Does anyone use garlic or apple cider vinegar for your dogs?

skypie123_2

I am currently on a new feeding regime for my dog, who has very allergic scratchy skin and ear problems.
He is on wainwrights lamb and rice trays and coconut oil and is a lot better already after 2 weeks.
I have been looking into garlic and also apple cider vinegar which are meant to help a variety of ailments.
Does anyone else use them?

EmptyPockets

I've never heard of using apple cider vinegar, but have heard in the past, various people 'swearing by' the use of garlic to repel fleas: Please DO NOT give your dog garlic. Garlic is a member of the onion family, and just like onions, is very toxic/poisonous to dogs.

threemuttleys

Yup me!

I use them along with a few other bits (Fish Body Oil, Gluco and Chron (high strength), Vit E, Vit C, Evening Primrose Oil)

One also gets a small glug of Olive Oil (she's a Rough Collie, this helps to keep her coat in in tip top condition)

threemuttleys

EmptyPockets wrote: »

I've never heard of using apple cider vinegar, but have heard in the past, various people 'swearing by' the use of garlic to repel fleas: Please DO NOT give your dog garlic. Garlic is a member of the onion family, and just like onions, is very toxic/poisonous to dogs.

Nope...Onion is toxic (as are leeks) but Garlic in sensible doses is not (if it were then Hilton Herbs etc would not sell this specifically for dogs. Some dog foods also contain garlic!

I would not recommend giving 5 cloves to a toy breed, however my medium/large (Rough Collie, Dutch Shepherd and Cocker x) get about 1/4 of a clove a day with no issues

skypie123_2

My dog is eating around the cider vinegar so I am trying putting it in his water instead.
I read up on the garlic thing and in small doses its fine and doesnt contain the same quantity of allicin (I think thats what causes the toxicity in onions) as onions do.

EmptyPockets

threemuttleys wrote: »

Nope...Onion is toxic (as are leeks) but Garlic in sensible doses is not (if it were then Hilton Herbs etc would not sell this specifically for dogs. Some dog foods also contain garlic!

I would not recommend giving 5 cloves to a toy breed, however my medium/large (Rough Collie, Dutch Shepherd and Cocker x) get about 1/4 of a clove a day with no issues

Ok. Fair enough. LOL!

I just remember the blind panic I went into when my old dog pinched a clove from the kitchen worktop and I found her beginning to munch through it in her bed :eek:

MaximumImpact

I don't give it to my dogs but I do give it to my chickens and waterfowl....Keeps them in good condition so I expect it's the same for dogs.....

I wonder if cats like it too??? (wanders off to get a funnel....):rotfl:

devildog

Yep

My dog has been on garlic for many years. Have bought the 'human' stuff before now but these past few years have been buying it from Dorwest herbs (also buy their toothpaste for dogs too)

Too much of anything can be toxic but used sensibly there shouldn't be a problem with it at all.

skypie123_2

What ailments do you give them the garlic or apple cider vinegar for?
I am giving mine to Scraggy (my dawg) for his skin allergies and ear problems!

chris_n_tj

skypie its worth asking your Vet if Scraggy could/might have a zinc deficiency. This can be a cause of skin problems in dogs, so it might be worth asking.
I havnt used any of the above for TJ, but I do swear by the coconut oil. Have you used it on the skin to stop the itching? Or just internally?
Chris n TJ

skypie123_2

Thanks Chris.
I will ask my vet about zinc deficiency.
I've been using the coconut oil both in his feed and also topically. He used to scratch like mad and bite his paws and have ear infection after ear infection. He now has a nice sheen to his coat and bites/scratches less but its not entirely gone.