Could it be a yeast infection?
An Honor Therapy Golden
Most pet owners have heard the term yeast infection, but many don't know exactly what causes it. Sometimes a dog's family assumes their pet is just meant to have a bit of a stinky doggy smell, when in reality he has a problem with yeast overgrowth.
Yeast is a spore-like type of fungi that reproduces through a process called budding. Budding just means that portions of the organism's cell body break off and form whole new yeast organisms.
Yeast infections of the skin and ears are very common in dogs, and are caused by an organism called Malassezia pachydermatis. A normal amount of yeast becomes an infection when the organism begins reproducing uncontrollably. When the yeast reproduction gets out of control, the organisms invade and colonize areas of the dog's body and skin beyond those where they normally live, and in higher numbers.
Yeast are opportunistic organisms. They flourish when the body isn't healthy or in perfect balance.
Dogs Most at Risk for Yeast Infections
Most dogs with yeast infections have immune system imbalances that inhibit the body's ability to control the yeast overgrowth. Yeast infections often occur during or after antibiotic therapy because the drugs have reduced the beneficial bacterial levels necessary to maintain healthy skin defenses.
Yeast can also be a significant problem for pets that are immunosuppressed. This would include pets born immunoglobulin deficient. There are also certain drugs, like steroids and chemotherapeutic agents, which suppress an animal's immune system and can open the door to yeast infections.
I also see lots of yeast infections associated with allergies. An allergy is an immune system over-reaction, and many veterinarians use immunosuppressive steroids like prednisone, dexamethasone, and cortisone to mute or turn off the immune response, making it incapable of managing normal flora levels. This can lead to yeast overgrowth.
Pets with allergies that progress to secondary bacterial skin infections are typically given antibiotics. But antibiotics destroy all bacteria – the bad and the good – which can lead to yeast overgrowth. The more antibiotics given, the worse the yeast infection tends to be. Allergic dogs can also develop allergies to their own yeast, making the problem even worse.
Allergy testing will sometimes show that a dog is having an allergic response to her own natural flora, in which case things can get very complicated. Pets with an underactive immune system (identified by immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) testing), as well as pets with overactive immune systems and allergies, are both at risk for chronic yeast infections.
Symptoms and Signs of a Yeast Infection
A yeast infection can occur anywhere on a dog's skin, including between the toes, in the armpits, and in deep skin wrinkles and folds. But the most common location for a yeast infection is your dog's ears.
At a minimum, a dog with a yeast infection feels uncomfortable. The discomfort can range from mild to terrible. Almost all dogs with a yeast problem become extremely and chronically itchy at the site of the infection. If it's a problem with her paws, she won't be able to leave them alone. The same goes for her ears. A lot of butt scooting can also be a clue. The terrible itching leads to desperate scratching and chewing, which can result in significant self-induced trauma and pain.
Another thing most pet guardians notice is the smell. Yeast has a very distinctive odor, which has been described as similar to moldy bread, or cheese popcorn, or corn chips. In fact, some people refer to a yeast infection on a dog's paws as Frito Feet. It's a pungent, musty, unpleasant smell that at times can be overpowering.
I'm sensitive to the smell of yeast, so when a patient enters my exam room, the owner may not know her dog has a yeast problem, but I know it as soon as they come through the door. Many dogs have had a yeast problem for so long their owners don't realize their pet is stinky. I've had dog parents say, "I thought she was supposed to smell like that," because they have grown accustomed to their dog's chronic yeast problem.
Other signs of a yeast infection include areas of skin irritation, redness, and inflammation, especially in and around the ears, around the toes and pads of the feet, in nasal, facial or other skin folds, around the anus, under the armpits, on the neck, and sometimes around the tail base. There might also be hair loss, scaly or oily skin, or a greasy hair coat.
Sometimes in chronic, severe yeast infections there are raised scaly patches of skin or the skin darkens and thickens. There might also be a secondary bacterial infection or a foul-smelling yellow-green discharge from the ears. There can also be behavior changes caused by the itching and pain, including depression, loss of appetite, anxiety, and even aggression.
I've seen dogs so intensely itchy that when I try to stop them from digging at their skin, they become aggressive because their discomfort is so overwhelming. It's a very sad situation.
Diagnosing a Yeast Infection
Definitive diagnosis of a yeast infection is accomplished either by cytology (looking at a skin swab under a microscope) or by culturing (submitting a sterile swab of the skin to the lab where the cells are grown and identified on a petri dish).
If there's an ear infection, either diagnosed or suspected, it's extremely important to know whether the eardrums are still intact before putting any liquids, gels, cleansers, or other medications down in the ears. If one or both eardrums have ruptured, putting products into the ear canals can damage the middle and inner ear.
Most dogs with a yeast infection have it in more than one spot. For example, they can have it on all four paws, both ears, or in some cases, over their entire body.
Treating Your Dog's Yeast Infection: Addressing the Diet
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