[Vicki R]

Hi, I’m new to the group. I have a three year old English bulldog. She is battling yeast infections. Is there a dog food that would help control her yeast? Any other tips on yeast infection would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance….Vicki & Gracie Mae

[InkedMarie]

Yeast can be a tough issue. Any chance you can do raw? One of my dogs had yeast ear infections & when I put him on raw (no fruits or veggies, the sugar in them “feeds” yeast), they went away.

If you must feed kibble, look for one without white potato. In our forums here, look for my stickie on potato free foods. I think it’s in the dog food ingredients forum. I haven’t updated the list but it’s a good start.

[theBCnut]

For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs. And low carb kibbles are better than high carb kibbles for yeast though. Kibble is never the best food for yeast, because all kibble has to have a pretty hefty amount of carbs to hold together. If you can swing it, canned is better, low carb homemade or raw is best. Add coconut oil and probiotics to the diet to help fight the yeast. And bathe weekly with an essential oil shampoo, do not use oatmeal shampoos.

Yeast is often caused by a food reaction, so if you don’t figure out what your dog is reacting to, it will come back.

[DogFoodie]

Ditto what my friends, Marie and the Nut, have already said.

The Nut mentioned that yeast is a big part of food intolerance and I just wanted to say that once I fully embraced that, I finally found the answer for my dog. Start by keeping a list of everything you feed your dog and make notes about your dog’s reaction to the food. Keep the ingredient panel off of the packaging (because ingredients change) and soon, you’ll start seeing problem, common ingredients pop up.

Hang in there, it can be very frustrating; but once you figure out your problem ingredients and eliminate them, your dog will have so much relief. It’s worth the effort.

Now, that said, the very best food I found for my dog with food intolerance issues has been Nature’s Variety Instinct LID, but that’s because it contains none of his triggers. If it contains none of your pups triggers, it could be great for her too.

Good luck!

[Vicki R]

I have her on coconut oil and a antifungal shampoo and than I’ve been doing an AVC rinse. The rinse in one gallon water and one cup of AVC or you can use lemon juice or 20 drops of peppermint. The rinse seems to really help a lot and I am letting the shampoo sit on her for 10 minutes. She’s been only getting broccoli, frozen green beans and cucumbers for treats. Right now she is on Fromm Gold. I’ve had her on Nature’s Variety Instincts before too. I don’t think I could think I would feel comfortable putting her on a raw diet. I don’t know enough about it yet, but I would feed her raw you can purchase at a pet store or order online. Which probiotic do you guys use? Thank you for the advice you’ve already given me. Oh…..and I just figured out on my own it was yeast infection and not allergies just two weeks ago. I’ve been searching for a food since than and also joined some raw feed groups.

[theBCnut]

If you are interested in making his food, either raw or homecooked, then dogaware.com is a great place to get started. Also Dr Karen Becker has a book called “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” that has some great recipes in it. An easy way to do raw is to start with premixes and just add boneless meat. Some good premixes are See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix, Dr Harvey’s Veg to Bowl fine ground, and the Honest Kitchen Preference.

Don’t forget that food sensitivities and yeast infections go hand in hand, so don’t rule that out.

Mercole has a good multistrain probiotic, so does Garden of Life, and if you need an economy option Swanson’s has a couple good ones. It really doesn’t matter if the probiotics are human versus dog, but what does matter is that you use one with as many different strains as you can.

[aimee]

Hi Vicki,

Yeast infections are nearly always caused by Malassezia, a fat loving yeast. Yeast infections are usually secondary to something that is altering the surface of the skin such as food allergy/adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, hormonal conditions, and parasites. If an underlying primary problem isn’t controlled the problem continues.

Food’s primary role in yeast infections is if the food is causing an adverse reaction. The proportions of fat/ carb or protein in the diet has never been linked to Malassezia dermatitis nor been found to help control it in any way. A food elimination trial could be done to identify if that is playing a role.

This article is a but technical but hopefully you can find it helpful http://www.pinnaclifeanimalhealth.com/sites/default/files/research/Malassezia%20Matousek.pdf

[DogFoodie]

Hi Vicki,

The probiotics that I had great luck with were Swanson Ultra Soil Based Organisms: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-soil-based-organisms-90-caps

And, I also used a Swanson digestive enzyme called BioCore that worked amazingly well for my dog who would develop flatulence from certain plant matter:
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-biocore-optimum-complete-ultimate-full-spectrum-enzymes-90-veg-caps

[Vicki R]

Can I buy any of these probiotics at a pet store or do I have to order online?

[theBCnut]

Hi Vicki

While I won’t argue with what aimee said, because it is true. Malassezia is often found in the ears and sometimes elsewhere on the body. But we have been giving advice based on the assumption that you were talking about candida yeast, which is not uncommon in dogs with food issues either, just not as common as malassezia. You may want your vet to determine which kind of yeast it is, but either way, you need to solve the food issue. You can google symtoms for candida yeast infections, but they both have some of the same symptoms. Candida is supposed to be in the gut, but when the intestines are irritated long term, it can overgrow and cause issues elsewhere.

[Vicki R]

I was just assuming it was candida yeast. Boy there is a lot to learn about yeast infections. My head is spinning!!!

[USA]

Hi BC,

You wrote:
“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

The ingredients and nutrient percentages for brothers venison formula are listed below (taken from DFA). Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.”

Any references you could present to back up this claim would be greatly appreciated!

Protein 36%
Fat 18%
Carbs 39%
Ingredients: Venison meal, dried whole eggs, turkey meal, pea starch, cassava/tapioca, pea flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), dried chicken liver, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, alfalfa, carrots, potassium chloride, sea salt, choline chloride, dried whole cell algae (pure source of omega 3 DHA), mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, green tea extract, encapsulated probiotics (dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product), enzymes [amylase (Aspergillus oryzae), protease (Aspergillus oryzae), cellulase (Trichoderma reesei), lactase (Aspergillus oryzae), hemicellulase (Trichoderma reesei), lipase (Aspergillus oryzae), prebiotic (organic, long chain, highly branched inulin), vegetable pomace (celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach), cranberry pomace, lysine HCL, dl-methionine, lecithin, taurine, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D3, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, folic acid, biotin, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, l-ascorbyl 2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C activity), zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, vitamin B12 supplement, l-carnitine

[theBCnut]

Hi USA

I know you don’t like Brothers Complete and this is not a conversation I’m going to have with you, sorry, but if you would like to know why I say that, you can go to their website and read the Brothers Document for yourself.

[USA]

Hi BC

It is very very rude of you to make a statement like:

“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

And then when asked:

“Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.”

You refuse to answer!

[theBCnut]

It’s very rude of you to ask a question for no reason other than to try to start an argument, as you are well aware. You already know the answer, this has been hashed over numerous time here with you smack in the middle of it. If the OP wants to know the answer to that, I would still point to the Brothers Document as having more complete answers than I do, only then I would provide a link and have her call Richard too. You will please note that I specifically said my favorite kibble, not the best kibble. I am entitled to my opinion and I have used the food, and I don’t have to have POINTLESS arguments with you. You are not going to change your mind no matter what anyone presents to you on this subject.

[Susan]

Hi Vicki, you have a beautiful girl, I have a English Staffordshire Terrier, he’s also short & real stocky, he too suffers from the stinky yeasty skin, paws, ears, mostly his paws now…

Everyone will tell you, put her on a grainfree diet. WRONG… Grainfree doesn’t work for yeasty itchy dogs… they have replaced grains with Starchy Potatos, Peas, Topioca, Sweet Potato, (a bit lower in starch) Legumes etc…
I had to do an elimination diet to find out which foods were causing Patches problems, I found Potatos, Sweet potatos, Peas, Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Banana all made Patch itch even causing diarrhea (pototes) anything that was high in STARCH & Gluten, so now I try to keep Patch on a Gluten & Starch free diet….

You seem to be doing everything right, Maybe try the Antiseptic rinses with Betadine (Iodine) this really helps Patches red itchy stinky paws, it kills the bacteria..I use Detol Antiseptic lotion instead in a shallow bath, it works out cheaper then the Betadine you need the water to look like ice tea with the Betadine, you end up needing a whole bottle, where with the Detol antiseptic lotion, I only need a couple of caps to a shallow bath..

Now you need to start on the inside with her Diet…..

Kibble is NO GOOD, to make kibble they need binders to bind the kibble together Peas, Potato, Sweet Potatos, Rice, Oats, legumes etc these all are high starchy carbs causing yeast problems in dogs, the best way is no kibble… feed either a cooked diet or a freeze dry diet or both… no kibble….. 1 for breakfast the other 1 for dinner, I boiled chicken breast & add little boiled Pumkin for breakfast…

Have you looked at freeze dried foods like “K-9 Natural” instead of kibble, it has NO GRAINS, NO POTATOS, GLUTEN FREE, NO HIGH STARCHY CARBS…alot of people swear by K9 Natural, once you get ur girl off kibble the nightmare will start to end for both of you….. K9 Natural also makes treats, they do freeze dried & raw ….click on the product you want to have a look at & all the ingredients will come up……the chicken or the venison has the least amount of fat %…..even find another freeze dried brand with the same ingredients that K9 Natural uses if you can not find K9 Natural in pet shops…
here’s their link its worth a try…
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/

Good Luck with Gracie Mae

[USA]

Hi BC,

Please stick to the facts of what actually happened here! You said:

“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

And I asked:

“Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.
Any references you could present to back up this claim would be greatly appreciated!”

You then flew off the handle and along the way made FALSE accusations about me:

“It’s very rude of you to ask a question for no reason other than to try to start an argument, as you are well aware. You already know the answer, this has been hashed over numerous time here with you smack in the middle of it.”

1) I dearly hoped that I could ask you a question about the comment you made that brothers “is formulated to help yeasty dogs” without you starting a fight.

2) I do NOT know the answer to the question I asked you, AND I have never been “smack in the middle” of any discussion on DFA about brothers and the claim that “It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

3) You and I and the other regulars are just a tiny percentage of the people who read these comments. Most people who visit DFA have NO IDEA what you are talking about when you refer to things that happened in the past!!

I ask you kindly to please refrain from making FALSE accusations about me, Thank You!

[USA]

GREAT ANSWER Susan!!!

[Kelly S]

Both my dogs are producing an over abundance of yeast…I’ve looked everywhere for a good that is low in carbs and fat for them and am just overwhelmed. Any suggestions on what brand to get?

[Kelly S]

Food. Not good. :/

[Brenda T]

All these different brands of dogfood sound wonderful but checking out the prices, I cannot afford any of them, especially if trial and error is involved. What if I cooked beef liver or chicken thighs…. perhaps throw in green beans or broccoli? I’ve been mixing in plain yogurt with his regular food (I mix canned Alpo sliced beef with either Alpo dry or Pedigree dry). It’s pretty obvious that store brand are not the best but it’s what I can afford for my yeasty dog. Antifugal shampoo is the best? I know oatmeal only feeds the yeast so I won’t use that. I need to find a new vet as the one I am using has not been very helpful.

[aimee]

Hi Brenda,

The homemade diet you are proposing is very unbalanced. Also diet is very rarely involved in the causation or treatment of yeast infection of the skin so a diet change is very often not needed. Unfortunately there is a common misunderstanding regarding diet and yeast. Lower carb diets have been recommended to control symptoms of Candida yeast overgrowth in the intestine of people. This information has been misapplied to the treatment of a dog’s yeast infection, but the yeast infection of the dog’s skin is completely different problem. The yeast itself is different. Yeast in the human intestines is usually, Candida a carbohydrate loving yeast. The yeast on a dog’s skin is nearly always Malassezia which is a fat loving yeast. An oatmeal shampoo won’t specifically address yeast but it won’t feed them either.

Here is an article that addresses treatment of yeast infections in dogs http://www.itchnot.com/images/Malassezia_Dermatitis.pdf

[Bobby dog]

Nice post Aimee.

Hi Brenda:
When my dog was diagnosed with yeast overgrowth the only reason my Vet suggested a diet change was because she felt I was not feeding a healthy food; nothing to do with the food feeding yeast. She didn’t recommend outrageously priced food either, just some OTC foods that were available to me locally. I didn’t completely understand why that was the only reason for her recommendation because all the info I read on the Internet suggested eliminating carbs, mainly white potatoes. I went grain free and potato free anyway. It took close to a year to heal my dog. Bathing therapy was probably the most important part of the regimen. I have since done a 180 in regards to feeding my dog grain or potato free foods. I feed everything under the sun with no issues whatsoever.

Here are some more sites that IMO have good info pertaining to yeast conditions:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=466&S=0&EVetID=3001644
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
peteducation dot com also has good info on yeast (malassezia) infections. The link won’t post here. Just use their search under “what’s the matter” to find info for dogs.

Check out this site’s resources and blog for other info too:
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/

I understand having to stay within a budget. For shampoo I initially used Nolvalson skin and wound cleanser. When I ran out I started using Selsun Blue and it worked well for my dog. You don’t have to buy the name brand, just be sure the shampoo contains 1% selenium sulfide. Here’s an excerpt from the veterinarypartners site I posted a link to above, “Shampoos – While degreasing shampoos such as the benzoyl peroxide (OxyDex, Pyoben) and sulfur/salicylate (SebaLyt, Sebolux) shampoos will help remove the skin oils feeding the yeast, there are shampoos that are specifically anti-yeast. Some 4% chlorhexidine shampoos called ChlorhexiDerm Max or Malaseb shampoo strip skin oil and kill yeast; however, other anti-yeast products include Selsun Blue, Miconazole shampoo, Nizoral shampoo, Douxo shampoo and more. The pet must be bathed twice a week to start and the shampoo requires a 15 minute contact time (meaning do not rinse the lather for 15 minutes).”

[aimee]

Awesome post Bobby dog!!!

Love Love Love the link from healthyskin4dogs. What a goldmine of accurate information to combat all the myth perpetuated about yeast dermatitis! Everyone with any questions should read it

I especially love the cartoon on the page regarding fact checking internet information!

[Bobby dog]

Thanks! The cartoon is cute. 😉

I really like the healthyskin4dogs site and signed up for their newsletters a while ago. They have good, well written, and easily understood info on skin conditions IMO. I have never used their products, but definitely would look into them if Bobby had any issues pop up.

[Susan]

Hi Brenda,
There has to be another cheap dog food with better ingredients then Pedigree & Purina brands, I have a yeasty dog, so I’ve been feeding less kibble… I find the Grain free kibbles make him smell more, probably the potatoes & peas, your dog might be different & be OK eating potatoes & peas all dogs are different & react to different foods, like carrots as soon as I put carrots in his meals he starts scratching his ears after 2 days from just adding carrots.. Patch does best on a fish & rice kibbles, I feed cooked meal for breakfast & kibble for dinner, some days he gets chicken, kangaroo, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potatoes, pumkin then when the cooked kangaroo is finished in 2 days, I feed Chicken, Salmon, broccoli, zucchini, etc whatever I have left over I add to meal… buy some tin sardines in spring water, add a couple sardines with the beef & veggies even try adding some rice instead of the kibble, my boy has IBD & the cooked rice irritates his bowel but the grounded rice in a kibble is OK….sardines are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, Coenzyme (CoQ10) & vitamins excellent for the skin & heart….
Do you have a Costco near by they sell 6 tins Sardines in spring water for $10 or the supermarkets have their brand sardines real cheap, make sure they’re in spring water not tomato sauce or oil also Costco’s Grain Free dog food “Kirkland Signature” Nature Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato 35lb bag is made by Taste Of The Wild & cheaper…or Sportmix Wholesome Fish meal & Rice chewy sells 40lbs for $30 these kibbles may be a bit dearer but it will last longer & need less per meal then the Pedigree/Purina kibbles & your dog will be healthier in the long run…also bath weekly in an anti fungal anti bacterial dog shampoo…I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, I’ve seen a cheaper antibacterial shampoo at Walmart for around $7…. so maybe just changing to a better food & bathing weekly his skin will improve & still add some cooked food with the kibble once he’s doing good again…

[Tabby R]

Hi Aimee, you said anti-yeast dog diets should consist of a low fat diet. I feed my dogs blue basics lid lamb and potato http://bluebuffalo.com/natural-dog-food/limited-ingredient-basics/dry-food/basics-adult-grain-free-lamb-and-potato-recipe/
One of my chis is allergic poultry and the other one has yeast problems on his skin. They are both picky eaters and they love this food. What is cosidered high fat in diets?

[aimee]

Hi Tabby,

In case this is directed to me as I have posted in this thread i want to clarify that I didn’t say that an anti yeast dog diet should be low fat. I did say that the yeast on a dog’s skin are “fat loving” but this doesn’t mean a high fat diet “feeds the yeast” and a low fat diet is recommended.

The yeast feed off of skin oils at the surface.. far removed from dietary fat. The “diet is very rarely involved in the causation or treatment of yeast infection of the skin”. Diet only factors into a yeasty dog if it is grossly unbalanced or if the dog reacts to an ingredient in the diet resulting in an adverse food reaction that changes the skin.

As to what constitutes a high fat in diets it is kind of relative to the animal and it’s needs. But in general for myself I consider anything at or above 40% of calories fed as fat to be high fat for a dog. This is equivalent to ~ 20% fat on a Dry Matter basis

[Tabby R]

Oh, okay. Thank you!
My yeasty dog has many allergies and rashes and is dealing with a yeast infection and I want to make sure his diet is not worsening or causing his allergies/yeast.
I still don’t know what he reacts to. The diet he eats is LID. And he gets flare uo sometimes but I don’t know why.
Very frustrating and upsetting.

[aimee]

Skin disease certainly is frustrating…sometimes never cured, only managed and flares are understandably upsetting.

Good Luck

[InkedMarie]

Tabby,
Food for thought: my yeasty boy (mostly in ears but was a paw licker too) finally cleared up by going on raw with no produce.

[Tabby R]

Thank you both! Will look into raw.

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

“Because only some dogs and cats develop ear infections, other conditions often contribute to the development of otitis externa and ear infections in your pet. Allergies, parasites, and masses or tumors can all cause ear irritation and infection. Allergies are the most common cause of ear infections in dogs and cats. Since an ear infection can be secondary to an underlying problem, it is often important to diagnose and treat the cause of the ear infection while treating the ear infection”.

[Jazzlover]

I’ve yet to find a dry food w/out alfalfa, pumpkin, carrots, tapioca; high glycemic foods. I’ve been feeding Orijen, Acana, Merrick canned & sardines (1x/wk). I know this are high quality kibbles, but still these ingredients a present in the dry foods. I looked at Brothers and only see complete. These ingredients were there as well, w/ a ton of ingredients I could not pronounce vs. what I’ve been using. Help! I’m willing to try raw 1 day/wk, if I could get a great recipe (which could be varied). I love Dr. Karen Becker’s video on yeast http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx and I’m doing my best to rid our 90lb male lab, Jazz. ~Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Jazz Lover, here’s Maintenance Raw-Diet, I went thru a Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan cause Patch has IBD & Skin problems, I had to pick 2 proteins from this raw diet, 2-4 veggies & 1-2 fruits…. if you scroll down to bottom you will see other health diets there’s a ‘Skin Allergy” diet…
This diet is so easy, I would freeze the meat separate in 1 cup sections, I was blending broccoli, celery, carrot, beans & 1 apple then freezing in 2 spoon sections….. I had to add 1-2 spoons veggie/fruit mix to 1 cup protein, I picked Kangaroo mince & organic chicken breast, breakfast I feed kangaroo & dinner I feed the chicken…..I also added the DigestaVite Plus powder & the Omega 3,6, & 9 oil… add a couple small sardines if you can’t get the omega 3, 6 & 9 oil…
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

[Allison S]

I have a 3 year old bulldog that I introduced to a raw diet a few months ago. So far success, but maybe you guys can provide some insight on tweaks.

Inkedmarie: what do you add to your dogs food to include fiber in the diet? Do you use a suppliment? Ive done alot of research on raw diets, and lets just say, like anything else, everyone has their own opinion, so it’s hard to figure things out, but I just try and use the common denominators I find, and trial and error. I’m basically feeding a large portion of ground turkey, or pork, and a small portion of ground beef, and any other muscle meat I find at the store for variety. I add in small portions of organ meat such as heart or tripe, and small portions of veggies. (thoughts on the organ meat? most research suggests adding it for certain nutrients, but I just watched some videos about a vet speaking highly of raw diets, but said no organs!) It varies, but I mostly use carrots, spinach, and pumpkin. However, my dog has developed yeast. I used to give her raw chicken legs as a snack (which I monitored, and she was successful at eating those properly) but i’ve read bulldogs dont’ usually tolerate chicken well, so I cut that out of her diet completely. I’ve been able to obtain other meat bones to substitute. The yeast has gotten better, but it’s not gone. Another source told me carrots aren’t good because they digest into sugar that feeds the yeast, and suggested only green vegetables. I’m really trying to tweak the diet as much as possible, and give as little suppliments as possible. Mostly cause i’m broke, haha, but also i just like the idea of doing things naturally. I do have her on a probiotic, and fish oil. And i’ve also started giving her coconut oil and yogurt…just a spoonful as a treat each day. Go figure, i probably have the only dog in the world that will eat spoonfuls of coconut oil, but hates peanut butter.

Thoughts?

[InkedMarie]

My opinion is that if you feed the whole animal, you don’t need much. I feed primarily grinds from Hare Today; they use the whole animal mostly. I add eggs 2-3x weekly and salmon oil daily. My older dog gets some joint stuff.

Red meat should be more than white. I feed bones for teeth also.

[Sherrie Z]

Hi my Liam is a red nose pit and shar pei mix at the age of 5 the allergies from the sharpei side exploded. Yes I’ve always provided my animals with premium dog food now after my research with yeast infections and the ears I’ve gone completely grain-free food called 4health, Fromm, and Blue Buffalo are very good products.

To battle the yeast infection in his ears- An yes it works wonders an on contact immediate results-
Generally, cleaning your dog’s ears once a week is needed, for those with chronic ear infections or a propensity to develop ‘yeasty-type’ smells and infections, 2 drops of witch hazel to 1 tablespoon of baby oil, Apply this solution to a cotton ball and GENTLY clean out the ear. Witch hazel is also referred to as ‘nature’s Neosporin’ and this solution encourages healing on minor skin breaks. It’s a drying agent which your furbaby needs. An Here is the cream to follow that cleaning-Monistate cream- Yep antifungal cream! Added bonus- anti itch, an infection control, swelling reduced with minutes.

Trust me- or do a little research- Or ask Liam 🙂

[Jazzlover]

You can also buy witch hazel wipes. Witch hazel is also recommended by Dr. Karen Becker. Sherrie, please share the name of the wash & cream you mention? Unclear what the cream is for.

How about yeasty feet remedies that work please? I just began doing foot baths w/ vinegar & water, & the off days cleaning webbed feet and nails w/ same but wiping w/ cotton balls. Will bathe 1x/wk w/ antibacterial/antifungal shampoo.

Has anyone had success w/ a cream to fight the bacterial/fungal after cleaning the paws? Now I’m trying coconut oil.

I’m actively trying to remedy this… I switched to from Orijen (other), Acana & Merrick canned to Orijen Tundra because I called and this one has the lowest carbs of both (all) lines, and to instinct canned. I will continue to use sardines as a now and then topper aswell. Adding plain greek yogurt & oregano or ACV.

[Sherrie Z]

Jazzlover
The cream I mentioned to use after wiping ear clean with witch hazel- the same cream women use!! MONISTAT Yeast Infection Treatment –

yeast infections start in the dog’s digestive tract which can then leak out and manifest as skin problems.   That’s why you need to change there diet – Grain free- staring from the inside out to cure..

There are an array of antifungal sprays but most dogs will lick a lot of that off. Here is what I use twice a week for paws – spray
Nature’s specialist wam anti itch spray

Anti-Yeast Dip

You can either use a bowl or large coffee cup and dunk the paws daily in the dip.  If you have a smaller dog, you could easily pop them in the sink instead. 

1 x gallon of warm water
2 x cups of white vinegar
1 x cup of hydrogen peroxide

No need to rinse off just pat the paws dry. Don’t use this solution in your dog’s ears.

Also need a antifungal shampoo-

Nature’s Specialties Quick Relief Neem Shampoo

[Susan]

Jazzlover, Malassezia (Yeast infection) can also be brought on by environment allergies, mites, pollen, trees, grasses etc specially the ears… Witch hazel can make the ears worse as it can burn the skin….
Karen Helton Rhodes is a Dermatologist & is a regular on a face book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” if you need any advice..
Here’s one of her “Facts & Myths about yeast Dermatitis in dogs” links, you will be surprise some things your doing can be making your dog worse…

I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream or the Mometasone Furoate ointment 0.1% for red paws & red itchy skin, I check everything at night & lightly apply the cream, for the ears “Zymox” otic ear drops work the best for Patch…

The only way a dog gets yeasty skin from foods, is if he’s allergic to grains & carbs, which is very rare, but Patch has sensitivities to corn, wheat, barley, potatoes, potatoes only if in a kibble, when cooked fresh he’s fine with potatoes but not much, also grain free diets are higher in starchy carbs then kibbles with grains like brown rice etc…… Patch does better on a kibble that is just Fish & Rice…. Rodney Habib posted a post the other day about all the hype about grain free kibble & some grain free kibble have 60% starchy carb….. I really think it all depends on your dog one dog does real well on a kibble diet & some dogs do best on a raw diet…kibbles need all the carbs to bind the kibble together so if you have a dog with skin problems then kibble isn’t the best for your dog, I feed either cooked or roll meat for breakfast & kibble for dinner but I try not to feed any kibble if I can…. http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

[Pitlove]

Hi Jazzlover-

I would have a look back at Aimee’s posts in this thread. She has it completely right about yeast. There is far too much misformation on the internet about yeast and some of it is even perpecuated by vets like Dr. Becker.

As Aimee mentioned previously, carbs DO NOT in fact feed yeast. Yeast infections are secondary to a primary cause. For instance in my pitbulls case, his hypersensitivities to certain ingredients in food like beef and duck cause him to get yeast infections under his nail beds, inbetween his digits and in his ears. He also has break outs around his mouth like acne and his mouth and inbetween his digits gets bright red and raw.

My boy has been completely yeast free for a few months now and he is not on raw and he is not on grain free. Raw and grain free are not automatically “anti-yeast” diets. Very common misconception that has been put out there on the internet as truth. Not all dogs need to go to raw or grain free to have their yeast issues solved. The key to treating yeast overgrowth is to find out the primary cause/trigger of the yeast overpopulation. Your dog naturally has yeast all over his/her body, but when something (like hypersensititivies or allergies) suppresses the immune system the body is off balance and can no longer keep the yeast from overpopulating. My dog does well on foods that have fish as the animal protein source and no wheat. He can eat other grains though without issue.

Also the only thing that has been clinically proven to kill yeast are shampoos that contain chlorhexidine gluconate, like Malaseb. There is no clinical proof that ACV kills yeast.

I’d like to add also that it will be much more difficult to treat the yeast if the primary trigger is environmental.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.

[Jazzlover]

Yes, this is the Dip I use, however because Jazz is a black lab it’s advised to NOT use the peroxide as a dip because it can bleach the black fur per Dr. Karen Becker. Watch this one it’s full of insight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl_X1I1GJ1Q.

I do believe Jazz very well may be allergic to grass and that could be exasperating the yeast. I had switched from Orijen Adult to Acana limited ingredient initially thinking he could be allergic to chicken. Unfortunately, I just found out that the Acana limited has more carbs then Orijen (& the yeast became worse) – Orijen Tundra has ~17.5% carbs (the least of all in their lines). I’ve always fed grain-free and now trying low-glycemic. Going raw for a 90lb papa is not affordable sadly w/ 2 teenage boys in the house.

I’m open to other healthy toppers or 1 raw day if someone has suggestions!

~Thanks

Thanks for the cream info!

[Sherrie Z]

Your absolutely right, not one thing works for every dog. I stated what works for my pitt. It’s take time to find out what may be causing your dog’s allergies or yeast infection. Not all dogs need to go grain free, But it’s a good place to start because the only other way to truly know what’s causing the allergies is very expensive test, an those aren’t always accurate either.

I don’t believe there misconceptions, it’s trial an error, there given suggestions an multiple different variations of foods, an remedies. Everything here is opinions and options they used what has worked for their dog an what has failed.

My pitt can not eat fish based meals, beef or duck. He eats chicken based food, no wheat, soy or by products an has been doing great on that with the other remedies iv only suggested.

[Sherrie Z]

Never thought about the hydrogen peroxide bleaching the fur on his paws? That’s interesting.

And you’re welcome for the information on the cream 🙂

[Pitlove]

Hi Sherrie-

Yes part of what I stated was my own personal experience and the other part was fact based on clinical research. The fact that when I looked to clinical research and those who believed in it as well, for help with my dogs yeast, he got better, tells me that the base principle of treating yeast in dogs is what works. Determining the cause of the yeast infections and eliminating it from the diet or environment. That will mean different things for different dogs. My dog doing well on fish means nothing, but that MY dog does well on fish. It was not a suggestion, just an observation about my own dog. It is important to understand as the consumer that there is fact and truth that exists about canine nutrition and disease etc. Some look in all the wrong places for those facts and they are left feeling no closer to an answer than when they started.

The best place to start if you believe food is the culprit is at your vet and discuss doing an elimination diet, which is the golden standard for diagnosing food allergies/sensitivities. Blood testing is unrealiable and yields false positives and false negatives. No knowledgable vet will recommend blood testing over a food trial.

[InkedMarie]

My pbgv had yeast issues and has had no issues since going on a raw diet (no produce). I personally don’t need clinical proof, studies or anything else. I only know that this is what worked for my dog.

[Pitlove]

Hi Marie-

Sounds like when you switched over to raw you unknowingly removed what was triggering your dogs yeast. Glad to hear it’s still working so well.

Don’t know why you are so against research but my point was not to argue that raw can’t work or grain free can’t work. It was to say that if you feed both of those diets but are also feeding what triggers the allergies and thus the yeast, it will not go away.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Pitlove!
No idea what I removed that worked but it did. He was on one Cal Nat food for years then the issue came back. We tried numerous foods; my holistic vet wanted me to try raw with no fruits or veggies and it worked.
I’m not against research but *for me*, if something works, that’s good enough for me. I’m not arguing, just stating what’s important to me. If raw hadn’t worked for Boone, I’d have tried something else. He’s 10 now & I pray for at least 5 more healthy years!

[Pitlove]

Marie, I agree! We need to go with what works for our dogs. I guess my other half of the point that I did not state was, that when people are looking for advice because they haven’t found a solution (like we have), it gets confusing and aggravating when you are trying all the ideas presented on the internet and none of them are working because in reality none of them are based on fact.

Dr. Becker’s videos on yeast used to be my favorite and go to for help. I tried to get Bentley on the lowest carb food I could afford, went grain free (in fact he ate grain free for most of his life), etc. He continued to suffer because that information was not factual and does not work to treat Malassezia. I am actually very thankful that I can still feed kibble/canned with success because I am not in a position to feed raw or homecooked. And Primal (which is just about the only raw food we have a work now) is far too expensive, and I have concerns about using it long term.

[Author]

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