If dog urine is killing your grass and turning it yellow or brown in patches, as an overall strategy, you’ll want to know how to take care of your grass/lawn as a dog owner.
But, you’ve probably also heard a few people mention that apple cider vinegar or tomato juice might be potential solutions.
Some people have added these liquids/foods to their dog’s diet and have suggested they’ve seen improvement in their grass health.
But, it this true or more a gardener’s myth?
We look into what causes grass to die, and how ACV and tomato juice affect that. We also look at the safety of feeding your dog apple cider vinegar and tomato.
Let’s get into it …
(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)
Dog Urine Killing Grass: Are Apple Cider Vinegar & Tomato Juice A Solution?
How Do People Give Apple Cider Vinegar or Tomato Juice To Their Dog?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Usually they give their dog one teaspoon (for small dogs) to one table spoon (for a medium to large sized dog) of apple cider vinegar a day, either mixed in with their water, or in a food gruel
Tomato Juice
One to two tablespoons of tomato juice on the dog’s food twice a day.
What Is The Theory Behind Feeding Apple Cider Vinegar or Tomato Juice To Dogs?
The theory is that adding ACV or Tomato Juice to a dog’s diet will decrease the acidity of dog urine, and in turn, the urine will be less acidic when it comes into contact with the grass.
Are Tomato Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar Safe For Dogs?
The best person to determine this for your pet is the vet – see them for a qualified opinion.
However, in general …
A teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar, diluted, for a normal-sized canine (less for a cat) is unlikely to have a negative effect on a healthy pet.
Tomatoes are also generally considered to not have a significant effect on dogs.
What Causes Grass To Be Killed By Dog Urine?
When a dog pees on the grass, their urine is concentrated in that one patch of grass.
What actually kills the grass or causes it to go yellow or brown is the nitrogen in the urine i.e. an over concentration of nitrogen kills the grass.
Does Tomato Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar Really Stop Dog Urine Killing Grass?
As you can see from the above explanations – what causes grass to actually die from dog urine, and what it is thought that ACV and tomato juice do to the urine are two totally different things.
Whether or not Apple Cider Vinegar or Tomato juice actually lowers the acidity of the urine doesn’t have any strong scientific evidence or basis that we could find.
And, even if it did, acidity is not what kills the grass – the nitrogen does.
Further to this, there is also no scientific evidence that we could find that ACV or tomato juice lowers or balances the nitrogen concentration in pet urine.
What Does Lower The Nitrogen Level In Dog Urine?
Two considerations you’ll want to make to lower the nitrogen levels in your dogs urine are:
To look at how much protein you’re feeding your dog. Protein breaks down in part as nitrogen – which gets excreted from the body through urine
To make sure your dog is drinking enough water – more water means the urine is more diluted
Your vet is the best person to help you with changing your dog’s diet, and to let you know how much water your dog should be drinking.
Where Can I Read More About Dog Urine & Grass?
As an overall strategy, you’ll want to know how to take care of your grass/lawn as a dog owner
How To Stop A Dog Peeing & Pooping On Your Grass, & How To Manage Dog Urine Grass Burn
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