5 star (10) | 100% |
Katyvan (Wpb) on 07/31/2016:
Each summer, my dog, Murphy, has had numerous issues with ear infections, head-shaking, smelly ears, and constant itching to the point of being totally miserable. I thought the problem was due to retaining water in his ears after our swim, so I very carefully dried his ears each time we got out of the pool. It didn’t help. I was fairly confident his problem wasn’t a result of his food because he’s always eaten either high-quality expensive store-bought food and/or a BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food), and NO GRAIN! I tried several holistic remedies both internally and topically, and I also tried expensive prescription drops with very short-term results. The infections always returned. My vet told me it was quite possibly an environmental infection resulting from lawn chemicals used by my HOA.
In addition to his ear problems, he also would get one very nasty hot spot each summer near the top of his tail/butt area that took months to heal. The skin was completely bald in a baseball-sized area and the skin was raw and sore. The only treatment that provided a little relief was a bit of vaseline on the skin to keep the bugs away.
Then I remembered how my mom always said that ACV will cure “just about anything that ails ya.” It was then that I started adding about 1/2 teaspoon of ACV to his food every morning. (He is a 75 pound black lab.) No need to dilute or try to disguise the taste. He doesn’t mind it at all. I just mix it in with his wet food. Within about 4-5 days he was hardly scratching at all and the smell and infection was gone very quickly and hasn’t ever returned. And I haven’t seen a hot spot in years! If you’re going to use ACV, use a good one, not some cheap garbage from the grocery store. And don’t use white vinegar except to clean your floors! Murphy now gets organic ACV every day.
Pamela (Calgary Alberta, Canada ) on 07/08/2015:
Lisa (Sioux Falls, SD) on 10/31/2014:
Shaun (Portsmouth Uk, Uk) on 11/02/2010:
I now apply ACV once a week to my dog's ears using a large cotton wool ball. I just wipe the inside of the ear and squeeze the AVC solution down the ear, I never push the cotton wool ball down the ear, just simply allow the solution to run down the ear channel. I believe the problem with my dog is down to his reaction to pollen, like rolling in cut grass. If it was not for ACV, I would not know what to do. Shaun Cunningham
Portsmouth
UK
Sean (Hawkeye, Iowa) on 06/24/2009:
The Very next morning he has NO EYE GUNK! His coat looks great, he is not itching, or biting anywhere! He is running around as happy as can be! And NO vet! As someone said before, sometimes a vet can't get your issue taken care of as we had found. It is not that we dont care enough to take them to the vet, BECAUSE WE HAVE, its because the Vets solution does not always work. If it did I would have never found this website. After 2 summers of seeing my dog suffer from allergies, I can finally say we found a solution and he is right as rain!
Georgina (Hobart, TAS Australia) on 06/21/2009:
I noticed my 2 yo Labrador had some gunk in the corner of one eye 2 days ago. It looked like the normal eye-boogies he gets so I ignored it until later that day when it was clear he had an eye infection, as I could see drak green/grey gunk inside the eye itself. It was a Saturday morning so I called the vet to make an appt for later that day. I really didn't want to fork out $130-odd bucks (by the time you factor in the weekend consult plus anti-biotic prescription and then the follow-up visit), so I started searching for home remedies. I've used this site before for some opinions on extra virgin coconut oil (which I now use solely as my beauty routine and for any cuts/abrasions/infections) as well as Apple Cider Vinegar (which I use for digestive balancing).
I saw all the posts about dabbing ACV on the back of a pet's neck and thought, well if this many people swear by it I'll give it a try. I tried this as well as a weak solution (just enough to colour the water) to flush my dog's eye. After I washed the eye out I applied EVCO on a cotton ball to soothe the skin and hopefully help with the infection. I did this several times over the course of the day and it seemed to improve so I cancelled my vet appt, thinking at worst I could take him on the Monday. I thought the EVCO was doing the job so I continued with this as I figured it was also more comfortable for my dog. His eye got worse again in the afternoon and was quite yucky by evening. By this time it was too late for a vet visit and I felt like a terrible "mum"!
I tried the ACV on the back of the neck again, and this time I used at least a quarter of a cup undiluted, as he has SUPER thick hair and I really had to work it in to reach the skin. Most of it rubbed off or stayed in the outer coat I think. Anyway, enough must have got in this time because he started really quickly improving, so I did one more dose before bed. This morning I very tentatively checked on him thinking it would either be much better or totally disgusting. Luckily, it was much better and today after a couple of the same treatments it's looking really good. Still some eye-boogie but the reddening inside lower eyelid has really improved. I still used some EVCO for soothing the eye area, he seemed to like that.
So he stinks like high heaven and the house smells like "rotten feet" as my boyfriend tells me, but he's just as impressed as I am and I can't believe this actually WORKED. I don't know HOW this could work but the main thing is it does so without risk of harm. As any lab owner would know, they traditionally have pretty sensitive skin, but this doesn't appear to bother him. It saved us a wad of cash and it cleared his infection quicker than anti-biotics would have. I think he knows it's working too because he willingly leans his neck toward me when I put it on now. Cute little fella! :-)
Patty (Oshkosh, Wi) on 01/25/2009:
Debra (Morganton, North Carolina) on 09/21/2007:
Also, I have used the vinegar solution (one (1) part vinegar to two (2) part water) for a yeast build-up in Mandys ears and as of this day I'll swear by how well it works three (3) or four (4) days in a row then weekly treatment, amazing, and no vet bill nor chemicals which is a bonus for us as well as the world. THUMBS UP!!!
Carolyn (Gallon Jug, Belize) on 03/01/2004:
Anna (Ottowa, Canada) on 03/01/2004:
I measured her pH balance and noticed that it was too alkaline (around 8). This helps yeast to grow, so we started adding a bit of vinegar to her food to stabilie her ph balance. We've also implemented other dietary restrictions that are typical with yest
Overall, we've definitely found success with ACV, and I hope that other dog owners would be able to learn from us to help their furry kids.