yeast infections...what causes them

[debbie]

I am fostering 2 dogs right now and both have this skin problem. The one has been on Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato for a month now and it seems that it might be clearing up..but just a little. I've been bathing him with Malasab and using the ear wash also.
Now I've got a temp foster that has come in with the same problem. While I realize that certain breeds have more of a propensity for this then others, I'm curious to know some of the whys and where fors of it.
It sure looks miserable!
thanks,
debbie

[k9Karen]

The yeast is a normal body organism. It's usually Malassezia pachydermatis in canines, but it can also be Candida albicans or other Candida species. The yeasts are normally present on all mammals in small numbers and usually don't cause problems.

There are a number of things that can influence yeast infections. In many cases there may be more than one thing involved. In some dogs (as with people) the immune system may be impaired, and the normal functions that fight-off overgrowth of commensal organisms, like yeast, are somehow compromised, so the yeast overgrows. This is especially true in the very young and the very old. Sometimes it's the person's fault. Yeast are very resilient, and may survive bathing and other treatments that kill off the normal skin bacteria that keep the yeast in check, so again, the yeast overgrows. Some people also think there is a diet component. I have seen dogs that when all sugars are removed from the diet, the yeast infections ease up. Check your food and treats for sugars. Malnutrition can also be a factor (especially vitamin or protein deficiency), as can allergies (the allergy compromises the skin and yeast gets a foot-hold in the area). If the dog is kept outside, or in a home that is not airconditioned, that can also be a factor.

Usually in dogs that have chronic yeast infections it's an on-going battle. My Allie has a problem with recurrent ear infections caused by Malassezia. She will go several weeks without a problem, then all of a sudden she will start scratching at her ear (usually the left one) and shaking her head - all signs that the infection is back. Mickey (who will be 16 in just a few days) never had a problem until the past year or so. He now has recurrent problems in his skin and his ears due to his advanced age and declining immune function.

Hope this helps some. Unfortunately, I don't have the answer on how to get rid of it forever.

[momPaws]

Karen- what do you use for the yeast infection in the ear?

[k9Karen]

Karen- what do you use for the yeast infection in the ear?

Zymox otic. It's a mixture of natural enzymes and related ingredients that work to destroy the cell wall of various microbes. It contains lysozyme, a very powerful lytic enzyme that is made by virtually all eucaryotic organisms, lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase. It comes with and without hydrocortisone. I keep both. If her ear is swollen and hurts, I use the one with the cortisone. I use the other as a preventive or when the infection is subsiding and the inflammation is gone. I love it. Works much better than anything my vet sold me.

It's available on the 'net without a prescription. Link below:

https://petscriptions.com/public/index. ... imal_type=

[Patrick]

Karen, my dog also gets lots of ear infections. Is there a way to tell if it is yeast infection, and NOT some other type of infection, without the expense of going to the vet? Thanks! -------Patrick

[k9Karen]

Karen, my dog also gets lots of ear infections. Is there a way to tell if it is yeast infection, and NOT some other type of infection, without the expense of going to the vet? Thanks! -------Patrick

Maybe. Do you know someone who works in a medical lab? I'm a clinical microbiologist, so, because of my knowledge and my job, I'm able to culture Allie's ears as well as look at specimens from her under the microscope. If you know someone, they may be willing to look at a specimen to see if they can see any yeast. That can at least let you know what's going on, but if you need antibiotics, you will still need to see the vet.

There are 3 basic types of ear canal infections - ear mites, yeast or fungus, or bacterial (sometimes a combination of these). With ear mites, the ear canal usually has "blackish goo". If you take some of that from the ear with a cotton swab and place it on a black piece of paper, you can actually see the light-colored mites crawling around. (You may need a magnifying glass - they're very tiny). It is virtually impossible to tell a yeast/fungal infection from a bacterial one without the use of either a microscope or a culture. Although, in my experience with Allie, the yeast infections caused by Malassezia tend to have a rusty-reddish colored "goo" in the ear, but I don't think that's unique to this type of infection.

The Zymox I use will work with bacterial and fungal infections, but not ear mites. And it's only for otitis externa (ear canal infection), not for internal infections like otitis media.