Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is on the top of our list for natural health remedies for dogs. Every day, we recommend it to our customers, whether they're using it straight from their own bottle, or from any one of our vet recommended liquid supplements.
Apple cider vinegar can assist your dog with detoxification, improving skin and coat appearance, preventing potassium deficiency, as well as helping your dog digest foods to allow for more natural energy, just to name a few benefits. Without a doubt, you'll see the benefits of adding this item to your dog's daily diet from the inside out! In addition, we include apple cider vinegar uses for resisting and repelling fleas and preventing burned acgrass spots on the lawn where your dog urinates.
Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for Dogs
Acid reflux, obesity, and diabetes are on the rise with modern dogs. Medical research is now suggesting that apple cider vinegar can help dogs with these ailments and improve their overall condition. Poor digestion and symptoms of digestive stress can also be addressed with apple cider vinegar. It has amazingly natural powerful compounds including acetic acid, potassium, probiotics and enzymes which serve to heal and protect your dog's body. Especially helpful for dogs with yeast overgrowth or bacterial infections, the acetic acid in ACV has the ability to kill harmful bacteria and encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria.
We love ACV for its natural antibiotic-like activity, killing unwanted bacteria on contact, but, unlike antibiotics, ACV promotes healthy bacterial growth. The results over time can be related to the skin and coat, immune system, and digestive system without any negative side effects. And guess what else dogs love apple cider vinegar! Thats why we include this natural ingredient in our liquid concentrates, RJX joint supplement, Spectrin vitamin supplement, and Dermix skin and coat formula.
Top 11 Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar for Dogs
Heres the top 11 reasons you should be giving your dog apple cider vinegar everyday!
1. Detox The Body
Unfiltered apple cider vinegar can help balance your dogs pH and stimulate the bowels in a healthy way. It encourages detoxification of the liver and lymphatic system as well as removal of harmful bacteria. For this reason, its a key ingredient in our liquid dog supplements.*
2. Natural Coat Booster
ACV is a natural conditioner to make your dogs coat shine! Use 1 tablespoon of ACV to 1 cup of water and pour it onto your dogs clean body twice per month.*
3. Natural Oral Health Cleaner
Did you know that almost every dog over 3 years old will encounter gum disease? The vet visits for dental cleanings are steep and require your dog to be put under sedation. Its not an easy process, or a cheap one. One of our favorite uses for apple cider vinegar is for use on our dogs teeth. Include ACV in the water, or, if your dog will tolerate it, run some on his teeth for 1 minute, then let him rinse with water. The pH will remove stains and bacterial debris from his mouth and leave him with fresher breath and better dental hygiene.*
4. Can Help with Acid Reflux
Due to the modern dog diet and lifestyle, more dogs are showing up with GERD, aka acid reflux. Some of the main reasons acid reflux happens in dogs is due to an imbalance of stomach pH from a lack of probiotics and enzymes. ACV is full of enzymes and probiotics, and using it every day for your dog will keep acid reflux at bay.*
Read: Tip: How To Keep Your Dog's Teeth Clean
5. Squashes Out Yeast and Boosts Probiotics
Millions of dogs suffer from yeast issues. The side effects can cover the entire body from the bad breath, urinary tract infections, ear infections, tear stains, skin issues, hair/fur loss, and lethargy. Especially susceptible in dogs eating grains, plant protein, or carbohydrate diets, apple cider vinegar promotes the growth of probiotics which help kill off yeast.
6. Prevents Burn Spots on the Lawn
The pH balancing activity of apple cider vinegar makes it perfect for controlling the acid and nitrogen content of your dogs urine. This is the stuff will burn spots on the grass. You can add ACV directly to the urine spot itself, or just 1-2 teaspoons per day in your dogs water or diet.
7. Eases Skin Issues
Apple cider vinegar is a great addition to your dogs bath. Not only does it boost the coat, it helps clear skin burns, yeast rashes, hot spots, fungus, skin inflammation, and even heal poison ivy.*
8. Can Improve Diabetes in Dogs*
Acetic acid, as found in apple cider vinegar, has been proven through medical research to help balance blood sugar and improve insulin responses. (If your dog has diabetes, be sure to consult with your vet about treatment.)*
9. Repels Fleas
Ingesting apple cider vinegar as well as using ACV as a topical will get rid of fleas. Mix half water and half ACV and let it soak into your dogs skin once per day for a few weeks to avoid flea infestation.
10. Fights Seasonal/Inhalant Allergies
Because apple cider vinegar supports lymphatic drainage, supports the immune system, and breaks up mucous in the body, it is a great addition to your dogs diet if they happen to suffer from seasonal allergies.
11. Assists in Improving Seasonal Flank Alopecia
As weve stated, ACV is a great natural remedy for skin issues, including flank alopecia which causes hair loss. As a key ingredient of Dermix skin and coat formula, apple cider vinegar works in harmony with other skin supporting nutrients to help combat seasonal flank alopecia within weeks.
Dermix for Dogs has an apple cider vinegar base and great results for improving dogs with seasonal allergies and skin conditions.*
Related: Understanding Probiotics for Pets: CFU, Species, and Dosage Explained