What causes yeast infections?
Yeast infections in dogs are also known as yeast dermatitis.
These yeast infections in dogs are caused by a type of fungus known as fungus Malassezia pachydermatous.
Yeast infections in dogs manifest themselves as skin infections which can cause many damages to their skin.
No dog is safe from yeast infections and with that, it is very important to ensure that your dog is safe from getting yeast infections. However, there is some type of dog breeds that are more prone to getting yeast infections as compared to other dog breeds. Here are some of the breeds more prone to yeast infections as compared to others: boxers, basset hounds, poodles, and dachshunds.
Below is more information on the dog breeds that are highly prone to contracting yeast infections.
There is also information on how to care for your dog and what to do when your dog is diagnosed with the infection.
Which body parts do yeast infections affect on a dog?
Yeast infections in dogs usually occur on different body parts but mainly affect the skin.
Apart from your dog’s skin, the yeast infection may also affect the:
- Dogs’ ears
- Their feet
- Dogs’ paws
What to do if your dog catches a yeast infection?
There a few things one could do to help clear the yeast infection on their dog’s skin.
Here are some tips to help your furry friend out as the medicine does its work:
1. It seems like common knowledge but visiting the vet is mandatory.
It is strictly advised to not get your dog over-the-counter medicine if it is not prescribed by the vet.
This is because your dog may be allergic to the medicine and allergies can be fatal in extreme cases.
It is always advised to go see your vet get them diagnosed and checked out depending on the symptoms they are showing so as a dog owner it is important to not self-diagnose your dog in the comfort of your home.
2. It would be good to change their diet as well depending on what your vet advises you to do.
It is advised to change your dog diet to a raw diet.
The raw diet helps your dog clear up the yeast infection.
In your dog’s raw diet, it is advised to avoid starchy food and add a bit of soft steamed vegetables to their food.
If your dog is not very receptive to the raw diet plan, it is okay to slightly cook the food and have a partially cooked diet where the food is partially cooked before giving your dog.
3. It is also okay to change the products they use on their skin; these are products such as their shampoo for their fur coat.
It is advisable to get information from your vet on what will work for your dog.
It is, although, advised to invest in antifungal shampoos that will help with the yeast infections on the skin as well.
4. Last but not least, it is good to avoid hot or warm water baths as this may irritate your dog’s skin due to the yeast infection.
It is preferred to use water at room temperature to bathe your dog with the preferred shampoo for your dog.
How to prevent yeast infections
Yeast infections are not deadly diseases, yes, but it is still very important to know how to protect your dog against such infections.
Yeast infections can be very uncomfortable for your dog thus it would be advisable to follow either of the methods below:
1. There is a method that involves the use of an anti-fungal shampoo on your dog
This is by using the shampoo to wash your dog frequently and can easily be done in a few simple steps:
Getting an anti-fungal shampoo for your dog.
This is recommended as the starting point to prevent any yeast infections for our dog.
Use the shampoo when you cleaning your dog. It would be preferred to have a scented shampoo depending on the scents your dog likes.
However, the scents should be mild because dogs have very sensitive noses and you would not want to irritate them
When washing your dog, it is important to distribute the shampoo evenly on the dog’s body.
First, before applying the shampoo, one should wet the dog’s fur then apply shampoo evenly on your dog’s body.
For larger dogs, one could dilute the shampoo to ensure the shampoo is evenly spread on the dog’s body.
For your dog’s face, apply some shampoo on a piece of clean cloth and wipe your dog’s face making sure to avoid your dog’s face.
Rinse your dog’s body with clean lukewarm water; not too hot not too cold.
Make sure to rinse the shampoo off completely.
Rinse out your dog’s body with a vinegar mixture
This mixture is made by mixing some water and organic and unfiltered vinegar and giving your dog a rinse with the mixture.
Dry out your dog’s body
It is advisable to towel dry your dog’s body then get a blow drier to help you out.
Set up the blow drier on low heat and ensure you properly dry your dog’s fur.
This is because wet fur can lead to yeast infections.
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2. The other method is where you incorporate lots of care into your dog’s routine
This technically means that you ensure that your dog’s routine has habits that will reduce the chances of your dog getting yeast infections.
This is such as:
- Cleaning your dog’s ears regularly
- Brushing your dog daily to make sure to remove the grease and other particles that may stick in your dog’s fur.
- Make sure to put your dog on a proper diet with enough supplements especially a high protein diet.
What are the symptoms indicating your dog has yeast infections?
It is important to look out for these symptoms in case you think that your dog may be suffering from a yeast infection.
They may not necessarily mean that your dog is suffering from a skin infection but could be a pointer of other skin diseases as well.
Here are the top signs that may indicate yeast infection in your dog:
- Itching of your dog’s skin
- Loss of hair or fur
- Greasy or extra-oily skin
- Skin flaking
- Skin with a weird odor
- Yellowish skin discharge
- Thickening of the skin
From the above, it is important to protect your dog against yeast infections by maintaining general cleanliness.
