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Full body yeast infection

22K views 37 replies 14 participants last post by  scnj98 
#1 ·
My dog has a full body yeast infection and her skin is very dry due to this - and it tears very easily and then doesn't heal for months.

Does anyone know of any holistic ways to treat this? She's on meds but they don't work that well and she can't go on the really expensive med (starts with a c) that causes excessive thirst b/c she has bladder problems.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
What exactly is her diagnosis?
 
#5 ·
systemic fungal problem would be malassezia Malassezia dermatitis

01 Malassezia Dermatitis (Yeast Infection of the Skin) - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!

You can also shampoo with Mane n Tale Protect .

That treats the outward symptom. Often the immune system has crashed, so a higher plane of nutrition is part of the recovery. I dealt with one 8 year old female brood bitch pug that was removed from a true puppy mill during a raid on the premises. She was a store mascot of a local pet food store. Along with the input of an alternative naturapathic vet , and myself the dog was turned around to perfect health . She "Ruby" lived another 4 years, this time happy years without problems .
Essential fatty acids are important.
Probiotics and digestive enzymes are very important.
Getting off grains a large step toward reducing fungal problems .
Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs
 
#35 ·
I think what you are seeing is what a body looks like after years of immuno-suppressive drugs. They sometimes alleviate the symptoms in the short term, but don't cure the problem, so when you stop giving them everything comes back, and often big time. I feed raw (which is usually the best fix for a lot of skin - and other - ailments) so I can't advise you on which kibble would be best - though a limited ingredient formula would seem to be a place to start. I think the probiotics are an absolute must - all that medication has messed with your dog's gut, and you need to put back the good flora the drugs have wiped out. A fast acting formula which my vet recommended and I really like is Vetri-Mega Probiotic made by Vetri-Science Labs www.vetriscience.com - you can Google it for the best price, or order it through your vet. It isn't cheap, but it is an excellent product.

8000 mgs of fish oil is a lot, even for a compromised dog. And if you aren't giving vit E along with it, this might be adding to the problem - one balances the other and allows for proper absorption. Usually you give 1000 mg cap per 20-25 lbs body weight........then add a 400 IU vit E cap. I'd try just plain salmon oil caps for a while and see if just the Omega 3 (without the 6) will work better for you. Good luck at getting your poor girl some relief!
_________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:
 
#11 ·
diag tests: ear cultures - allergic to pollens - gets worse with spring, but not so much this year too much b/c since med isn't working, it is bad enough that it can't get much worse and hasn't. i'm unemployed/ no unemployment insurance - no money for either of us currently.
 
#16 ·
#17 ·
I think probiotics and digestive enzymes would be a good idea. can anyone recc a brand/ amounts...........she's 70 #, maybe a little less. i'm giving her pumpkin with her food, which is carbs. funny, i think it may be helping substantially. not 100% sure yet; doesn't seem to be hurting - giving her about a cup with her food 2x day.
thanks for the help!
 
#20 ·
As carmspack mentioned, for yeast, you want high protein, low carbs and starches.

The pumpkin is adding fiber, and many use it for stool quality, though it's not helping the yeast. The pumpkin is also adding vitamin A I suspect, which can help with IgA deficiency perhaps.

With that amount of fish oil, you should be adding about 800 IU of natural mixed tocopherol vitamin E, like Twinlabs Super E Complex.

The cyclosporin, you can get it cheaper as generic form, by putting your dog on his own individual health plan at Walgreen's and get a script for it. Better if you don't have to do that.

Doxycycline, and maybe an antifungal would work better and be safer than the cyclo. The doxy is used as an immune suppressant and anti-inflammatory in this case, instead of the cyclo. I would try True CMO Cetyl Myristoleate as an immune system anti-inflammatory, in addiiton to the doxy, but it sounds like you got a new script today.

Remember, one of the side effects of cyclo is increased yeast infections, and might be true for pred too, don't know off the top of my head.
 
#21 ·
my guy has yeast infections and allergies, too. i now give him taste of the wild salmon and lamb. he gets no chicken, found this was making him itch and lick more. he gets many vitamins - vit c 500 mg, zinc 25 mg, vitamin e 400, omega fatty acid 1,000 mg 2x day, probiotic acidophilus 2 billion, benadryl 2x day, 2 or 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt. i'm not saying this is going to work for your guy, but it has slowed down the licking and itch by at least half if not more for my baby. also have used dr foster/smith healthy skin vites. and, the good thing that has also happened he is getting some of his hair back on his belly. i hope you find something that works for you guy. i know how heartbreaking it feels when you see them suffer and they can't stop themselves from licking and scratching.
 
#22 ·
My girl got a nasty topical yeast infection a while back and it seemed like nothing would fix it. Of course the vet said it was allergies and prescribed steroids and limited diet food. The steroids made it worse and she refused the food. Someone recommended a strict pro-biotic/enzyme regimen to me and it works fantastic.
It took about a month or so to see clear results but about a year into the program now she is a different dog. Prior to treatment she couldn't sleep through the night without literally ripping out her fur. Now she gets complimented all the time on her coat :)

This product was and is an absolute life saver for us. It would be worth giving a shot with your pup.

NZYMES.COM: Official Site! Natural Supplements for Pets and People
 
#27 ·
My girl got a nasty topical yeast infection a while back and it seemed like nothing would fix it. Of course the vet said it was allergies and prescribed steroids and limited diet food. The steroids made it worse and she refused the food. Someone recommended a strict pro-biotic/enzyme regimen to me and it works fantastic.
It took about a month or so to see clear results but about a year into the program now she is a different dog. Prior to treatment she couldn't sleep through the night without literally ripping out her fur. Now she gets complimented all the time on her coat :)

This product was and is an absolute life saver for us. It would be worth giving a shot with your pup.

NZYMES.COM: Official Site! Natural Supplements for Pets and People
Woot woot! My boy also responded to nzymes holistic things. He is so silky I follow him around petting him now! It also took care of a puppy wart that started on his lip that he picked up at daycare. Never multiplied like mos t dogs and shrunk back down went away.
 
#23 ·
I currently have a non-GSD foster dog who suffered years of neglect and had horrible skin when I got him in February. In addition to putting him on a good quality food, I went on-line and purchased a chlorhexidine (antibacterial) shampoo and a ketoconazole (antifungal) shampoo. Each week, I mix the two together with some Head and Shoulders and give him a long bath. The shampoo has to sit on his skin for about ten minutes and the difference has been phenomenal. His skin was brown and black in February and it is now pink with hair re-growth. He also received nearly six weeks of Cephalexin 500 mgs.twice daily at the same time for the severe pyoderma.

In addition to the baths, he gets probiotics, zinc, Nupro Joint (old injuries), benadryl, Claritin, vitamin E and fish oil daily. It has worked and he is now ready for adoption. The rescue folks can't believe that what I have now is the same dog they sent to me in February :).
 
#24 ·
Shannon,

Do you wet the dog first, then apply the shampoo? I have a lot of issues with Cody's skin and this sounds like it would help him but was wondering if you apply the shampoo while he is dry, work it in on his skin/fur, wait, wet and then work it some more? The shampoo I use has instructions like that. Thanks for the information.

P.S. My husband grew up in West Virginia!
 
#26 ·
nzymes.com has a yeast program. They are holistic. We found them after getting frustrated with my boys allergies and getting tired of going to vet....so far very very . happy with them....
 
#28 ·
Just ordered the skin kit for large dogs from nzymes.com. I plan on doing everything they say so that I can have a picture of Cody on their site with before and after pictures. Please keep your fingers crossed!;)

I forgot to mention, he also has a inflatable cone he wears around his neck to keep him from chewing so much. I will post pics in the near future. He looks pitiful.
 
#29 ·
When I wash my foster dog with the antifungal and antibacterial shampoo (mixed together), I do wet him first. He is lathered up and then the shampoo mixture sits on his skin for ten minutes. I then rinse it off and then give him a vinegar rinse (one cup of white vinegar in almost one gallon of warm water) and do not rinse this off. After a blow dry, he is one fluffy and soft dog now.

I also have a GSD (adopted/rescued in late December) and just ordered the Proviable DC for him as he has inflammatory bowel disease and seems to have some food intolerances. He is on Tylan (long-term antibiotic) now and I am going to try this for him as soon as it arrives.
 
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