Apple Cider Vinegar is Good For Your Dog, Cat and You – Health Benefits, Uses, Dosage

★ 6 min read

In this article:

1. Introduction
2. Nutritive and Medicinal Value
3. Health Benefits, Uses and Recipes
   
4. How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar as a Dietary Supplement
5. Daily Dosage For Dogs and Cats 
6. Cautions and Side Effects
7. What To Look For When Buying ACV
   

.1 Introduction, About Apple Cider Vinegar

 

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been used for centuries for its medical properties and as a dietary supplement. 

 

In Greece, around 400 BC the father of modern medicine – Hippocrates, prescribed ACV with honey to treat many ailments. 

 

By the later part of the 1700s about 70% of all farmers in USA’s New England states owned-operated apple cider milling and pressing equipment.  

 

Due to the many uses and its availability, ACV became a common currency of exchange. Particularly in rural areas where coins were in short supply.

   

 

.2 Nutritive and Medicinal Value

Naturally fermented, unpasteurized, organic ACV contains 'mother of vinegar'.

 

Mother of vinegar is a naturally occurring, cloudy sediment-filled liquid which contains the healthful properties of ACV.

Distilled, pasteurized ACV lacks the beneficial properties of unpasteurized, organic ACV.  Pasteurization and filtering destroys the ‘mother of vinegar’. 

 

Nutrients and Medicinal Properties in Mother of Vinegar

1. Acetic acid (the primary active ingredient).
2. Amino, Lactic and Propionic Acid.
3. Anti-bacterial.
4. Anti-fungal.
5. Anti-viral.
6. Vitamins and minerals including:
• Vitamin A.
• Vitamin B, B2 and B6.
• Vitamin C.
• Vitamin E.
• Pro-vitamin Beta-Carotene.
• Vitamin P (bioflavonoids).
7. Potassium:
• Potassium helps prevent tooth decay.
• Supports heart-health, helps balance blood pressure.
  
8. Pectin:
1. Supports the immune system.
2. Helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol).
9. Potash:
1. A source of good fibre.

3. Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Digestive Aid

ACV helps to stimulate stomach acid. Stomach acid aids the digestion of protein and fats.

Detoxification

ACV helps clean the blood and liver of toxins. 

 

A constant and heavy toxic load forces the liver to work overtime. Eventually leading to organ fatigue, toxicity and finally organ failure.  

 

There are many exposures in daily life that can contribute to a high toxic load. For example:

1. Dry and Canned dog and cat food (dry kibble, wet canned food, treats).
2. Fluoridated water.
3. Conventional flea, tick, heartworm treatments.
4. Chemical-based household cleaners (breathing in the vapours, licking surfaces, lying on chemically cleaned surfaces).
5. Surface contact and/or ingesting grass treated with fertilizers and pesticides.
6.  Road-salt.
7. etc. 

 

Ear Care

ACV can be used to clean your dog and cat's ears. 

 

ACV can also be used to help treat bacterial infections. 

Instructions for Use

1. Combine equal parts of ACV and distilled water.
2. Mix well.
3. Use a syringe or dropper to place about 10 drops of the liquid into your dog  or cat's ear.
4. make sure that the syringe is located at the entrance to the ear canal.
5. The syringe should never be placed inside of the ear canal. 
6. Gently massage the ear in a circular motion.
7. Then let your dog or cat shake her head. 

Caution

Do NOT use this treatment if your dog or cat:

1. Has perforated ear drums. 
2. Has a yeast infection in their ears.
   

 To learn more about ear infections, causes and other options for treatments and remedies continue reading here.

Fur and Skin Health
 

ACV helps prevent dry skin, promotes the growth and maintenance of healthy fur and is effective in the treatment of:

1. Acne
• Apply undiluted ACV with a soft cloth or cotton ball.
2. Burns (minor)
• Apply undiluted ACV with a soft cloth or cotton ball.

ACV should NOT be used if your dog is experiencing skin yeast infections. ACV will feed the yeast, resulting in a worsening of the infection.

Bacterial Skin Infections

 

bacteria-based hot spots and skin infections:

 

Instructions

1. Bath your dog or cat in a warm Rooibos Tea bath.
   
2. Then rinse as follows:
• Use one part ACV to three parts water.
• If the effected spot is small you can use a soft cloth or cotton ball to apply both rinses.
3. If the skin is broken dilute the ACV mixture further:
• One part ACV to 4four parts water);
4. Then be very careful as the acidic nature of ACV can cause stinging pain.
• Test a small area first by dabbing the ACV water solution with a cotton ball onto a tiny test area. 
• Do not do a full soak on skin with broken areas without testing first.

Skunk Odour Treatment 

 

Instructions

1. Sponge undiluted ACV onto fur and skin – avoiding eyes
2. Allow the ACV to dry
3. Follow with non-toxic, non-carcinogenic Shampoo and Rinse

Promote Growth of Good Gut Flora
 

ACV is a prebiotic and helps maintain a balanced pH level.

Prebiotics feed probiotics (good gut microbes).
 

Probiotics are healthy microorganisms that reside in the gut.

 
When the population of good bacteria is depleted bad bacteria can flourish resulting in candida and other health issues.

 
ACV Supports Digestive Tract Health

1. Prevent and remedy constipation.
2. Regularize bowl movements.
3. Keep the colon clean.

Metabolism Booster, Appetite Reducer

 

If your dog, cat has a slow metabolism, adding ACV to the diet can help.

 

ACV can be taken in-between or before meals to stave-off hunger. 

Eye Infection Treatment 

 

Apple cider vinegar can be used topically to help treat eye infections.

 

For the eye drop recipe and instructions for use :

• Go to this article.

 

Insect Repellent Aid

 

ACV can help repel parasites such as fleas, ticks mosquitoes and worms.

 

Intestinal Parasites

To help discourage intestinal parasites add apple cider vinegar as a supplement to your dog or cat's diet. 

• Follow the instructions provided further below.

 

Fleas and Mosquitoes

ACV insect repellent spray:

1. For the Insect Repellent Spray Recipe and,
2. Instructions for use:

Go to this article.

 

Body pH Balance - Restore, Maintain Good pH Balance

ACV is an excellent aid to restore blood and urine pH balance. 

 

Poor diet can disrupt the pH balance of your dog’s blood. Dogs and cats on a dry food diet have an acidic body pH.

 

Acidification of the blood and urine makes the body highly vulnerable to health issues and chronic disease.

 

Apple Cider Vinager for Household Cleaning

 

Daily exposure to the air born vapors, droplets, and residue from synthetic chemical household cleaners increase a dog and cat's toxic load. 

 

You can help reduce the daily stress on your dog and cat's body by using dog and cat friendly natural household cleaners. 

 

Learn about the many ways you can use ACV to replace chemical based household cleaners.

1. For ACV household cleaning recipes,
2. And tips:

Go to this article.

 

4. How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar as a Dietary Supplement

 

There are two options for dosing your dog or cat with ACV.

 

4.1 Option One: Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Food

 

If you choose to add ACV to your dog or cat's food:

1. First allow your dog or cat to indicate if they want the ACV.
1. If your dog or cat does not self-select the ACV, you MUST respect the indication.
2. NEVER force your dog or cat to take ACV.
2. If your dog or cat self-selects the ACV, you can add it to their food.

 

4.2 Options Two: Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Water

 

If you choose water dosing as the method of supplementation:

1. Add the daily dosage of ACV to a second bowl of fresh water. 
2. Place the water with ACV bowl beside your dog of cat's regular water bowl.
3. Your dog and cat can self-select the ACV water or regular water as suites their need.

NEVER replace your dog or cat's regular water bowl with the ACV water bowl.

 

Always provide a bowl of pure water beside the ACV water bowl.

 

5. Daily Dosage for Dogs and Cats

Small Dogs and Cats

up to 14 lbs - 1 tsp
 

Medium Dogs and Cats 

15 lbs to 34 lbs - 2 tsp
 

Large Dogs
35 lbs to 84 lbs - 1 tbs
85 lbs to 134 lbs - 1.5 tbsp
135 lbs to 200 lbs – 2 tbsp

 

6. Cautions and Side Effects

A partial list

If your dog is on insulin or diuretics do not add ACV to his/her diet there may be an interaction between insulin/drugs and the ACV. When ACV is taken with a meal, ACV slows the rise of blood sugar – this suggests that a reduced amount of insulin is required to process the food. The dosage of insulin you give your dog may have to be adjusted to account for lower blood-sugar levels.

Dogs who are suffering from an irritated intestinal tract lining should not take (ingest) ACV. 

 

ACV should not be given to dogs experiencing gastroparesis.

ACV should not be given to dogs experiencing yeast overgrowth.

ACV should not be given to dogs with mast cell tumors.

 

7. What to Look for When Buying Apple Cider Vinegar

Purchase:

1. An organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar.
2. The product should have mother of vinegar sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

Holistic Diet, Nutrition, Wellness Services Tailored to Your Individual Dog and Cat

For information about my holistic diet, nutrition and wellness services, visit my holistic wellness services page.

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Holistic Behavioral Services for Your Dog

For information about my holistic behavioral services, visit my holistic behavioral services page.

For dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds.

My behavioral services are available worldwide via video consultation.

🌎 USA | Canada | UK | Europe | Australia | New Zealand | Asia | South and Central America | Africa | UAE

📱FaceTime | Facebook | Skype | WhatsApp

To set-up your holistic behavioral session get in-touch via email, go to my contact me page. 

 

Affiliations to Companies  

✓ None. 

✓ I don't sell food, supplements, or other products.

✓ I'm not aligned with any companies. 

 

Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld.