# Apple Cider Vinegar for Tear Stains



## Maxy24

I started looking for ways to get rid of tear stains and stumbled across ACV. It is recommended that you put it in the dogs water. It will change the pH of their tears so that bacteria can't grow and cause that red stain. However I have ONE concern.

The ACV works by making the dog's system more alkaline, but couldn't that cause urine stones? The tear stains are purely an aesthetic problem, I wouldn't want to cause a medical problem over them. 


I'd prefer to apply it to the tear stains directly but that is not recommended because you could get it in their eyes which would hurt quite a bit.


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## Lisa_j

THere are a few other threads you may want to search about ACV. It was suggested that if ingested it also repels feas. Since mentioned by another member my dogs have been getting it daily for a few weeks now. If I recall corretly, many great health benefits occur from ACV.


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## SilverBeat

Just so you know, my dog will not drink ACV in his water. I have to put 1/4 tsp in his bowl [he is supposed to take 1/2-1 tsp a day] of 2.5 cups of water. Any more and he will just turn up his nose. So in addition to doing that, I give him "bloodsicles", a largish baby food jar filled with blood and about 1/2 tsp of ACV and frozen. He loves these.
If you're not into collecting blood you could always pour it over food [I imagine wet food is best] or make some other frozen treat.


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## Mollygirl

I usually don't have a lot of blood but I've been pouring what I collect everyday into their bowl and then I mix it with ACV. I haven't found the one with the "mother" in it yet but I figured it is better than nothing. I don't really know if it is helping with anything or not. I think only the puppies are drinking it. Ginger still has tear stains as I believe that is a trait for Yorkies.


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## malluver1005

Yes, ACV does make the urine more alkaline. I was giving it to Aspen 5 days a week and when I had his U/A done, his pH was 8.0 and 2-3 struvite crystals were present. Now, I only give it Mondays and Fridays and pour a lot of water in his food, and his pH is back to 6.5 and no crystals.


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## lily

it works well on tear stains ,i have used it in the past but since raw feeding i havnt needed to wash my dogs face or even touch her nose rope,as i say i know it works on tear stains as i have got rid of tear stains with it,karen


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## Kofismom

Tear stains! How we all hate them!
English bulldogs really fight that problem. Kofi has never really had them bad, but I've had to fight them also.
The one main thing that she gets is filtered water. I do believe that helps, because when I board her, I can see a difference when she comes home.
This subject has been hashed and rehashed on the bulldog site I visit. Some have tried diet change, ACV, and various other remedies.
Actually, even tho' Kofi has been on raw for a year, just the last week or so, her stains have decreased noticeably and that pleases me, even tho' I don't know why. 
She get's unfiltered acv at times consistently, but I haven't been adding it lately.
I guess my whole point is, I'm not sure if anyone really knows why they come and go, or if there is anything that will make them stay away.
I'm just loving her pretty white face for now.
Maybe the raw has taken longer for her to work on her system, but the first year, her tear stains.....while not being really bad, were no better than before.


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## lily

i also use filtered water as i do think it makes a difference,karen


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## CorgiPaws

Filtered water does make a difference! When I lived in my apartment for a year and went without my water softener (I have a really freaking awesome system, not one that you can buy at home improvement stores, but a real one) both my girls got tear stains, and they had them right up until we bought our house and had my system installed again. Then they just kinda disappeared. I didn't do anything else, as they really weren't that bad.


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