As a pet care product, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is hard to beat for its versatility, availability and cost. Every home with dogs should have Apple Cider Vinegar. It has multiple uses for dogs: alleviating allergies, arthritis, establishing correct pH balance of the system.
One of the first goals on the way to great health is to restore the body’s pH to the alkaline range. As nearly all chronic illness takes place in a body that has become acidic due to the gradual depletion of its mineral reserves, it is logical to check on the body’s acid/alkaline balance and work towards maintaining it in the alkaline range. The state of the body’s acid/alkaline balance can be easily measured by testing the urine using pH strips.
- Added to the drinking water, ACV has shown to maintain the acid/alkaline balance of the digestive tract. To find your dog’s pH level, get some pH strips at your local drugstore, first thing in the morning test your dog’s urine. If the strip reads from 6.5 – 7.0, then your dog’s system is what it should be. If the pH is higher, then the system is too alkaline, ACV can help to establish a correct balance.
- Use a few drops in your dog’s ears after cleaning to avoid ear infections. ACV can be used in the prevention of muscle weakness, arthritis, calluses on elbows and hocks and joints, pimples, and sore joints. It has also been shown to be useful in the prevention of bladder and kidney stones, bladder and kidney infections.
- A dog with a correct pH balance is less likely to be bothered by fleas, black flies, ticks, and other external parasites. Less chance of getting affected by ringworm, staph infections, streptococcus, mange. If you are already experiencing these problems, dilute ACV with equal amounts of warm water and sponge onto your dog’s coat.
- You can also mix it up and add to a spray bottle and spray the coat. The ACV balances the pH of the skin and makes it less desirable to bacteria, bugs and infection. Not only that, but their coat is very soft and shiny. Bee and wasp stings, as well as itchy mosquito bites can be soothed by applying undiluted apple cider vinegar to the affected area.
Further Readings: