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Apple cider vinegar may be causing excessive shedding and flaking in dog

Posted By Sheryl (Bartlett, Il) on 11/09/2014

We have a 6 year old Aussie that has had issues since he was 1. Every summer he gets hot spots on his paws so bad, he licks, suckles, and bites them until the pads are gone, bleeding, and infected. Of course, the vet treats him with steroids & antibiotics (high doses) and he gains weight and is miserable. We still have to cone him, etc. to keep him off the paws. I keep reading about ACV, but there seems to be mixed reviews. I started using Bragg's Organic ACV a few weeks ago, 1T 2x daily. Switched to a Raw & grain free diet, 2 scoops Probiotic Miracle 2x daily, 1 scoop Dinovite 1x daily, 1 T Dermix 1x daily. All the sudden he is shedding excessively with flaking skin? Am I giving him too much stuff and if so what? My thinking was his immune system is shot from years of steroids & antibiotics, and probably has a chronic yeast infection. Was trying to get rid of the yeast infection and boost his immune system for next summer. Can anyone advise me on what to do? I am now concerned I am doing something wrong with the excessive shedding and flaking. Thank you so much! This site is awesome!!

Replied by Theresa

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(Mpls., Mn) on 11/10/2014

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

-----------------------------

How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation

If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.

http://www.piperslegacy.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Bobo-home/1409993732632080?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal

http://ted.earthclinic.com

Hey Sheryl!

Is it possible your Aussie is experiencing seasonal shedding? I know my pack tends to shed around extreme weather changes - and right after each bath. You might go at him with a furminator or zoom-groom and get all the loose undercoat out - get him to 'ground zero' shed-wise as it were, and then monitor from there.

I think you are throwing a bunch of stuff at your dog - doubling up, possibly even tripping up in some cases on certain elements. I know you want to fix things right away, but if it took 6 years for your dog to get to this point it is going to take some time to get him straightened out.

If your dog is still experiencing the itchy feet, try Ted's mange remedy once per day for three days. If no improvement (in 3 days) per Ted: " then it's probably a staphylococcus, in which case, I would bathe the dog or apply the lotion made of magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) with some epsom salt (in one cup of milk of magnesia, I may add 2-4 tablespoon of epsom salt). If that works then I might add a small amount 1/16 teaspoon of epsom salt in one liter of drinking water for only a couple of days. If the dog has low magnesium, quite often allergy shows up. For a yeast or even most sickness of the dog, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda added to the drinking water for a couple of days will also reduce the yeast infection. The yeast infection issue is due to a fungus, which if borax 1/16 teaspoon is added along with the baking soda in one liter of water can also take care of it. Besides those remedies also addresses dog's nutritional deficiency for bicarbonates and boron, and even if it does not directly address a very specific condition, the dog will generally get better and in some cases get cured, because of a deficiency issue. It's all about trying them out when I know those remedy are designed to address deficiency issue which makes it important that those should at least be addressed first."

So try alkalizing the water and also addressing the yeast with the borax in the water. Next, you are feeding a RAW grain free diet - good start! If you are certain you are dealing with a systemic yeast infection, you want to avoid starches in the diet, as well as fungi and yeast - even Brewer's yeast that so often is used to boost the B vitamins in prepared foods. And you might consider adding flax seed oil or evening primrose oil to the diet to see if that helps address the flaking skin.

Give it time and please report back!

Replied by Sheryl (Illinois, US) on 11/10/2014

Thank you Theresa for all the information! It's definitely NOT seasonal shedding. It's very obvious something is causing it, and I certainly do not want to harm him in any way. I stopped using the ACV this morning, and am hoping that will help along with your suggestions. I was wondering, can I add the baking soda directly to his raw food instead of water, so I can monitor how much he is getting more closely? I change his water twice a day whether he drinks it or not. Thanks!

Replied by Theresa

Donate

(Mpls., Mn) on 11/10/2014

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

-----------------------------

How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation

If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.

http://www.piperslegacy.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Bobo-home/1409993732632080?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal

http://ted.earthclinic.com

Hey Sheryl!

You want to add the baking soda to the water, and swirl it around until the fizzing stops - it is important to mix until the fizzing stops so you do not want to dose it in the dry form.

I add it to my dogs water and have it as the only source of water, and like you I change the water frequently; I let them drink what they want and am not concerned about an exact dose; the dogs seem to find what works for them and drink accordingly. I mix up a big plastic pitcher full of the baking soda water; my pitcher is 3.5 liters and I marked it off with a permanent marker so I know exactly where to fill it each time and then dose the baking soda accordingly. Sometimes my dogs seemed turned off by the baking soda water; when that happens I start with 1/4 teaspoon per liter and increase after 2 days to 1/2 and then increase after 2 days to 1 teaspoon during a crisis or break out. The gradual increase allows them to get used to the different taste, but once they are accustomed to it they seem to *crave* it. When I treat the pack with baking soda water I treat myself too!

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