Quite often, dogs will suffer from various skin ailments where either a yeast infection, fungal infection or a combination of the two is the culprit. A dog yeast infection is rarely fatal, however it often becomes chronic, causing much discomfort for the dog, and stress for the owner. If you notice strange patches of hair loss with obvious irritation or something else on your dog’s skin that doesn’t look quite right, it’s wise to keep an eye on it to insure that the condition doesn’t worsen.A common yeast microorganism, Candida Albicans, lives in a dog’s gut. . When this organism is not kept in check, a dog yeast infection begins and adversely affects the overall health of the individual involved. This yeast organism is kept under control by a balanced pH and “good” bacteria in the dog’s system. If the pH becomes out of balance or the amount of “good” bacteria is reduced, the flood gates are opened and the yeast is allowed to flourish unchecked. This overgrowth of yeast causes a dog yeast infection and puts the dog’s overall health at risk. This can make them prone to such conditions as bloat or torsion of the gut.
There are many causes for an out of balance pH or reduction in beneficial bacteria, but the most common is the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics help to cure infection by eliminating bacteria. However, antibiotics kill all bacteria regardless of it being beneficial or not, thus encouraging a dog yeast infection.
Another major cause of reduction in the dog’s resistance to a dog yeast infection is stress. This stress can be caused by traveling, vaccinations, change in environment and a myriad of other situations either emotional or physical that might be stressful to the dog.
Once a dog yeast infection establishes itself, it weakens the dog’s overall ability to fight disease. This can result in lethargy, disinterest in surroundings and just overall not feeling well.
If you begin to notice spots of hair loss, irritation under the front legs, a foul odor from the dogs ears, or sores on the body that don’t seem to have trauma as the cause, a dog yeast infection should be suspected. With a dog yeast infection, you may often be able to heal the sores, but they will generally reoccur unless you treat the underlying cause. The best course of action is to consult with your veterinarian and give him a full history of your dog’s behavior as well as where he’s been to assist your vet in treating the underlying condition and giving your pet much needed relief.
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