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For fleas, use apple cider vinegar internally and externally.
Put 1 drop. of apple cider vinegar a day in their food. After I did a drop in food 3 times a day for a week, it finally worked. It works on the outside once they get it on the inside.
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Marilyn, try yakult - a liquid probiotic - dab the sore spots with it doesn't matter if the dog licks because it wont hurt.
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For the raw place on the pets leg from itching and fleas, try baking soda on it. On humans it will even help erratically poison ivy and oak as well as red bugs (chiggers.) Baking soda is so versatile and helpful.
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Yes it does 50/50 in spray bottle, don't get in eyes every day for a week then top up once or twice a week. I have been doing this for over ten years and I cant remember when I last saw a flea on my dogs.
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Donna spray every day until fleas are gone. Top up then when you see another flea.
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How long does it take for the fleas to die after spraying? I sprayed my dog with 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water. He went outside after he came back in he still has live fleas. I haven't seen any dead ones.
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I just found this site this morning and I just wanted to add that for fleas I use a few drops of apple cider vinegar in their water once a week and have had no problems since moving here...and the previous owners said they had a problem with them.I have 4 small dogs and I foster every now and then. I also use the coconut oil for ear mites and dry skin patches works great! Hope this helps.
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Sprinkle salt all over the carpet and bedding, all over the house and then vacuum it up they die from dehydration
If fleas do no have a host they die within a few days, Take a vacation for while and when you get back they should be dead.
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Hello Bridget,
NOT Robert here, but I would like to answer ASAP: NO - your DOG does NOT need a rabies shot, or any other shot at this great age. If this were my geriatric pooch I would to a blood panel to ensure all organs are working properly and I would say NO to any thing else the vet might offer - no shots, no topical flea meds, nothing but the blood panel - because the blood panel will provide you good information. JMO.
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Rebecca this is great, how long did you leave the salt down on the floor before you vacuumed it up? Thanks
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Robert you seem pretty knowledgable, I have a question for you. Rabies shots, if my can doesn't go outside at all unless the house was on fire. Would he need rabies shots, he is 17 years old.
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I think they meant hoovered. Hoovered as in Hoover vacuum cleaners. English way of saying vacuumed.
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I understand that organic as with mother is the most effective, however I already purchased the diluted grocery store kind so do I need to mix 50/50 for a spray it can I just use it as is 5% acidty? I'll get the organic next time.
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I started spraying apple vinegar on my white dog for about a week now and his fur is turning black, only on his neck though. Is that normal? Should I still be using it? I did ratio 50:50 apple vingear and water into. Spray bottle.
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I used apple cider vinegar on my two adult cats, & it worked so well. The fleas died on contact, & some didn't but they slowly died after, I didn't think it would work, but it has. So I definitely recommend this to people. I just learnt about this 2 days ago, & I bought it at the grocery store. You can spray it on your cats or give them a bath in it. It doesn't hurt them so it's safe.
EC: Thank you, Sarah!
Just a reminder, since you didn't add this to your post, that Apple Cider Vinegar must be always be diluted with water (50/50) before you apply it to any pet.
You can give your dog 1 claritin for allergies and that will help the itching. My vet told me the other day and it is working. Good luck
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Not the OP, but 'hovered' = Hoover Vacuum - so the OP treated with the salt and let it work for 24 hours before vacuuming the salt and dead fleas out of the carpet.
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"... sprinkled salt on my carpets left for 24 hrs then hovered which also seems to work."
Please tell us (at least me) what "hovered" means. Thanks!
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Hello Tmiko!
The white vinegar is safe to use topically -so yes, you can use it.
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I only have white distilled vinegar on hand. Can I use it? Mild case of fleas on 7lb maltese.
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So I've seem to pick up a flea army in our home!!! Driving me my kids and our pets insane!! The cat is losing hair and none of us is getting sleep. I tried flea bombs three times!!! It is not helping. My mom helped me find vinegar as a solution. So I've been placing it in a spray bottle and spraying on everything. Rugs furniture and floors directly. I thought it was helping but today we got home and 100s jumped on our legs!! I've also been bathing pets obsessively. Washing all blankets and sheets pillows and keeping all laundry done! Am I doing something wrong?! ?! How long does this take?! I'm going on two months with this problem and can not afford professional help right now!! Please any advice!!!
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Hey Carolyn!
Please set out a few lamp traps to catch any fleas in your environment; this will keep the fleas off both furkids and skinkid.
If this were my dog I would take him to the vet to rule out a skin infection that might require antibiotics. If that is out of the question you might consider hitting the pet section at your local farm supply/Fleet Farm - you can find topical wound creams in the farm animal section as well as the pet section. I often find the same name antibiotics used for dogs in creams or salves for the larger animals and the larger animal products are often more cost effective.
One other thing to consider is alkalizing all of your pets drinking water with baking soda; this helps make them less appealing to the fleas and also has a calming effect on the skin.
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Carolyn (Rockford Il.) for open wounds use turmeric powder. It is a natural antibiotic and you can google this, mentioning Ayurveda. I use it always.
When the wounds are healing, apply coconut oil. That's all that is needed.
Namaste Om
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I'm attempting to use ACV for my animals for fleas as the topical treatment did not work and with having a crawling baby I didn't want to use more. It seems to be working fine on my two dogs, but one has been itching so bad that he has a bald bleeding spot on his legs. I have avoided putting the treament on there for now for fear that it will burn and hurt the wound.
Is there any ideas on how I can help that heal quickly so I can apply treatment to that leg and ensure fleas do not return?
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I am so glad I found this site...I have tried a few of these suggestions as we have had a terrible infestation of fleas this summer. My poor fur babies I feel for them. I own 2 pomeranians and to watch them constantly scratch even after being sprayed and bathed and we treat the house and we have bought spray for the yard...but within a few days of peace, they are covered all over again and the cycle repeats and its costly. Not to mention I am the only one besides the dog that gets bit from the fleas and I react bad to the bites(allergic reaction type)....
Anyways, have tried the diluted ACV Spray and its working, we are starting to see them less and less as we just started. Also I have always mixed frozen peas in my dogs dry food so they get their roughage and it also keeps them from eating grass and helps in digestion. Well I soaked the frozen peas in ACV and mix it in there food now and they eat it just fine as well. If I try to put it in water they wont drink it. So Im crossing my fingers we will be totally flea free very soon..thank u so much for this site
I'm so clueless but what's one part ACV and Water? I want to get it exactly right two dogs and one is suffering so bad and he has issues with wax and shakes his head and scratches all day everyday. The vet ear cleaner is $20!! Help!
EC: One part of each means equal parts of each. For example, 1 cup water plus 1 cup ACV.
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Thanks Earth clinic and posts, this has helped my Boxer Rocky sleep last night! And wow! I checked him out this morning and no signs of fleas! I sprayed him with 25% ACV and 75% water in a spray bottle last night followed by a bath using dish soap. I did two soap washes to remove all fleas. There was tons! Anyway I then let him dry off a bit and resprayed him with ACV and off to bed we went. This morning I couldn't wait to see if this would work but even after letting him out in the backyard where all these bastard fleas are, NOTHING ON HIM! So I sprayed him again only because I know I didn't do 50/50. He is still scratching here and there but probably from scabs and irritated skin. So far so good! Hope this is my solution!
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I have 3 cats, all had fleas. I bathed them in Apple cider vinegar and was not sure what the outcome would be.
The adult fleas died within 2 days and as the eggs hatched they died within the day. I also sprinkled salt on my carpets left for 24 hrs then hovered which also seems to work. I am so happy with the result I had to tell the world. I had previously spent a fortune on flea products. I will b sticking to the Apple cider vinegar in the future.
Dear Kandace,
For your dogs ears:
I would treat the ears once or twice a day for a week or ten days. Perhaps once a week for prevention after initial treatment.
Apple Cider Vinegar should be diluted to 50% or less to use in the ears. Full strength will burn and be uncomfortable.
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BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I started using ACV a week ago and so far I think it's working except for the side effect of loose stools. I have two Scotties. My Wheaton I used the last vial of Revolution and then used the ACV on my black Scottie.
My Wheaton also gets ear infections that are yeast origin. That is also working. What I don't know is how often do I treat the ear? After I clean the ear, he shakes his head for about a half an hour.
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For a flea problem, mix a spray bottle with 1/2 distilled water and 1/2 OACV (organic Apple Cider Vinegar). Spray it all over the dog (NOT in his eyes! ) getting him completely soaked. Let him air-dry. He'll smell like a salad for a few days, but it's a small price to pay to get rid of fleas!
Also make sure you've thoroughly cleaned all the dog's bedding, and you've vacuumed all over your home! You may also research here on this site how to use food-grade diatomaceous earth to get rid of fleas.
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Hey Wendy!
I LOVE your posts! I just wanted to clarify on 'the mother'/'nutrient rich sediment'.
In unfiltered ACV you have a nutrient rich sediment - this is NOT the 'Mother'. The 'Mother' can often be seen as a strand or stringy thing, and it quite literally is a strand of enzymes and connected protien molecues. Some purists will recommend you do NOT shake the Mother or scramble it up when you are pouring from your bottle of ACV.
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Depends on what you use the vinegar for.
1. For cleaning your countertops, toilet bowl, mirrors, you can use white vinegar.
2. For your own health or for the health of your dog, ONLY use organic Apple Cider Vinegar (also known as OACV). This is because the OACV contains nutrient-rich sediment called "the mother" at the bottom of the bottle. Just shake the bottle before using.
For your own health, put 2 Tablespoons of OACV into a 16-33 ounce bottle of filtered or distilled water, and add a 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda.
For your dog, add 1 Tablespoon mixed in with dog food at each meal. If you feed your dog dry food, you might want to add a tablespoon of canned dog food to make the meal more enticing to your dog.
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I have retired show dog shi tzus with very, very thick fur. I sprayed the table with insecticide before using the apple viniger, water and baking soda. The fleas died and my pup immediately got relief. Thank you, Thank you for this tip.
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Thank y'all my WALLE just got BIG RELIEF n the fleas r gone. My poor baby is getting some rest.
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I have 10 dogs and 4 cats and yes, I live on a farm. The outdoor dogs are infested with fleas and I have tried everything to get rid of the fleas but with so many animals I can't afford the popular vet prescription brands. I read about apple cider vinegar and tried it in a 50% dilution on one of the medium sized, short haired dogs. After about a minute, the fleas started moving to get away from where I applied the solution. I then wet her down all over and used a flea comb to get what I could see off her. So there's one down and nine dogs to go.
I will try adding ACV to their water bowls and see how that works.
I have a shitzu that is biting himself in the back and tail. I believe he have some fleas as well. I just a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar All purpose. This will first time I have tried it and I needed instructions on how to use it and much. Thank you for your help how about cats also.
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I have been giving garlic to my dogs for years. 3 are over 10 years old. In moderation it it not toxic. I've used brewers yeast with garlic tabs for flea control in the past. All dogs are alive and well.
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Hola. One of my cats had a bald spot on his throat. After some research I decided to use ACV, full strength directly on the spot several times a day. In less than a week I could see hair growing back in and the cat licking the spot proved that Apple Cider Vinegar did him no harm. I am a believer. In the move to Ecuador, I discovered that both cats are allergic to fleas here and developed scabs around their heads and bums. I gave each a bath then a rinse in Apple Cider Vinegar water -very traumatic for all us BTW ;) - dried them and then massaged their fur and skin with coconut oil. the scabs have begun to disappear on one cat but the other one just has so much trouble with skin problems I think it will be awhile. They both freak if I spray them, so once a week, more often with one cat, I apply a diluted mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar and water and rub in everywhere. I do spray all bedding and any other cloth material with the same mixture.
Fleas and ticks are a huge problem here. I just read elsewhere that adding brewer's yeast to their food everyday repels fleas so I will try that as well. Just no instruction on how much! Plus more frequent combing and brushing.
Hey Nancy!
Are you sure it is fleas you are dealing with? If they won't leave your dog alone, are you being bit? If you have seen fleas, are certain it is in fact fleas, I would set up a simple flea trap in each room using a small table lamp set on the floor, and under the bulb place a white plate and have dish soapy water in the plate. Just turn it on at night and then look for black specks in the water in the morning. The lamp trap is an effective way to eliminate a flea infestation in your home or dog area.
If this were my itchy dog I would first consider diet; if any of the first 5 ingredients on the ingredient label on the dog food are corn or grain, it is time to upgrade to a premium grain free kibble.
Changing the diet helps immensely but the results take time. In the mean time I would alkalize my dog's drinking water by adding baking soda - 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water and this as the only drinking water available. After 1 week I switch doses to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to 1 liter of water, and after another 7 days switch to 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for another week or as a long term maintenance dose.
Does your dog smell funky? A yeasty smelling dog would warrant borax in the water per Ted's borax protocol for dogs.
For the itchy skin I would use either Ted's mange remedy, or Ted's Anti-fungal/Anti-staph dip; this brings immediate relief that lasts about 24 hours, so must be repeated frequently. After bathing you can mix up the second remedy and keep it in a spray bottle to spot treat particular areas.
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I need something for my dog for fleas. Anything plz I have spent so much money on the over the counter stuff and it does not work or it coats way to0 much. All my baby does is scratch all day... I need something fast, can you help?
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Thank you earth clinic for this site. I was going out of my mind with my poor dog's itchy skin and odour For the past 2 years. I tried everything. Yesterday I sprayed a solution of equal parts of Apple cider vinegar- water and baking soda all over her, instantly she seemed better for it. I also have amother dog, sister to the other, who shakes her ear, so will give the apple cider diluted a go and coconut oil. What a relief not to use those horrid flea control sprays anymore, thanks again. Elise.
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ACV works to prevent fleas in two ways; topically in a spray or after bath rinse it helps balance the PH of the skin and smells not attractive to the fleas. Internally in the diet be it food or water it helps balance the ph of your dog's system to make them less appetizing to the fleas -and also has proven helpful in many other ways when taken internally.
For a spray, I use white vinegar and save the expensive for food use; 1 part vinegar into 5 or 10 parts water. In the water bowl it is 2-3 tablespoons per quart or same amount in the food am and pm.
If you are sure you are dealing with a bad case of fleas, consider a simple flea trap made with a small desk lamp and a white plate. Put the lamp on the floor in the area where your pet sleeps or spends a lot of time, and the plate under the lamp. Add water to the plate and then put a few drops of dish soap. Turn the light on at night and check for black specks in the morning. This simple trap can be moved from room to room and can quickly halt an infestation.
