For a long time we used Burt's Bees for Dogs Itch Soothing Spray. But I wanted to find something new for three reasons:
1. I don't know what all the ingredients in Burt's are, can't pronounce them, and don't know why they're included.
2. It left a residue on Fawkes' coat, which means whatever those mystery ingredients are, they were seeping into his body.
3. Although it was fairly effective, it wasn't very effective.
Now I make a natural, spray at home that is extremely effective. I know what all the ingredients are and why they're being used, it keeps Fawkes' coat fresh and incredibly soft, and it's designed to rebalance the pH of the skin making its effect nearly instantaneously evident. If Fawkes has an itchy spot, he seems actually relieved when he sees me pull the bottle out of the refrigerator.
Recipe
Base ingredients:
Organic apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered, with mother)
Cold brew green tea (organic tea)
Note: using distilled water is vital for efficacy, do not use tap water. Also, do not hot brew tea then chill, this will cause bacterial growth.
How to make cold brew tea: 1 | 2
Optional ingredients:
Neem oil (multifunctional natural pest control/deterrent)
Organic, fractionated coconut oil (multifunctional, soothes skin/fur)
Away essential oil
Sunshine in a Bottle essential oil
Shelf Life
Short answer: 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator
Despite my repeated requests for information, I have been unable to find advice regarding the expected shelf-life of this spray from the creators of the base recipe. With that in mind, I gauge the expiration based on the tea, which has the shortest shelf-life of the individual ingredients. However, an important factor is that the ACV both kills the majority of bacteria the tea may grow and extends the shelf-life of the tea itself. My understanding is that the tea mixed with the ACV should last 1-2 weeks. Also, cold brew tea is less likely to grow bacteria which additionally increases its shelf-life. Signs of it going back are funky smell, strands or flecks growing in the liquid, or increased viscosity.
Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
A few other notes:
• This recipe is based on one from Dr. Karen Becker which can be found here on her facebook page.
• I have not been able to find any information regarding the variety of green tea used. There are hundreds of varieties of green tea and I am unsure if any one is preferential to others for this purpose. Until I have more info, I recommend using a high quality, organic blend. Yes, organic matters - here’s why.
• I add neem oil, coconut oil, and the two essential oils to Dr. Becker's original recipe. The neem and Away act as pest deterrents, the coconut oil aids in soothing/healing the skin, and Sunshine in a Bottle has several relevant health benefits which you can read about here.
• Dr. Melissa Shelton has tons of amazing information on her website about using essential oils for dogs. Her research goes far more in-depth than any other animal essential oil company I have found thus far. I highly recommend reading through her product descriptions and directions.
For a closer look at the research that went into this article, please see this behind the scenes post.