so we know it's fine for our dogs. It stops creepy crawlies, including fleas, mites, etc in their tracks as they can't walk on it – it cuts them – however it doesn't hurt us or our pets. I even powder our own beds when changing sheets as bed bugs (that you can't even see) can't live with it. So with the diatomaceous earth and ACV all things should be good – the earth has made a big difference already and hopefully the ACV will do the rest. By the way I bought the earth online – make sure you get the food grade quality – I put it on Harry every three days or so and put a teaspoon in his food every day…..it kills worms too. Yes, it just keeps getting better! My family all use a teaspoon a day in a glass of water too. Thanks for this site – great one!
My dog is allergic to everything.
Please tell me how to relieve itching for my Shaunzer? Is Apple Cider Vinegar good for their skin?
Hey Brenda,
You might consider bathing your dog in an oatmeal type shampoo, rinsing him off and then doing a final rinse with water and 10% vinegar. Do not rinse the vinegar out. You might also look at adding Apple cider vinegar – just a bit – to his drinking water or food so he takes it internally.
After reading the articles about dogs scratching and chewing their feet, I read over and over about using apple cider vinegar as a spray. I was at the point i had to try something, I tried a 50 50 acv and water and also within the first hour i saw results, i use it now at least one time a day and sometimes two, my dobhie/lab mix has been chewing and scratching for 3 years and this is the best i have seen her, i have made numerous visits to the vet, shots and have been giving all sorts of pills i do believe this has given her more relief than anything. i started also about 3 weeks ago giving her a fish oil capsule 2 times a day. pleae if anyone has a problem try the ACV/water solution for your dogs sake. thanks for all the folks who recomended this. from the bluegrass state
I recently viewed your sit and the Apple Cider Vinegar cured my cocker, Casey, skin enormously. I used this on Casey and after about 3 days I noticed that his skin was healed and his coat was healthy and shiny. This has done wonders for us. I sprayed ACV diluted with equal amounts of water on Caseys coat every morning for 3 consecutive days. Casey is now a healthier dog.
I have a Pitbull 18 mos and he has been very itchy since i got him. He always was licking his feet, and always getting yeast infections in his ear. Someone at the dog park suggested the vinegar thing and I came home and tried it that day and he has not licked his feet in probably a week now! I couldn’t be happier with the results 🙂
I have an american bulldog that has had skin and mostly foot allergies for the past 2 years. Spent $$$ on antibiotics and vet bills, that no sooner do I fix one then the next lot crops up. I figured that Apple cider viniger has worked for my gout and cold sores (that I don’t get anymore) that I would start feeding it to him. He’s a big dog so I give him about 3 tablespoons in his food every night. Been 5 weeks now and his feet are in great condition.
Thank you! I have an Am Bulldog mix that has the same prob and I have spent so much money on vets and doggie derm its insane!!!! I am a single mother and weekly baths are pretty much out of the question and well…. Not sure about spraying him when he is this itchy so I will start with this and go from there. 🙂
ACV CURED MY DOGS OF SCRATCHING THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for a wonderful site. I’m a Yorkie mom, who dreamed of having a Yorkie with a show coat. My two babies scratch so much that they have severly damaged their coats, and I’d all but given up on ever having long-haired Yorkies. That’s till I doscovered this site. Last night, I bathed both my babies and used ACV in the final rinse water, and within 15 minutes I noticed a marked reduction in the scratching. Within the hour, the scratching had diminised by about 80%. Tonight I bathed they again, using ACV in the final rinse water, and the scratching has completely stopped. I was not sure what quantity to use, so I used 2 tot measures in about 2 litres of water. What a miracle find. By the way, the scratching was NOT as a result of fleas, as I spend a small fortune at the vet each month to keep the fleas under control, but if ACV helps with that too, then I’ll be saving so much money. I’ve also read on your site that ACV promotes hair growth, so who knows, I may have a show-coat Yorkie after all. Furthermore, their coats are shining like mirrors!!! This truly is an amazing find, and I’m so grateful for your site and the information contained therrein. Thanks again for a wonderful site, and keep up the good work.
My yorkie has been suffering with a skin condition since getting fleas about a year ago. She wakes us up almost every night moaning as she rubs her back against whatever she can rub it on until areas are sore or inflamed. I found this site last night while researching her condition and just a bit ago tried the ACV. I used a dilution of 1 part ACV to 3 parts water in a spray bottle and sprayed it on her after her bath ( I bathed her with Relief shampoo and let it sit about 5 minutes) as she has always had sensitive skin and reacts adversely to most shampoos. She had one area on her back in particular that she had rubbed until it was inflamed and had a few small sores, which is also why I used a 1:3 dilution. Anyway, I blotted off the excess water after her bath, but she was still quite wet, and started spraying her. Almost immediately she started trembling and I started to notice that a few of the worst spots in the inflamed area were exuding a white foam – similar to what an open sore looks like when you put hydrogen peroxide on it. I grew immediately concerned with the foaming and her (by this time) almost violent trembling, and quickly rinsed off the ACV mixture, blotted her wet coat with a towel and blew her dry. She did not stop trembling until I she was dry and I applied a Tea Tree and E Antispetic cream that i have been using with some success to treat open sores. itching. She seems fine now, and the reaction doesn’t seem to have been allergenic, but the area is still somewhat inflamed. My concern is that the ACV, even with a 1:3 dilution, burned her skin. Before applying the cream, the skin in the inflamed area was clearly worse – course and puffy – so now I’m a little hestitant to use it again. In reading some of the other comments, it sounded like some people just spray it on their dogs when they are dry – and used it when their dogs had sores and inflamations…I really wanted – NEEDED – this to work but…does anyone have any insight to offer? Should I dilute it further next time? Should I have not allowed the shampoo to sit for 5 minutes (your supposed to leave it on for 10)? HELP!
Pls try for topical use on itchy paws or hot spots Burrows solution wish i could give the brand name.You can buy in the astringent section of your drug store. It is powder u mix with water. You can place paws in solution in bowl long enough to get wet or pour on hot spot or apply solution with saturated cotton ball. It doesn’t sting!!! MIRACLE my vet gave me this cure about 14yrs ago (before anibiotics and steroids took over) for my Great Pyrenees that had a huge hot spot – dried it up in a day or so. Also great for people for poison ivy!
This message is for Joyce. If ACV will burn your stomach if you have an ulcer, I am sure it would burn an open sore on the skin, though I would not want to find out. Try healing the sores from the inside first by starting out with a very tiny amount either in their water or food, by tiny like 1/4 teaspoon for one or two days. Increase from there to what the recommended dose is. I am not sure but my dogs are 50 & 100lbs so I use 1 tablespoon/day with them. Smaller dogs I am sure do not need so much. Once the sores are healed on the skin then you can do the spray treatment if needed.
ACV is a mild antibiotic/antiseptic/antifungal solution. The foaming from your dogs sores was probably the ACV cleaning out the infection. ACV really helps when you are trying to fight off infection. Even in humans 🙂
I don’t understand so many people having flea problems. I have two dogs, live in a highly infested flea area, but we have no fleas. I use, on a monthly basis, year around, ” Revolution”, which is a drop you get from your vet, which also keeps the heart worms away, which is caused from mosquitos. you use the drop by putting it on between their shoulder blades. My younger dog does get an itchy problem when the weather turns hot, even though I keep them in out of the heat, his skin still suffers. I have tried the vinegar just today, I hope that works. Thanks for the advice. I know that Apple cider vinegar is good for many things. Linda
Do not, under any circumstances, take Linda from Clearlake's advice and use "Revolution" or "Advantage" or similar flea products on your pet, unless you want to kill both the fleas and your pet. These drops are extremely toxic chemicals, quite literally neurotoxins. Fleas are robust, it takes a strong poison to kill them quickly, and guess what? While that poison usually doesn't kill your pet immediately, it will kill them over time. Luckily for the companies that sell these products, people can't make a connection between using these products and their pet dropping dead or dying from cancer a few years later. Anyone smart enough to be using EarthClinic should be smart enough to know this.
You must never use the ACV on broken or inflamed skin.
Did u use the natural Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother in it? Don't know if makes a diff. But I use organic and raw brand apple cider vinager only. Hope it helps.
The Apple Cider Vinegar remedy for a severe skin rash on my 10yr old cocker spaniel worked wonders. For weeks, I had tried everything, from Benadryl cream, to the tablets, to Tea Tree Oil and all methods did nothing, short of making it worse. My dog (who sleeps with me sometimes or at the foot of the bed) would awaken in the middle of the night scratching like a maniac, of course breaking my rest, because I would arise to put more Benadryl or Tea Tree Oil on the sores and she would still find no peace. Today, I said enough and went online to find a cure. A health nut that I am, I noticed there was something about ACV and so I tried it on her, in her bath. I had heard that Dawn dish liquid works wonderfully to ward off fleas and ticks (as I had used it in the past and continued to do so), so I bathed her in the Dawn with ACV in her water; within five minutes after her bath, she was sleeping and snoring, peacefully, and did so for four hours without one scratching episode. Now our home is peaceful again. Because she has scabs from enduring this mess for weeks,which were opened when the scrathing worsened and some wounds are open, I keep the ACv mixed with water in a spray bottle and when necessary, give her a little spray, which is not often. I also add it, now, to her dry food, to keep the acidity out of her urine, too. Thank you to everyone who shared their testimony and for the Earth Clinic for helping us help our children. Will air it on my radio program for other pet owners. Hugs to everyone and thanks a million.
I have heard of many things over the years, but when I read this I said DAAA! Apple cidar vinegar hyas been in the house for years. I have told my son to use this on his lab-chow. She has had the earmites and I just think of nothing. Thank you for making me remember the old days and the things the old farmers used to use. Rosie will be feeling better in just a few days. I have faith in this one.
Jack, my beagle mix, had some bug bites(fur was sticking up) on his head last week and itched them to an open sore. I found this site, read up upon ACV and within 2 days his sores and bites went completely away. Now he has a little scab on it. I was just amazed how this remedy worked. Now I’m trying it on my beagle/dach. mix, Bailey. She’s gets these ear rashes/infections often, I’m hoping ACV will work miracles for her too. Thanks again!!
I have had absolute success using Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water and Borax power. My dog was suffering with mange or terrible flea allergies last October. Well I used this combination regularly for several months and now he has all his fur back, and no itching. I sent in my testimonial back in mid January 2006, it is under the Cure for Demodetic Mange / Remedy #2 Reader Modification by Trudy Barton, in Cynthiana, Ky. I do believe this treatment I gave my Max would not have had nearly the great results if I had not used the organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Please post this cure under the Apple Cider Vinegar cures for dogs. P.s. If my cat were to have a similar problem, I sure would use it on the cat too! You can post my e-mail address.
CAUTION: I have read on multiple sites that Borax is toxic for dogs, with an accumulating effect (it builds up in their body over time). It can be absorbed inside the body through the dogs skin. I would exercise extreme caution in following this advice without researching from multiple sources.
Hey Marissa!
Borax is toxic to dogs – and humans – in ***very*** high doses, much in the same way water or salt is toxic to humans. Ever read about people drinking so much water it killed them? Same deal.
Also, you are incorrect about absorption via the skin:
Source – although there are *many* with this same info: https://www.crunchybetty.com/getting-to-the-bottom-of-borax-is-it-safe-or-not
I can say that I have personally taken borax in water with no ill effects, and given my dogs multiple baths in borax using my bare hands and no ill effects for human or dog – but must admit the demodex mites did not fare so well! 😉
What are the portions? My baby has some spots and I would love to try it.
I tried ACV in my 4.5 lb. Chihuahua’s food for itchy feet and skin and have had super success. She doesn’t lick or bite at her feet near as much and her scratching is minimal. It’s great! I give her 1/4 of a teaspoon, twice a day with her food.
So I just read this product and how it can help eliminate licking. My dog has been licking between his toes for about a week now. I just used a 1 tbs acv to 2 tbs of water ratio. I sprayed it on him and it seems like it hurts him? And he’s licking at it like crazy at the moment. Do you continue to spray? And if he’s licking it off right away, how would it help? Any feedback would be great! Thanks.
I'm no expert, just a long time pet owner, so I will just have to guess. If the spray stung your dog when applied, it should be diluted. The fact that your dog is licking it off, means it is ingesting it, which is also supposed to be beneficial. Have you noticed an improvement in your dogs skin? I'm looking for something for my Pitt-bull; Peaches.
My 8 month old dachshund has really bad skin allergies and sores that just wouldn’t heal at all. I tried putting flax seed grains in her food and a little acv in her water she was better in 2 days…its a ritual now… I drink it too every morning with honey and lemon and 2 tbs acv.
About a 2 months ago, I began using apple cider vinegar in Lady’s water; 3T. to a gallon of water and also spraying it diluted on the areas that she had licked and chewed until they bled. I added brewers yeast and olive oil to her daily meal and used a cone on her head when I wasn’t with her to stop the licking. I used a plain aloe and olive oil balm on the skin after the vinegar dried. She doesn’t need the cone any more as her skin is great and her hair is growing back in.
I use apple cider vinegar in my dog's food every day and her itchy skin has stopped completely. I swear by it. It does work.
I have been doing this for my pitbull with horrible skin allergies. Just curious if it would be okay to apply topically twice a day or should I stick to the once per day that I have been doing?
Hey Tasha!
Pit bull lover here!
You can certainly try applying the ACV twice a day. Also a few more thoughts for you!
You might also consider changing the diet; read the ingredients on the kibble you feed and if you find grain then a change is in order. You might also consider Ted’s Borax protocol for pets to combat the yeast from the inside out. And also consider a full body dip in Ted’s Anti-fungal/Anti-staph solution.
Hi Suzi and others. Some one said no Apple cider in the UK. I am a Chihuahua breeder and ex shower of 30 years I have seen it all in medical issues especially when dogs get older. Many have flea allegery and scratch raw if a flea. Espacally dogs that or light cream or lots of white and long coat. Braggs (only has the mother) Apple Cidar Vinigar has saved my dogs I use a dip of 1/4 ACV in filtered water. and a good swisch in a gallon of drinking water all summer for all dogs. Should measure but to lazy 2 tablesspoons in a gallon is roughly what I use.
I take 2 cap fulls in a 18 oz glass for chronic Candidia. chubby diabeties means yeast. This stops it had from armpits to lower under belly and even in mouth. Google in ears for fungus for dogs also.
PS: Here is a huge flea help. Buy your flea meds for neck. But get giant dog size. And figure out cc per bottle and how big a dog it will do. if 150 lbs max that means 25 lbs (small dog or cat if same ingredents in there meds. Look at cat bottle and see what there bottle says 1/2 or ??? 1cc/ml. If giant dog is 4 cc/ml you do the math split into smaller doses save a lot of money.Google it might find dosing I am not a vet But I use cattle Ivomec for heartworms. I and 5 others split a $40 bottle – does 100s of dogs for a year.
Again, I will not tell dosage. Google it and hope
https://www.dimestorebudget.com/money-matters/affordable-diy-heartworm-treatment/
I do not use propoline Gyclo and friends do not. Use a liquid food for dogs called Dyne they love taste and very thick does not separate fast, Will after awhile so shake well before treatments. Also google Revival animal supply my go to place
Hi Virginia. Ho do you add the ACV? do dogs mind? when I ate chips with vinegar admittedly probably much more concentrated than you would use, they weren't keen on the few I shared with them. any tips? and do you add it to their water? at what rate?
To Lisette: do NOT give dogs chips!!! MUCH too salty for them. "Your dog may even vomit, have diarrhea or seizures. These are all symptoms of sodium ion poisoning." There are numerous posts here on EarthClinic about how to add organic Apple Cider Vinegar to a dog's diet. Look under the Pets/Remedies section. Here is just one of many links: https://www.earthclinic.com/pets/apple-cider-vinegar-for-dogs-skin-problems.html