The use of apple cider vinegar, often found in cooking and DIY health remedies, has been a long-standing tradition. However, its reputation as a natural cure for numerous ailments has been steadily growing. Not only is Apple Cider Vinegar used for internal issues, but it also can be applied externally due to its cleansing properties.
Raw, organic, and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar has many health benefits for humans, dogs, cats, and horses. Pet parents can enjoy the full benefits of using apple cider vinegar for their pets and themselves.
Apple Cider Vinegar Beneficial Components
Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, is acidic, helps balance out pH levels and has antibacterial properties. Apple cider vinegar contains iron, potassium, magnesium, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
Organic apple cider vinegar consists of enzymes, strands of proteins, and good bacteria that make up a substance called “mother”.
For us humans, we add it to food as a salad dressing or take it straight from the spoon. You can drink an apple cider vinegar solution by mixing it with honey and hot water.
Apple cider vinegar can benefit your dog, cat, and horse by adding it to food and using it externally.
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar to Dogs
Dog owners can really appreciate the health benefits that apple cider vinegar offers for their beloved dogs.
It’s beneficial in so many ways – it’s a flea repellant, antibacterial ear cleaner, a tear stain remover, constipation bothered, and an all-around superfood. Make sure it’s the right kind of apple cider vinegar, though. You probably won’t find it in the grocery stores.
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Internal Uses
Apple cider vinegar is well-known to improve and balance the body’s pH level. As a result, it promotes a healthier gastrointestinal (GI) system for your dogs. Gastrointestinal health affects your dog’s digestion, and skin and coat quality. Allergic dogs can benefit from apple cider vinegar diluted in water to be taken orally.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Relieving Arthritis
Senior dogs usually suffer from arthritis due to their old age. Apple cider vinegar helps bring the acid-alkaline balance to your dog’s blood and it remineralizes the bones wherein calcium and phosphate ions rebuild and strengthen the bone molecules.
Added to food twice a week – dilute ACV in water or directly into food; it will help break down calcium deposits found around the joints as dogs get older, which cause stiffness and discomfort. Continued use will make joints noticeably more flexible and less painful.
Helps with Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
Dogs are prone to urinary tract infections especially when they are eating unhealthy food and have poor pH balance. Including apple cider vinegar in your dog’s diet can help with the pH balance and acidity that they need.
Apple Cider Vinegar Promotes Healthy Digestion
Digestive problems such as diarrhoea and excessive flatulence can be caused by dog food allergies. As mentioned, apple cider vinegar has good bacteria in its components that are very beneficial for your dog’s G.I. system. Apple cider vinegar helps create and maintain intestinal flora to regulate digestion.
Add the apple cider vinegar once a day to water if your dog has diarrhoea and repeat every day for a week to relieve constipation.
Apple Cider Vinegar Prevents Tooth Decay
If you’re one of the pet parents who frequently gets dog kisses, you would want them to have pleasant breath and a clean mouth. Apple cider vinegar has a natural acid called acetic acid which fights bacteria that cause bad breath and tartar buildup. The acidity levels in apple cider vinegar help to break down plaque and tartar on teeth.
You may include a small amount of undiluted apple cider vinegar in your dog’s food or apply it directly to your dog’s mouth.
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Apple Cider Vinegar for External Use
Dog allergies don’t only affect the internal part of your body but also your dog’s skin. Apple cider vinegar also offers a solution to your dog’s skin problems.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Soothe Itchy Skin
Irritated skin can be caused by different reasons such as allergies, skin infections, dry skin, parasites and others. Apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area of the skin but you have to take note of the right mixture measurement of water and apple cider vinegar for dogs. Different skin problems require different approaches and mixtures. For general skin dryness, mix one part of apple cider with 4 parts of water and use it as a rinse after your dog’s bath.
Using apple cider vinegar for your dog’s skin improves its condition and reduces the itchiness they feel.
Apple Cider Vinegar Get rid of Yeast Organisms
Your dog’s paws can be a breeding ground for yeast because the area between the pads and toes is moist and warm. Yeast infection also causes extreme irritation and itchiness to your dog. Concoct a 50/50 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar in a container and soak the infected paws of your dogs for 5 minutes.
Apple Cider Vinegar Improves Your Dog’s Skin and Coat
Healthy skin brings out a beautiful coat. If your dogs have dandruff problems or dry skin, using apple cider vinegar for dog baths will clear up the skin infections naturally. The acetic acid of the apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that ease skin irritations and inflammations.
A diluted solution of 50 parts water and 50 parts apple cider vinegar can be applied to your dog’s coat to improve fur quality and prevent dandruff from emerging.
Apple Cider Vinegar Helps Prevent Flea Infestation
When fleas attack there’s a high chance of infestation which can result in irritated skin and wounds. Before the infestation happens, you can prevent fleas from going aboard your dog’s skin.
Applying apple cider vinegar on the skin while it’s still clear from parasites, will discourage the fleas to get near your dogs because of the smell and taste of the apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar won’t kill or get rid of the fleas once attached to your dogs. You have to get it all out before the apple cider vinegar solution works on preventing them from coming.
Apple Cider Vinegar is Good for your Dog’s Ears
Dog’s ears can be infected due to a number of reasons. Ear infections can be triggered by allergies, bacteria and yeast growth. Itchy ears can be irritating to your dogs and their scratch can cause skin wounds.
Apple cider vinegar prevents the growth of yeast and bacteria that causes ear infection. Clean your dog’s ear with a mixture of 50% water and 50% once a week to protect your dog from ear infections.
Why Choose Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?
Commercially produced apple cider vinegar is highly refined and processed and is not a truly traditional ACV. Most apple cider kinds of vinegar you find on the shelves are clear, like apple juice. This shows that the vinegar has been filtered and pasteurised. Unprocessed vinegar should be cloudy, with floating almost stringy matter swirling around in it. This is the all-important Mother.
The “Mother of Vinegar” is a natural substance composed of mostly living enzymes created during vinegar fermentation. It also contains friendly bacteria as well as other healthy nutrients. The Mother contains most of the important minerals, vitamins and amino acids released or created during the fermentation process.
Commercially produced vinegar, even that supplied by various ‘Health Shops,’ most often has the Mother removed to make a clear, shiny and consistent product that looks pleasing to the eye on the supermarket shelf. Filtering also makes the apple cider vinegar easier and cheaper to produce. If you are looking for the real deal, you’ve come to the right place.
How Much Should I Feed?
Measurement is important in consuming apple cider vinegar. You can give dogs apple cider vinegar by adding it to your dog’s water or food.
Small to medium dogs
5ml or one teaspoon in water
Medium to large dogs
10ml or one dessert spoon in water
Tips When Using Apple Cider Vinegar for your Dogs
The acidic property of apple cider vinegar provides benefits for your dog’s health. But apple cider vinegar must still be applied and used with caution as the substance has strong effects, too.
Choose Organic Apple Cider
Raw cider vinegar didn’t go through the process of pasteurization, therefore, keeping the good bacteria alive to optimise its remedial benefits. Labels usually reveal if the apple cider vinegar is unpasteurised. But to make sure, avoid choosing clear apple cider vinegar.
Do not apply apple cider vinegar to open wounds
Apple cider vinegar can cause a burning sensation and painful sting when applied to broken skin or skin with wounds.
Get the right mixture measurements
Depending on your purpose of using apple cider vinegar for your dogs, ensure you get the proper measurement and water to ACV ratio.
Seek professional advice
If your dogs are experiencing severe symptoms and skin problems, it’s still better to have them checked by a veterinarian before resolving to home remedies. Apple cider vinegar provides a certain level of protection for your dogs but you should not rely solely on this product to solve your dog’s illness.
Other Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar
Other than health benefits, apple cider vinegar can be used for keeping your dogs clean.
Tear staining
Wipe away tear stains, and use daily on tear-stained fur or brown saliva stained fur (especially on paws) to bring the fur back to normal. Use daily.
Deodorising
Add to shampoo to help with flea control, then comb through damp fur afterwards to deodorise and keep fleas at bay.
