Cider Vinegar

[Ladysmom]

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.

[Lynzodolly]

Are tear stains hereditary ? As I must be so lucky with Albert touch wood he doesn't have any xx

[Ladysmom]

Originally Posted by Lynzodolly

Are tear stains hereditary ? As I must be so lucky with Albert touch wood he doesn't have any xx

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

[Lynzodolly]

No il have a wee look now thank you , yes Alberts eyes water a little too when we're out but I dry them off with a towel , I feel I'm awfully lucky , I just hope there not yet to come xx

[Lynzodolly]

That was a great article thank you !!!! So the key is a simple wash , dry face 2 times a day or more and kep the facial hair beat and tidy good stuff xx

[sassy's mommy]

I have a friend (old inactive SM member)that buys powdered buttermilk and sprinkles a small bit on her malts food to help with tear stains.

[Aarianne]

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.

[maggieh]

I wouldn't even worry about staining while your pup is teething - once all of the "adult" teeth are in, you can see how much staining there really is and take it from there.

[Crystal&Zoe]

Originally Posted by Ladysmom

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.

I like that link to the WDJ too.

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.

[italianna82]

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.