Yeast infections in dogs are, unfortunately, common. They can cause intense itching, which can be frustrating for both the dog and their owner. This blog details how diet modifications can help ditch the itch and get rid of the beastly yeast.
What is a Yeast Infection?
Yeast is a fungus, that naturally inhabits the dog’s skin and digestive tract. In a healthy dog, commensal bacteria limit its proliferation, maintaining it at low, healthy levels. However, when allowed to grow out of control, physical symptoms start to arise. The two prominent species of yeast that can cause issues are Candida Albicans and Malassezia. Yeast releases irritating toxins, which can cause a myriad of uncomfortable symptoms:
- Itching
- Skin discolouration
- Hair loss
- Greasy coat
- Persistent tear staining
- Paw chewing
- Foul odour
- Head shaking (as a result of itchy ears)
What Causes Yeast Infections?
Undiagnosed environmental or food allergies are a common cause of yeast overgrowth in dogs due to a chronically active immune system, as the inflammatory response from an allergy or intolerance has the potential to trigger a yeast infection (1). In a healthy dog, the skin and gut flora is balanced, which ensures pathogens and yeasts are kept at bay. However, in dogs with gut issues, perhaps caused by an allergy or intolerance, dysbiosis (imbalance) of the gut flora allows overgrowth of pathogens and yeast. The subsequent chronic inflammation means that the immune system is working overdrive, and the continued gut disturbance provides an environment desirable for yeast. This begins to materialise on the skin and grow, causing skin inflammation and itchiness (2). Yeast then grows exponentially, further altering skin and gut flora balance (1).
Yeast thrives in warm, moist areas, so it often accumulates in the ears, groin, paws or skin folds. This makes breeds with floppy ears or lots of skin folds more susceptible to yeast overgrowth. Diet can also impact susceptibility to yeast infections, with a high carbohydrate diet more likely to promote yeast proliferation.
Antibiotics may sometimes be prescribed to try and tackle a nasty yeast infection. Whilst these are great at eliminating bad bacteria, they don’t stop there, and continue on to destroy the commensal (good) bacteria as well. With no commensal bacteria to tackle the yeast, symptoms may be exasperated.
Modifying the Diet to Rid of a Yeast Infection
1 ) Removal of Carbohydrates
Yeast thrives on sugar and carbohydrates (which break down into sugar), thus removal of carbohydrates will starve the yeast, causing it to die off. Our raw diets are all naturally grain and legume free, making them naturally low in carbohydrates. Our complete meals do contain some vegetables, albeit vegetables with a low glycaemic index. Thus, temporarily feeding our single protein Butcher’s Block meals, whilst you tackle your dog’s yeast issue is an option, and vegetables can be reintroduced later. As our 80/10/10 meals are not complete, toppers will need to be added to account for missing nutrients, such as oily fish and eggs. Once you have successfully rid of your dog’s yeast infection, you should move back to feeding a complete and balanced diet, with some vegetable matter.
2) Green Tripe
We know that green tripe is a superfood for dogs, packed with nutrients, digestive enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics – which are an ideal mix of ingredients to help fight off yeast overgrowth. However, you should tread carefully when feeding tripe to a yeasty dog, as it has the potential to exasperate issues. Some owners may avoid tripe altogether when trying to starve off yeast, others swear by its use. So, if you choose to feed it, it’s important to source green tripe from healthy, grass-fed animals, as it is much lower in histamines than tripe from less healthy animals. At Cotswold RAW, our tripe comes from grass-fed cattle.
3) Avoid Feeding Large Fish
Yeast also feeds on heavy metals, which have to potential to contaminate fish tissues particularly in larger, predatory fish such as tuna. Feeding small, oily fish as a topper is a great option, as they provide an abundance of vitamins such as B12, D, E and K. Oily fish also boast an abundance of Omega 3, which will help promote good skin quality, through providing a natural anti-inflammatory. These fish are also lower in the food chain, with a diet consisting of plankton, giving them a much lower mercury content than larger predatory fish which consume smaller fish. Therefore, this lower mercury content makes them more suitable for regular consumption in dogs with food sensitivities.
4) Remember The Treats
If you are temporarily cutting all carbohydrates from your dog’s diet, you should also consider the treats you are feeding. Avoid treats containing grain. Instead go with 100% meat treats.
Symptoms May Get Worse Before They Get Better
As yeast die off, they release a much higher quantity of irritating toxins compared to those they release when alive. These toxins are acetaldehyde and gliotoxin, which can cause temporary worsening of symptoms for a couple of days or weeks. Thus, treating a yeast infection naturally and gradually, can help with reducing the severity of the ‘die-off’ phase. Raw food is packed with live digestive enzymes, which eliminate dead yeast cells, and break down yeast biofilms, which also have the bonus of reducing uncomfortable detox symptoms.
To ease your dog’s itchy skin, coconut oil, aloe, or chamomile can be applied topically to hotspots. Apple cider vinegar (ACV), when diluted with water (50% ACV:50% water), helps alter skin pH and has natural antifungal properties, which can make it a less desirable environment for yeast. Just make sure to avoid the inner ear and open sores with anything applied topically.
References
- Brady, C (2023) ‘Allergies in Dogs’ DOGSFIRST. Available at: https://dogsfirst.ie/allergies-in-dogs/
- Gaschen, F. P. and Merchant, S. R. (2011) ‘Adverse food reactions in dogs and cats,’ Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 41(2), 361-379. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2011.02.005