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Cider Vinegar

3K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  Yogi's Mom 
#1 ·
So, I read a lot of recommendations to put a bit of cider vinegar in Gucci's water to help with tear staining. Yesterday I did this and after she drank, she kissed my bf on the nose so he smelled the vinegar and asked why she smelled like that. When I told him what I was doing, he got mad and said "YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS GOING TO DO TO A PUPPY'S BODY??? It is going to rot her teeth and weaken her bones." I thought he was being funny, but he said "have you ever stuck an egg in vinegar and seen what happens??"
So, I don't know if he is just being paranoid or not. Heck, I drank pickle juice constantly as a kid and I was always told it was healthy for me. Do you think there is any risk in giving her vinegar???
 
#3 ·
I don't really know if there are any risks with putting vinegar in the water. Perhaps you put too much because I don't think you should smell it on her breath. Gucci is young and probably teething so I wouldn't really worry about the stains right now as it could be from that. I don't know if you use Spa Lavish for tear stains but its very good. You also have to make sure the face is kept dry.
 
#4 ·
Just make sure you are not putting too much in (and I don't know what the correct measurements are)

We had a member here one time that her groomer had told her that white cider vinegar was a good remedy for tear staining. Instead of researching it, she gave it to her dog straight (no dilution) and then was concerned because her dog kept making coughing/choking/gagging noises. So now every time i hear a 'remedy', I make sure to research the bejeeses out of it!

Personally, i've never tried it but a tiny bit shouldn't hurt anything.
 
#5 ·
Well, I put a TINY bit in her water bottle, but she had JUST finished drinking and ran to him, which is likely how he smelled it on her breath. I don't think it's "yellowing" of teeth, so much as them being weak...especially if her adult ones are growing in soon.

I use Spa Lavish, but it really hasn't helped much. I am not home the whole day, so for the few hours I am gone, she isn't being dried. I have even tried corn starch.
 
#7 ·
Oh I just realized how young she is. Honestly, at her age, I wouldn't worry about it. Teething can cause a lot of staining and I personally don't do anything about staining until after 6 months, when the adult teeth are in. You can pretty much be fighting a battle that you will continue losing until she is older. I don't think I'd use vinegar on a pup so young, just in case (although it could be perfectly fine)
 
#8 ·
Thank you!!! I certainly love her. Tear stains and all. My bf yells at me and tells me I need to let her be a puppy and stop tormenting her with the washing and blow drying and eye drops and corn starch and now vinegar. Hehe!

Oh I just realized how young she is. Honestly, at her age, I wouldn't worry about it. Teething can cause a lot of staining and I personally don't do anything about staining until after 6 months, when the adult teeth are in. You can pretty much be fighting a battle that you will continue losing until she is older. I don't think I'd use vinegar on a pup so young, just in case (although it could be perfectly fine)
She has been tear staining since she was only about 9 weeks, and I'm not sure why, but I really do TRY to keep it from getting worse, but it is really a never ending battle.
I really think I will stop the vinegar...at least for now.
I am DEFINITELY not using Angels' Eyes though.
 
#9 ·
:HistericalSmiley:

Sorry.... boyfriends can be so dramatic, can't they LOL.... Sheesh.

Apple Cider Vinegar has many WONDERFUL properties for your pup.

It can help with tear staining.

I can also help with digestion.

It helps their joints - I give it to Gus who has bad joints.

It prevents and treats UTIs - I give to to Grace as preventative. She had one bad UTI before I started giving it to her. Because of her condition she is prone to UTIs but we haevn't had another since...

Plus a bunch of other things I'm sure I'm missing.

I take it myself for my gut and to help keep yeast levels down. It helps with reflux, too.

So tell your boyfriend she is fine and to stop being dramatic! That you would never give your baby something bad!

If you are worried about it rotting her teeth (never heard of that before)... you can mix it in her food.
 
#10 ·
Heheh!! They are dramatic. And it's REALLY funny considering how much he commented about not wanting " a yappy little thing"....he LOVES her. Hence the paranoia of her drinking vinegar.

Like I said, I drank pickle juice all the time as a kid (yeah, I know...eeww...but I still like it...I'm weird) and all I ever heard was how GOOD it was for me. I'm certainly not giving her a LOT by any means. So, I don't see it being harmful, but I am definitely paranoid.
 
#11 ·
Whole Dog Journal discussed the pros and cons of cider vinegar in this article. Holistic remedies are not necessarily safe even if they are natural. They should always be used under supervision by your vet.

The cons of using apple cider vinegar include altering Gucci's pH levels:

Marina Zacharias, pet nutritionist and publisher of Natural Rearing newsletter, shares McKay’s concern about pH levels. She recommends that owners have their dogs’ blood and urine tested before adding cider vinegar to their daily diet.

“If a dog’s system is too alkaline,” she says, “cider vinegar will help, but by itself it may not correct the problem and the dog will need additional support. If the dog’s system is too acidic, which is a condition called acidosis, the result can be stress on the pancreas and adrenal organs, which are important regulators of blood pH levels. The symptoms of acidosis range from diarrhea or constipation to low blood pressure, hard stools, and sensitivity of the teeth and mouth. Often we see acidosis in combination with other conditions, such as kidney, liver, and adrenal problems. In certain cases, adding vinegar to a dog’s food could aggravate an already-existing problem in the body.”


"In her book, The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, author Wendy Volhard recommends using pH paper strips to check the dog’s first morning urine. “If it reads anywhere from 6.2 to 6.5, your dog’s system is exactly where it should be,” and no ACV is needed, she says. “But if it is 7.5 or higher, the diet you are feeding is too alkaline, and apple cider vinegar will reestablish the correct balance.” Volhard recommends one teaspoon to one tablespoon twice daily for a 50-pound dog.

Apple Cider Vinegar - A Holistic Remedy for Dogs - Whole Dog Journal Article

Personally, I would not use it for what is most likely tearing from teething.
 
#19 ·
I like that link to the WDJ too. :thumbsup:

I'm all about holisitic but honestly giving something seemingly as innocent and harmless as ACV to a dog without knowing what their ph balance is at could actually be harmful. And depending on why a person or dog has acid reflux, giving ACV could make the symptoms much more painful. Thankfully not long term, but you could really cause some serious pain in a person or a dog.
 
#13 ·
Genetics plays a big part in tear staining. My Bailey had a beautiful white face when I got him at 12 weeks and never stained while teething. His eyes tear slightly when we are outside a lot, but that's it.

Teething, genetics, and environmental factors all play a part in tear staining. Did you see this excellent article that Marissa posted a few weeks ago?

A Veterinary Guide to Tear Stains
 
#17 ·
I wouldn't risk adding apple cider vinegar to your dog's water for a supposed (unproven) benefit like reducing tear staining.

It seems likely to me that if you regularly acidify your dog's water with a significant amount of apple cider vinegar, that over time the enamel of your dog's teeth could become etched. Studies on human teeth have suggested this with various low pH drinks (although many are even lower than ACV). If you're not adding enough to etch the teeth at all, then you're probably not adding enough to have any other sort of health effects (good or bad).

I'm not sure how it's possible for it to have any sort of health effect once it has gotten to the stomach of a healthy dog either. Aside from a healthy body being an effective self-regulator, the fluid in the stomach is also much lower pH than any apple cider vinegar solution you could get your dog to drink, so its effect should be negligible on the stomach fluid's pH even, let alone the body's pH. You might as well have served your dog a drink of plain old free water, as nature intended, and not risked etching her teeth.
 
#20 ·
Thanks for all the advice. I actually only did it for a day an I stopped. She went potty and it was a LOT softer than it should have been and I knew right then the answer to this question. So, she's back to her regular purified water and that's it. --- Cleaning her behind was certainly my punishment for that attempt.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Parnoid Thats My Middle Name!!I cant reply much on Vinigar,because i know nothing about it--Just read some interesting post here. I Just wanted to say--i do know a stainless bowle is best.
Also Where i live we have well water-in the woods.
So I Only use distilled,spring or pure water. NO TAP.
I Have read thats the best for my baby-and helps tear stains alot.
Just My 2cents. Hope i helped alittle-=NickeeIN PA*
 
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