Earth Clinic Mobile: Home Remedies for People and Pets

Apple Cider Vinegar for Conjunctivitis

5 star (74)		90%
4 star (2)		2%
1 star (5)		6%
(1)		1%

Violetto (Atlanta, Ga, United States) on 06/29/2012:
1 out of 5 stars

I read a lot of posts under cat conjunctivitis and elsewhere on the interwebs and have tried ACV of multiple strengths. From 90% to 5%. Nothing really helped. Applied to the back of the neck, cleaned around the eye, dropped into the eye, drank, ate with food, nothing. I stayed up all night for 2 days administering her constantly wiping her eyes clean and cleaning around the eye with ACV. Nothing changed because the infection carried on to the next eye. But I recommend including ACV into the food at all times. Surprisingly my cats love it so I was able to put alot.

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So I went out and got contact multi-purpose solution. I would have bought the sensitive formula because it has one less ingredient, Hydranate. I was just looking for a medicinal Boric acid solution, warning, it's not the same thing as Borax at all. I also got extra virgin coconut oil.

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This is how I saw immediate change (no red/gunk/ooze):

Cleaned around the eyes with a solution of 3 parts ACV 10 parts water with cotton pads.
2 drops of contact solution into each eye.
Use your fingers lightly to open the eyes so the solution gets moved around. Your fingers will carry germs so don't even get close to the eyes. My fingers (I used all 5, not just 2) were placed at her temples and whiskers area. Think of it like holding a sandwich (haha). It gets slippery depending how soft the fur is but find your grip! :)
Using cotton buds, I saturated it with coconut oil and applied it around and over the eye. I wasn't afraid that it would get into her eyes cus some people do that too. I was generous with the oil. I did not heat the oil to melt, I walked in the hot sun and it melted some. But you can scoop some with cotton bud to apply.
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Make the room comfortable for the little tigers, I have a cone but I chose not to use it because that'd stress her out and feel uncomfortable. It's very important not to. Instead, I applied coconut oil around her paw and surrounding areas where she licks in case she touches her eye area too, since coconut oil is anti a bunch of things. She's fussy but she didn't mind it at all. I found that it was important to let your cat rest to heal. I researched everything I buy or even try to bring close to my cat cus she's my only white princess tiger. She's very much happier and I guess it helped to have a lil cat sis to loves her too. Good luck!

Arlyn (Nahant, Ma) on 01/27/2012:
5 out of 5 stars

I'm not usually one for reviewing products/methods but this time I just have to. As an herbalist I'm quite open to experimenting with natural remedies on myself but have always been a bit hesitant when it comes to trying things on my cats. However, my elder male, Mr. Fitch, turned up with some variation of conjunctivitis this week that rapidly progressed to the point of gluing his eyes shut. Not having any eye ointment on hand and, as others here have mentioned, being very tight on finances I did some research and found the apple cider vinegar remedy here. Along with gently swabbing his eyes with a cloth soaked with warm water as frequently as possible without completely alienating him, I soaked the back of Mr. Fitch's neck with full strength organic apple cider vinegar twice, 3 hours apart, last night. I applied none during the day today prefering to see how he reacted to last night's dosing.

I have to say that we are not out of the woods yet, but the improvement between last night and tonight is quite noticeable and a relief, for me and him I believe. Mr. Fitch just received another ACV application a little while ago and Mr. Fitch willing I'm planning on two more tonight. He certainly doesn't seem to mind them very much. Here's hoping the improvement continues and he'll be clear again before the eye ointment I ordered arrives on monday.

At this point I'd say that, while certainly not guaranteed, this remedy is certainly worth a shot. Thank you Earth Clinic for making it available.

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Lexi (Melbourne, Australia ) on 11/05/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

I've also had amazing results using Apple Cider Vinegar to treat my dog's eye infection! Last week my chow x Samoyed had green goop leaking out of his left eye so I swabbed it with a very weak salt and water solution directly around the eye. I then went on earth clinic and read everybody's results using the vinegar and decided to give it a try. On the first day I applied a dilution to the back of his neck about three times and kept cleaning his eye with the saline. The next day there was significantly less muck coming from his eye but it was still a bit red. He was also trying to scratch it now so I applied the vinegar to his paws also. On the third day he was back to normal! The white of his eye is clear again and there's a normal amount of dark eye discharge!! I could tell he felt better as soon as I got up in the morning, as he was happy and wanting to play again! Thanks so much everyone, this has saved me a huge amount in vet bills, and also saved us from using antibiotics for small ailments which I think is unnecessary in pets and humans!

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Chichiritad (Boston, Ma, Usa) on 10/04/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

Hi I used Apple Cider Vinegar on the back of my kitty's neck after I saw greenish/yellow eye boogies on one eye. I first wiped her eye with a warm wash cloth and then applied 1/2 water and half Apple Cider Vinegar solution with cotton ball on the back of her neck. Her eye discharged just a tiny bit a couple more times that nite and each time I wiped it clean. In the morning there was just a little brown eye speck and I repeated the procedure today. Looks like her eyes are getting better in just 24 hrs!!!! YAY

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Sharon (Wesley Chapel, Fl) on 09/21/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

Yes, yes, yes, it worked overnight. I used straight acv. Twice at night and twice in the morning. Our pets have the most urgent need for gentle, safe, effective remedies as they cannot tell us where it hurts. My little pom started winking her eye and washing at it with her paws right after a bath, so l knew she had gotten shampoo in it. I tried a gentle saline rinse, which helped a little, but by bedtime, l came running to earthclinic. By ten this morning, her eye is open, though it needs another saline rinse to get the little overnight goo. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences to help me and my dogs.

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Hamlet (Toronto, Canada) on 08/29/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

One of my dogs came down with conj. as well, believing it started as a reaction to pesticides sprayed by a professional company to eradicate a flea infestation that came into my residence courtesy the neighbor's pets who are not flea-treated (note: yes, my dogs are flea-treated via vet Rx, and I will be speaking to said vet about it as that shouldn't have happened, right?).

In any event, I've 3 dogs, 2 JRTs which are fine but were sneezing for a bit after the pesticide treatment, with my Chow being even more sensitive--not only sneezing but also developing red eye, which has since developed into Conj. (irritated red eyes which he pawed at (itch), followed by tearing and soon a mucous discharge in both eyes). As this occurred over the weekend, I irrigated the eyes by flushing thoroughly with water, wiping the area clean with cotton pads soaked in a warm saline solution which seemed to bring my guy some relief. I continued this regimen overnight (about 12 hours), contacting the emergency vet by phone to explain what happened, and to check whether it was safe to use an antibiotic eye wash. They said "no" and suggested I bring him in immediately, saying it was likely a corneal ulceration and if so that antibiotic drops or creams would worsen the condition. This theory/diagnosis did not make sense to me, but I held off from using the wash/ointments just in case.

However, so far as both eyes (not just one) are affected and seem to be improving with simple irrigation and saline washes (which I was told can't hurt in any event), I also held off from rushing to emerg, believing it to be conj. (irritation/allergies and/or bacterial); obviously, to be confirmed by his regular vet on opening which I thought we could wait for, with emerg always being an option if needed.

That said, I've continued with the saline solution every couple of hours or so, it now being almost 48 hours since I first started the saline, and his eyes have continued to show improvement. Namely, they're no longer seriously bloodshot, nor seemingly itchy as he's no longer pawing at them (that said, I put an inflatable collar around his neck on starting his at-home treatment as a precautionary measure to prevent him from pawing/scratching at his eyes, which could just as easily explain that). He is otherwise in great health, acting normally and his eyes do not appear to be light sensitive either, such that I believe it's resolving on its own, with help from the irrigation and saline wash, and will continue to monitor him.

As such, I don't see any reason at this moment to take him to the vet, at least not at this time, thanks to this simple regimen (thanks). Should his condition change, I. E. , if I fail to see continued improvement or, should his condition take a turn and worsen, then off to the vet he shall go and I will report back. Otherwise, so far so good, and thanks also for giving me comfort. Cheers.

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Riva (Mogadore, Oh) on 08/06/2011:
1 out of 5 stars

I found that this did nothing at all and did it following instructions given. Finally went to vet and got some drops and it cleared up completely in two days.

Lldsmitty (Addison, Pa) on 08/04/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

ACV for Eyes: I have a dog and 4 kittens that all came down with eye infections at the same time. My vet bills lately have been out of this world. Also, I live in the mountains so you have to travel quite a distance to get to the vets, then they charge a fortune because they are the only ones around. Anyway, I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar on the nap of the neck and to my joyus surprise the dogs eyes were cleared up the next day and the kittens were markdly improved and I believe within a day or two they should be good as new. Thanks for the tip and my pets thank you tooooo!

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Sonya (Melbourne, Fl, Usa) on 06/20/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

I've used this remedy twice now to cure "Pink Eye" in my Jack Russell Terrier. I soak a cotton ball with ACV (I use organic) and put it on the back of her neck. I try to hold it there for 5-10 minutes. I do this once or twice and always it goes away within an hour. It has saved me quite a bit in vet bills and my dog the aggravation of applying gooey stuff to her eye for a week or more. Highly recommended!

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Magus Trix (Tampa, Florida) on 06/01/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

Just wanted to thank everyone for their posts. ACV really seems to hav worked for my lil girl Sheba. The first day I tried honey and tea bags for her infected eye with no luck. After finding this site and reading about ACV I'm a true believer. First I cleaned out her eye with a lil warm water to remove all the gunk. Also so she could open the eye. Then I used a tbsp of ACV in about a half cup of water. I applied it all around her neck and the paw she would use to clean the eye about every 2-3 hrs except at night and within a few applications I noticed the difference. By the 2nd morning I no longer needed to clean her eye out as much as the gunk build up went away and I was able to see her pretty eyes again. Now the swelling has gone down drastically. I'm gonna keep doing this for a 3rd day and hopefully by the end of that she will be back to normal. Thanks again for all the great advice!!!

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