Dog Health and Care

• Canine ear cleaner
  1 tablespoon (15ml) vinegar
  1 tablespoon (15ml) water
  1 tablespoon (15ml) hydrogen peroxide
  
  Long-eared dogs tend to be more vulnerable to ear problems because the floppy nature of their ears makes a ripe breeding ground for moisture-loving yeast and bacteria. If your pet is prone to such problems, help keep Fido's ears clean with a gentle vinegar formula. Combine equal amounts of vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide in a small plastic bowl. Dip a cotton ball or finger wrapped in gauze into the vinegar solution and wipe carefully along the visible parts of your dog's inner ears (never use cotton swabs, which could puncture an eardrum).  

• keeping flies away from dogs and other pets
  Mix 1/3 vinegar (any type, but cider vinegar smells better), 1/3 water and 1/3 bath oil in a spray bottle. This makes a good spray for horses and other animals- dogs and goats for example- as well as a barn spray for keeping flies down.

• removing a tear drop stain from white-haired dogs
  Tear stains are caused by the acidity in a dog's system. By putting a few drops of vinegar into the animal's drinking water, you will help to neutralize the acidity. Within a few weeks the tear stains should disappear.    

• lawns with no brown patches
  Put a tablespoon of your vinegar in your dog's drinking water every day and you will no longer have those brown spots in your lawn from the dog's urine. 

• removing and preventing fleas
  Adding cider vinegar to drinking water discourages fleas from setting up home on dogs and cats. Start with just a few drops so that your pets get used to the taste, then build up a little, to a teaspoon per bowl for a small animal, to a tablespoon for a larger pet. Alternatively, dip your pet in a bath of cider vinegar and water. This is, apparently, suitable treatment for puppies that are too young for commercial chemical treatments. Avoid getting any vinegar in your pet's eyes. 

• Skunked dog cleaner
  1 quart (1 liter) hydrogen peroxide
  1/4 cup (55g) baking soda
  1 teaspoon (5ml) dish soap
  
  There is simply no way to describe the smell of a freshly skunked dog. Fortunately, you can turn that smell into a distant memory with the amazing combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Mix the peroxide with the baking soda and dish soap in a large plastic bucket (do not store the mixture in a sealed container- it will produce a lot of bubbles and explode). Wear latex gloves and bathe your dog outside, if possible. Take care to work the mixture into the fur, concentrating on the areas sprayed, while keeping it away from your dog's face and eyes. Let stand for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with fresh water. See your vet if your dog shows any sign of injury (some skunks are rabid).