Dog Ear Has a Yeast Infection: What to Do, Feed & Home Remedy

The yeast in your dog's ear is not the same as what you buy at the store.

This may come as a surprise, but the yeast that infects your dog's ear is not the same as what you buy at the store to make homemade bread.

The yeast infection in your dog's ear is caused by CANDIDA ALBICANS, which is commonly found in dogs' ears and digestive tracts. The yeast infection in your dog's ear is NOT caused by a bacteria, it is caused by a fungus.

The scientific term for this type of yeast infection is called CANDIDIASIS (pronounced can-did-eye-a-sis). This particular type of candidiasis most often affects dogs' ears, paws and skin folds.

It occurs when there has been an overgrowth of Candida Albicans which then leads to a candida skin or ear infection on your pet.

Yeast infections are not only contagious among people, they are also contagious among animals!

Dogs with yeast infections often have a predisposing condition such as allergies or hypothyroidism.

A yeast infection is often a secondary infection that occurs as a result of another underlying problem. For example, if your dog has an allergy or skin condition that becomes infected with yeast, the antibiotic that you give to treat the bacterial part of this condition will often kill both the good and bad bacteria in her body. Although you've cured the bacterial infection, killing off the beneficial bacteria can increase your dog's risk of developing a yeast overgrowth because there is nothing to prevent its spread.

Dogs with yeast infections often have a predisposing condition such as allergies or hypothyroidism. This means that getting treatment for their underlying condition will be important in managing their symptoms throughout their lives.

Yeast infections are common in dogs who swim and have floppy ears, particularly dogs like Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and bassett hounds. These breeds are more prone to ear infections because they tend to produce extra wax and moisture inside their ears which serve as a breeding ground for yeasts and bacteria.

Ear infections are painful.

Dog ear infections are often painful.

It can be tough to tell when your dog is in discomfort. Where humans might complain, dogs tend to show their pain through subtle changes in their behavior. If you notice your dog shaking his head, tilting his head to the side, or scratching at his ears, he may have an infection and he's trying to relieve it. If any of those symptoms seem familiar with your pup, check out this article on how you can help heal his ears.

Dogs with allergies are prone to yeasty ears.

Dogs with allergies are also prone to developing a yeast infection in their ears. This is a secondary symptom of the allergy, and it can cause added discomfort for your pup. Allergies cause the production of histamines, which are chemicals that lead to inflammation in the body. As they irritate the ear canal, it can become itchy and sore. The inflamed skin is more hospitable to yeast growth, making ear infections more likely. These infections tend to be painful for dogs and can cause them to scratch at their ears or shake their heads repeatedly.

A wet-type yeast infection can be caused by poor grooming habits or swimming.

Poor grooming habits or swimming can lead to a wet-type yeast infection.

A wet-type yeast infection can be caused by poor grooming habits or swimming.

Some breeds are more prone to ear infections because of their big ears and/or droopy ears. For instance, a Cocker Spaniel is predisposed to this type of infection because their ears flop over their ear canal, thus trapping moisture inside, causing the growth of fungi or yeast in the outer ear canal. If your dog has long hair inside her ears, you will need to keep it away from the inner ear opening so that air can get in and reduce moisture in the area which helps prevent infection. You may want to use an anti-fungal shampoo for dogs with active yeast infections as these shampoos contain ingredients that kill off harmful bacteria and fungi found on your pet’s skin surface while soothing any uncomfortable itching sensations associated with these conditions when used regularly over time but not all day every day! The best way is still brushing them down after bathing them before drying them up so they don't get infected again later on!

Yeast infection is treatable, but often recurs.

The main reason yeast infections recur is that they're often not treated properly the first time. A second infection can mean a medication change is in order, to one that will more effectively kill the fungus. Yeast infections may also recur if your dog's immune system isn't functioning well.

There are several things you can do to help prevent yeast infections from coming back. Keep your dog's skin as dry and clean as possible, because yeast thrives in an environment that's both warm and damp. Regular bathing with an antifungal shampoo (as long as you rinse it completely off) should help keep a yeast infection from recurring by keeping the levels of fungus on your dog under control. Shampoos containing chlorhexidine or ketoconazole are best. If your pet has allergies or another skin condition, keeping those under control may be all that’s needed for reducing or eliminating recurrent infections. Allergies can cause bacterial and fungal overgrowth, so treating them with antihistamines or steroids can help restore balance to the skin microbiome and make it less hospitable to fungi like Malassezia pachydermatis, which causes most canine ear yeast infections.

You can manage a yeast infection from happening in the first place with food and supplements that support the immune system, skin and coat health.

Yeast infections are usually a symptom of an underlying problem, like allergies or an immune system issue. If you take away the factors that allow yeast to grow out of control, the infection may clear up on its own.

There are three things you can do to help prevent yeast infections from happening in the first place:

• Make sure your dog is fed a healthy diet with plenty of high-quality protein and omega fatty acids.

• Feed a low-carbohydrate food without grains or potatoes.

• Supplement his or her diet with digestive enzymes and probiotics to support healthy gut flora.

To treat an active yeast infection, you can use natural products like apple cider vinegar and aloe vera juice or yogurt, or you can see your vet for prescription meds.

• Apple cider vinegar

• Aloe vera juice or yogurt

• OTC meds from the vet or grocery store

To apply the solution, you can use a cotton ball, gauze pad, or Q-tip (but do not use a cotton swab because it can push debris down into the ear canal).

While yeast infections may be annoying, they're treatable with natural remedies or prescriptions from your vet.

While yeast infections may be annoying, they're treatable with natural remedies or prescriptions from your vet.

How much do you know about this nasty (but not life-threatening) condition? Learn more about what causes ear yeast infections in dogs and how to treat them naturally.