11/16/2011: Julie from Mt. Washington, Kentucky writes: "What kind of acidophilus can I give my dog and how much? He weighs 69 lbs. and we have him on Holistic Select Duck Formula."

04/08/2009: Jimmy from Bedford, Texas replies: "it takes about 2-3 weeks to see results, my cocker was just as bad, no potato products or sugars, this promotes yeast. keep up the med bathing, acidophilus,which comes in a powder form at pet shops, i also gave him Vitamin A 400mg aday capsule, its been 2months and he doing great. no more keeping us up at nite scratching."

05/05/2009: Melissa from Austin, Texas replies: "My poor Schnauzer has been suffering of a yeast inferction for so long. I have taken him to the vet and they told me he had "allergies" and I paid for all these tests and dermatologists. After much money wasted, I gave up. Recently, I found an antifungal shampoo that has been a dream come true! My dog is finally sleeping through the night and not chewing his paws anymore. The constant scratching has finally stopped. He is no longer musky and smelly the day after a bath. The antibacterial/antifungal shampoo has Miconazole Nitrate and Chlorhexidine Gluconate. It can be used on dogs, cats, and horses. For the first few weeks you have to bath them twice a week and then once a week until the yeast infection is gone. Please dont waste anymore time and look for this shampoo. After you read some of the reviews on it, you will be sold!"

05/06/2009: Karen from Longpond, Pennsylvania replies: "can you tell me where to get the shampoo and possibly the name"

05/11/2009: Diane from Scranton, PA.USA replies: "I have a black lab with horrible allergies and skin problems. Under her arms, her belly she would need to go on steroids, for 6 weeks, then it went away, it wold come back with more vengence, more steriods, some time antiobiotics and then the yeast wold start in her ear. I read everyting I could on her. I switched her to a holistic.natural dog food, gave her yogurt and raw veggies daily. It took 5 months, YES 5 MONTHS before I saw a difference. She came down with a terrible case of hives she was covered all over by big red spotches under her fur. In 24 hours it went away and she started to heal. She hasnt had an anitobitoic in 6 months, the longedt in her life. I think the hives, were her body just ridding itself of the allergies and infections. She now is growing hair everywhere she lost it, she isnt hot or bothered or scratching. The ears are a little harder to cure and I use ear drops as needed but cant seem to find anything natural that works. I think I found a vet who will work with me on only the barest of vaccinations, I dont beleive in them either. Have two other resuce pups and all are on the natural food and yogurt and raw veggies. I notice a difference in stools and a big difference in teeth and tartar. Did alot of reading in what they put into Grocery store and vet shop brands. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!!"

06/13/2009: Wendy from Pennsylvania, USA replies: "Hello, I happended to notice your post when looking for remedies on another subject. My mom has a 2 yr old wiemeraner and she is wild. we love her, anyway, she started getting a rash when she was a year old and its pretty much never went away, it gets a little better sometimes, but it is always dry.The vet said weimeramers have really thin sensitive skin, i dont know about yours but my moms dogs ears are very silky and thin.(though her rash is usually on her belly. her vet prescribed some type of hydrocortizone creme that really helps with the dry itchiness and its sensitive to the redness. He said she is allergic to colors, if they steer away from colored bones and colored food for people - it helps."

09/22/2009: Olga from Jamesville, Virginia replies: "Melissa from Austin, Texas, could you please give me the name of that shampoo and where to buy it?

I have exactly the same situation. I have a Bloodhound who has a very bad yeast infection. I took him to the wet many times. After a lot of different tests, they sent me to the dermatologist who said that my dog has allergies (especially allergic to dust) and prescribed "special shots." I spent so much money, but nothing helped. Finally I gave up and stopped giving him those shots (they didnt help anyway). Now I wash him every week. I dont think he is getting better, but he is not getting worse and Im grateful for that. But I would love to purchase the same shampoo that helped your dog. I just feel so bad that I cannot do anything for my dog to help him get rid of this infection. Thank you!"

EC: Do a google search on "Miconazole Nitrate and Chlorhexidine Gluconate" and you will find the shampoo!

11/12/2009: Marilynmfan from Trinity, Tx Usa replies: "The shampoo to use for yeast infections in Malaseb. You can find it at your vet. If they are out, it is on backorder because the plant is relocating and suspended shipping temporarily until in the new facility. I have a 6yr old rescue english bullie who came to me with severe yeast problems and between some natural remedies, vinegar and acidopholus tablets, he is doing wonderful."

01/05/2010: Lisa from Howell, Mi replies: "I have (2) male 12 yr. old shih-tzus from the same litter. One has very bad skin issues while the other one is fine. At the present time the one dog has a yeast infection and is on antibiotics. I have used Malaseb shampoo and it does help. The important thing to remember is to leave the shampoo on the dog for 10 minutes. Also, if you can't get it from the vet it is available on the internet. You just have to do a search for it, but it is out there.

I have tried so many different things for my dog's skin and I just ordered some acidophilus capsules to try and see if I see a difference with the yeast infection. My vet told me to just use plain acidophilus, nothing more. I have had him on steroids years ago, but vowed that I would never put him on them again. I truly believe he has chronic yeast and it has never really went away 100%. I have tried the apple cider vinegar and it made him worse so I stopped it. He's had skin issues since about 5 years old. I have also tried numerous dog foods and the food I have him on right now has definitely made a difference in his skin and coat. All of his hair has grown back on his paws and also on his neck. He was missing so much hair on his paws and neck that it looked like he had mange. He does not appear to be licking as much as he used to either. Also both dogs love this food. I am feeding Taste of the Wild (grain free) pacific salmon formula. I have never seen their coats as shiny as they are right now. I have had them on many other high end dog foods, but this one is different.

It is so sad to read about how many dogs have this problem, but don't ever give up hope. I have gotten discouraged, but I never have given up on my dog and he doesn't look that bad right now it's just that he has the yeast infection that is making him smell. I figure if I can get rid of the yeast with the combination of antibiotics, shampooing with Malaseb and acidophilus that would be miraculous. I'm very hopeful after reading the info on this site and the many people that are having good luck with the acidophilus. If anyone is having issues with dog food, try the Taste of the Wild pacific salmon formula. I truly believe it is an excellent food for dogs with skin issues. It definitely helped my dogs and I believe it has been the best for both of their health. Both of my dogs began getting little moles all over their bodies before they were on Taste of the Wild. Since they have been on this food I have not seen anymore new moles.

I am so happy to have found this blog. There are so many people going through the same thing with their dogs. If each person can help one other person with their dog then it is worth it."

02/09/2010: Joanne from Buffalo, Ny replies: "Hi Lisa,

Your post touched my heart. I am sitting here crying looking at my poor 8yr. old female shepherd. She has had chronic allergy issues since a puppy. She was never vaccinated and always on good foods - later good foods without any grain. Her last food was Wellness ocean fish. She also gets fish oils, yogurt, grass fed hamburger... you get the picture. Anyway, her chronic skin issues would always flare up esp. her ears. Sometimes she would develop a secondary bacterial infection - the treatment by the vet was always low dose steroids and antibiotics. They would work initially, but the infections and itching would always return. Last year the vet suggested keeping her on temeril-p continuously to keep the infections at bay. She was on this med for a year! I thought at a low dose it was okay because the vet recommended it and it seemed to keep her from flaring up.. In the last few months she began drinking a ton of water, her abdomen was distended and she was continuously hungry. Her skin also became flared up all over - she lost hair all over her abdomen and back legs and was a mess. A trip to the veterinary dermatologist revealed calcinosis lesions from the steroids, massive amounts of yeast everywhere and what she called "steroid induced cushings disease". She prescribed more antibiotics, an antifungal med called ketoconazole, an antihistamine to help with itching and "revolution" in case she has mites! I am terrified to keep giving her all of these things! I also took her to an alternative vet who did acupuncture and prescribed some chinese herbal formulas, but they give her very watery diarrhea. I have been feeding her grass fed hamburger & giving her yogurt and acidophilus and fish oils, digestive enzymes, to no avail. I don't know what to do. I am so worried she is not going to make it.. Even her breathing is stressed. She is covered in sores and rashes and I am so grief-stricken. Any advice?"

02/23/2010: Catherine from Hartford, Ct replies: "When I looked up the shampoo product with the "Miconazole Nitrate and Chlorhexidine Gluconate", I found that it is no longer available. Another product with the active indgredients ketoconazole, chlorhexidine, and acetic acid is being recommended as an alternative. Does anyone have any feedback about this shampoo product?"

02/26/2010: Brook from Hampton, Va replies: "Petshed.com carries the Malaseb shampoo. They are not in the U.S. so I guess that is why they still carry it. I just bought a bottle for $18.95 including shipping."

03/14/2010: Haliegh from Butler, Pa replies: "I wish I would have seen this site 2 months ago. My dog Chance fought this battle almost all his life, which was a short one at only 8 years. The vet said it was allergies and was always put on medications that never helped. He lived about 5 years with no hair on his lower half of body, no matter what we bathed him with he was always stinky, had terrible ear infections all the time that would not heal with any medication. Our vet suggested changing dog food, we were feeding him Purina Dog Chow, which is terrible but we thought that it was good for him, and started with Natural Choice. Which helped for a short time. At the end he was living a life of misery. He would be up day and night just scratching himself bloody. He could hardly move sometimes he was just in too much pain. Sadly we made the choice to have put to sleep. It was too hard watching him live a life like that. That is no way for any animal to have to live. Not one time did any vet suggest yeast. It was always allergies. But seeing the symptoms that yeast can cause I know that is what was wrong with him. And it is so upsetting that I could have helped him a long time ago if I would have better answers. Bless all of you for the help you are giving to all these owners in need for their family companions!"

03/18/2010: Lisa from Howell, Michigan replies: "Hi Joanne in Buffalo, NY

I just saw your post. Reading about your dog made me want to cry. Your poor dog has been through a lot and so have you with your dog. I am writing to give you some hope. I wanted to let you know that my dog has never looked better than he does right now except for when he was very young, before the age of 5. He is now 12. It has taken years to get where we are now.

I wanted to let you know that I too tried Wellness grain free formula for my dog, but it did not make a difference. I have had him on numerous high end foods. I must say that there must be something to the food he is on now, because all of his hair grew back and his coat looks great. He is not 100%, but he is much more comfortable and happy. He does have seborrhea. He still gets an oily coat, although he is not flaking like he was. Also, his yeast seems to be under control right now. I now only bathe him about once every 1 1/2 weeks. It's better than every few days. I give him acidophilus 1x day. I bought it from a company called Kirkman on the internet and it is 3 billion cfu's per capsule. My vet actually told me about this company. He also told me not to worry about giving it to my dog 1x or even 2x day. My dog just got off of antibiotics and when he was taking them the vet said to make sure I gave the acidophilus about two hours after he had the antibiotic. I'm sure you know that antibiotics get rid of both the bad and the good bacteria so the acidophilus helps to restore the good bacteria that their bodies need. My dog was on a sulfa based antibiotic this last time. He has been on amoxicillan which helps with the yeast, but not entirely. The vet had put him on Cephalexin because he said it is good for skin conditions, but my dog got really bad after that. Now, I am just waiting to see if he is going to get bad again because it usually doesn't last. This is like a dream come true.
It definitely takes a lot of research and trials. I know it seems at times that you have a lab animal because you have to try so many things. I always think maybe this is the thing thats going to make him better this time.

I definitely think simple is better. I would try to get down to a few things for your dog and definitely not give him the steroids. Steroids seem to help initially, but I found that my dog got much worse after getting a little better from the steroids. They are not good for them.

I have both of my dogs on Taste of the Wild dog food salmon formula. I just bought the Taste of the Wild bison and venison formula because the omega's are higher, but I definitely think there is something to the salmon formula. At the present time they are getting the salmon formula in the morning & the bison & venison formula in the evening. I give the one dog an acidophilus capsule after breakfast. He is not on antibiotics right now. That is all I am doing right now and he is doing better than ever.

I also wanted to let everyone know that Malaseb shampoo is availabe at: www.drsfostersmith.com I initially bought it on amazon, but searched and cannot find it now. There is also 2 other shampoos that I use that help.
One is called Septi-soothe and it can be bought at Drs. Foster and Smith's website above. It has a great scent if you have odor issues with your dog and it has 3% chlorhexidine where as most shampoos with that ingredient have 2%. I also use Pet Relief shampoo by Virbac that I bought at the local pet store. This shampoo is good for oily skin and coat and also has a nice scent. Leave on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.

I hope that some of this information will help someone. I know what works for one dog may not necessarily work for another, but there is a chance it can, so it is worth writing about.

Joanne, I want to wish you the best for your dog. Keep trying and don't ever give up."

03/22/2010: Mary Anne from Los Angeles, Ca, Usa replies: "Joanne, your dilemnas with your dog are very similar to mine, and I think yours was originally badly mis-prescribed. And yes, the derm vet was right -- too many cortisones can create medically-induced cushings. My dog has Cushing's plain and simple, as well as low thyroid, allergies, and recurring yeast and staph infections. I wonder if your dog has a) low thyroid -- yeast infections in the ear are a symptom of same; your vet should test for same and prescribe thyroid meds; and b) real Cushings' disease, which can be successfully treated with Trilostane; your dog certainly had all of the symptoms: excessive thirst, skin problems, distended belly, relentless hunger, etc.. A lot of my pets' symptoms were relieved by the Trilostane. More recently, here is what has worked, to some extent, for my dog. a) An antihistamine to temporarily relieve the itching b)A diet of lightly cooked meats (no beef,however)and/or fish, and lightly cooked vegetables. No grains, no potatoes, no starches, nothing else but a little high-quality yogurt, and some acidophilus mixed in with it. c) Some kind of anti-fungal. sounds like your dog desperately needs the ketoconazole right now for the yeast. d) filtered water and maybe some digestive enzymes with the food for a while.
Maybe the revolution, in case your dog has mites, but I would only try it for a month or two. That stuff is strong. E) No more antibiotics, no more steroids. F) FINALLY, Read up on MMS for dogs and consider trying that. I'm just starting it on my dog and I think it is already helping her ears. 1 drop MMS to 5 drops lemon or lime juice, let it sit for 3 minutes, add 1/4 cup water, then clean your dog's ears with that, twice a day, till your dog's ear infection gets better. Kills yeast and bacteria. Go to Jim Humble's website on MMS. Mary Anne M, Los angeles."

04/29/2010: Tokovon from San Antonio, Tx, Usa replies: "This is my first post. I didnt' see a way to respond to Lisa about her dog. You dog is a mirror image of all the problems my poor aussie has suffered with over the past 2 years. Yes I agree that you can get exogenous cushings from steroids. Steroids are bad. They destroy what little immune system your dog has left and good luck trying to fight anything after steroids, ie yeast, bacteria, you name it. My vet actually gave my dog who had cushings ONE shot of steroids and made the dog diabetic. It was a life threatening emergency and the dog was in the hospital for 12 days. We almost lost her.. (she is only 4 years old) They said it would reverse but it never did. Now she is type one and needs insulin twice a day, sometimes more. The problem is the 3 main endocrine related diseases, ie thyroid, cushings and diabetes all have the exact same symptoms, with the exception that thyroid they tend to like to lay in warm places. I spent a lot of money at my vet for a whole lot of "nothing. This is my story. My aussie Fifer is 5 years old. She was always a big water drinker even as a pup. We always kind of joked about it. She never had anything wrong until we moved from Delaware to Texas. Here is what I learned and hopefully this will help you. I always had my dog faithfully on heartworm medication and just assumed it killed all worms. This is NOT true. They do not treat for tapeworms. So to make a long story short my dog was loosing hair. Had a big bald spot on her back side and her hair in general was start to look dull. She had gone in for knee sugery and then after being home we noticed she had a ear infections in both ears. well kept taking her to the vet and each on would just switching the antibotics. no one bothered to culture it till vist number 5 or 6 and by this time she was really sick. Also I noticed the vet was giving all the animals capstar for fleas (my dog has never had fleas ever, bathed often etc you get the point) well the ears were so bad the vet insisted she get a shot of steroids. well this killed what little immune system she had left and now he made the dog diabetic. I didnt' know steroids could do this (hubby is an ICU nurse) and he said it can. She was always a big water drinker but after the steroids I called the vet and said listen she is actually guarding her water bowl drinking over 2 gallons a day. he blew me off. well so they fax me the results of her ear infection and said I needed to come pick up this special antibotic at the compounding pharmacy. I asked for a copy of the report and turns out the dog had MRSA in both ears. (dog had teeth cleaned one week before) Humm. ok as all of you have been told. your dog has allerlgies, food allergies, your dog has anxiety issues bla bla bla. well my husband called from overseas just as I was leaving to get these drops for her ears and I told him the report came back as MRSA. He said she needs to be impatient minimum 4 to 5 days. (vet was going to sent me home with more drops) so I call say hubby insists she be admitted for iv antibotics. well now the stupid vet realizes what I was saying about her drinking so much water, and by the time I got her admitted she was in full ketoacidosis. blood sugar over 700. She was in bad shape..

My own theory. Never wormed for tapeworms. got diabetes from ONE steroid shot. ONE. Then WHILE ADMITTED they gave her some old blanket and she ended up getting flea dermititis. so I took matters into my own hands and after we got her home and after we finally got her ears cleared up, and then realizing she had never been treated for tapeworms once she was stable we did that. OH Good lord in heaven my poor dog was full of tapeworms. How many of you know that heartworm prevention does not kill tapeworms. and yes they did a fecal on my dog which was negative. that is because tapeworms unless they are shedding will always be negative on a fecal and let me tel you both of my dogs did not show one sign of tapeworms. but boy after they were wormed . ok well you get the picture. a dead give away should have been hair loss because once they microfalare migrate there will be patches where hair won't grow. So we did like whomever said and got a good fungal shampoo. I found one that has ketaconazole, and this same brand has one for every type of skin conditon and the stuff is absoutely wonderful. got it at petsmart. veterinary formula antiseptic and antifungal. I have been very please with all their brands. they do have one with chlorohexidine and lidocane for itching which is wonderful. Initially my vet told me my dog had cushings but the adrenals were normal. He said it was from elevated sex hormones. He put her on trilostane. But turns out the University of Tennessee endochronology department does not recomment trilostane for elevated sex hormones. They recommend 18 miligrams of melatonin. it is 6 bucks a bottle and flaxseed with ligans. it has to have the ligans. And you know what. we are not even sure our dog even had cushings but the melatonin and flaxseed had done wonders for my dogs hair that we keep giving it to her. and Also that trilostane (sorry) we read up on it extensively and my husband said it is very toxic and is like a chemothrapy drug. Plus with the melatonin out other aussie was starting to get this clouding in her eyes. it started as a pin drop then continued to grow. well darn if 6 months on the melatonin and flaxseed one day I said to my husband. I said is it me or is Zoes eyes getting better? and sure enough her eyes are almost fully cleared up. even the vet could not believe the labs. the one dog had high cholesterol and some high liver functions and 6 months on the melatonin and flaxseed he said all her labs looked wonderful. anyway, our theory is we are not really sure the dog ever had cushings because stress can elevate cortisol levels. and with the massive tape worm infection, flea dermatitis, yeast, MRSA. Check that blood sugar. It is crutial to keeping yeast in control. If gives the yeast a medium to grow and then they scratch and lick, so what comes next? infections.. blood sugar normal for canines is 80 to 150. Another side note. If any of you see vets who want to give you VESTULIN (doggie insulin) then find a new vet because it was pulled off the market this past fall for having problems with the mixture being too strong and dogs were dying because they were given the normal dose then going into a hypoglycemia coma. Anyway, we were told oh our dog has food allergies. allergies in general. we do give benedryl when her eyes are red. but our point is this. look at the whole picture and find a vet that is going to be proactive rather than reactive. if they just treat the symptoms they are not getting to the root cause of your dogs problems. if it is yeast in MY opinion your dog has either hypothyroid, cushings, or is diabetic. trust me in the last 2 years we got tired of shelling out one vet bill after another. finally we said enough is enough. we will do the reading and rely on our own medical training (and use some good old fashioned common sense and now our dog has made a 360 degree turn around. Granted, she is diabetic but as long as we keep her insulin well incontrol then no yeast or infections. Also keep in mind that if your dog is drinking a lot of water buy a meter. they are only 15 dollars at wal-mart. if anyone needs any help doing a 12 hour curve to see what your dogs blood sugar is within a 12 hour period I will be more than happy to help ANYONE who needs it. God help us all who have watched our poor furry friends suffer. You all have wonderful advice that I am looking forward to learning things from you all as well. A side note. one time our dog had labs and I noticed her blood sugar was flagged very low from the lab. I questioned the Vet and he goes oh its ok because its low. This is INCORRECT. A good vet told me that if you see a really low reading like that all it means is that on a diabetic dog if the test was taking either in the morning fasting or a few hours without food what happens is this: you give a meal which makes the blood sugar shoot up. then if no food is given it will go low to make up for being so high. THe same holds true if you give too much insuin. the body has what is called a rebound effect and if too much insulin is given then the body thinks is basically gonna die from not having enough glucose in the system so then it shoots up high so it can give a person a false sense that the animal is not diabetic when in fact it is. Sorry for the long post. My husband has been deployed overseas 5 tours since 04 and having a dog that has been so sick is not easy. If i could help just one family with a dog not to suffer to me this long post would be worth it. God Bless. major1711@aol.com."

06/29/2010: Becky from Worthington, Oh replies: "I have a 9 yr old long hair dachshund and battled yeast and skin infections since puppyhood. After years of steroids and antibiotics I researched and tried the yogurt and apple cider remedies but to no avail. Last year I did more research and found a site that talked of a medication Ketoconazole. I researched it and found that it didn't have the side effects of steroids so I made an appointment with my vet to talk to him about it. He said that Marcus's skin was so bad (it had turned to elephant skin all under his arms) and his whole under area was black with yeast...he smelled and was so uncomfortable. This had been going on for years. Anyway, he said that in addition to the yeast infection he also had bacterial infections in the skin folds that needed clearing up before any other medication would work. So, he was put on Cephalexin (250mg 1/2 3 times per day) and 1/2 Ketaconazole per day. He was on the Cephalexin for 30 days and on the Ketoconazole for 60 days to get the infection and yeast under control. I changed his food to California Naturals Lamb and Rice formula and stick to it..he gets nothing else. His hair has completely grown back, the black and elephant skin is gone (which the vet said most probably would never go away because he was so damaged)...he is like a new dog...after all this time and money spent on all sorts of remedies. I know this site isn't partial to medications but if you find that the natural remedies aren't working, please give this a try....Marcus is on no medications now and is loving life! I'm so happy I opened my mind up to medication again....it was for a very short term and so worth it! Please feel free to write me for pictures and proof that the medication for Marcus really worked. beckykay82@yahoo.com."

EC: Please see our medication side effects page re Ketoconazole - 3 Side Effects and 2 Deaths Reported: http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/medication_side_effects.html#KETOCONAZOLE

07/01/2010: Becky from Worthington, Ohio replies: "While I appreciate you passing on warnings about medications, I also have read posts in this site warning about side effects and sometimes fatal results of an allergic reaction to the ACV remedy. You can never really know how your pet will react to ANY treatment you may consider trying, natural or otherwise. I only know what worked for Marcus - after years of his suffering, at 9 yrs of age, he's playing like a puppy again. So many posts I read are from desperate people (I was one of them) grasping for any bit of information that will produce a positive result. After trying the natural cures, enzymes, $$$ in vet bills, etc., it was finally antibiotic (to clear up the infections) and the Ketaconozole that finally cleared him up. I forgot to mention that initially, at the start of the medications, I was bathing him every other day with Malaseb. Now he gets bathed every 2 weeks and eats only limited ingredient lamb & rice dry food."

EC: Hi Becky,

We don't ever recall seeing any posts on Earth Clinic detailing fatal reactions from ACV. Would you kindly provide the specific url to such a post? Thanks.

07/22/2010: Levsmom from Crane, Missouri replies: "I have been reading the posts on acidophilus and am wondering if the product acidophilus that I take for myself will work on a 70 lb., 14 month old, Golden Retriever that I am fostering right now. I have only had him in my household 3 months but already we have been to the vet several times for itchy skin that starts out as small flesh colored bumps under the skin. As Charlie begins to scratch them the trauma results in secondary infections requiring antibiotics. He also suffers from horrible ears. The other thing that got me thinking about a yeast infection(other than the ears)is his hair coat. I have owned or fostered several Goldens over the years and never have I seen one with a hair coat like this. The topline is not soft fur, but rather coarse, almost wiry hair which is curly. It also has a greasy feel to it that smells almost as bad as his ears. The sides, legs and haunches are baby soft, smooth hair with just a touch of wave to them and not much odor. (Just normal doggy smell). According to the vet records on this dog, he suffered from flea bite dermatitis ( most vet entries stated severe flea infestation)but never a mention of skin disorders. The previous owner kept his hair cut very short. He said it was to help with the flea problem, but now I am wondering if it wasn't because of recurring skin problems that he attributed to the flea dermatitis. My question is: the acidophilus has 1 billion CFU's per pill. Is that to much for a 70 lb. Dog? Also in a related question. If I use the vinegar and alcohol mixture to try on his ears, do I use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and what is the ratio of alcohol to vinegar?

When the problem first occurred I switched his food to a duck and potato food just in case it was a food allergy. The food all of my other dogs eat is lamb and rice which is what he started on when he first came to me. After reading this post I can see that if it is in fact a yeast infection the the duck and potato food is only making it worse! I am going to switch him over to a salmon based food to see if that might help. Thanks for any help you can offer! Levsmom"

09/26/2010: Heavenlightly from Huntsville, Alabama replies: "My heart goes out to all of you with problems with your dogs. I did have simlar problems with my Lab and have been able to fix her problems with a change of diet. I switched to raw meat & bone like chicken, rabbit etc. Don't let people (vets) tell you Dogs / cats can't digest raw bone because they can without any problems, its the cooked bones they can't digest. My dogs and cats have been eating this way for about 4-5 years now and I never take them to the vets. My 10yr old lab acts like she is 2. She had yeast problems I believe and in her ears. I bought Zymox which is a Enzymatic Solution that kills yeast and Bacteria. This worked quickly and have not had problems since. There is lot of research and groups you can join in the raw meat bone diet. Don't give up. Most dogs/cats eat this food easily but some you have to start out slow. It was the only thing that helped my dog. I guess I starved the yeast and there was improvement within the first month. The first was their coat. Some of you who have worse conditions may take longer but hang in there and treat your animals more naturally and you will see a difference. Stay away from the vet unless it is an emergency like broken bone or something. They treat the symtoms not the real cause of the problem. Doctors don't want to even recognize yeast in us humans let alone in our animals. God Bless You All!"

10/12/2010: Becky from Worthington, , Usa replies: "Dogs: Yeast Infection RemediesUpdated: 10/02/2010. IMPORTANT! When writing Earth Clinic about a yeast infection issue .... Finally I gave up and stopped giving him those shots (they didnt help anyway).... I have tried the apple cider vinegar and it made him worse so I stopped it...... Fatal results of an allergic reaction to the ACV remedy....
www.earthclinic.com/Pets/yeast_infections_dogs.html - Similar

Seems you pulled this post - I had read it when I made the comment on your site as a follow up to the treatment of Marcus."

10/16/2010: Bb from Atlanta, Ga Usa replies: "You are absolutely correct. Mine eat raw chicken, beef, venison & fish. Bones, heads, guts. Some pets do need to be taught, like a toddler, how to eat, chew, chew, chew. But, it is well worth the time to convert your pet to a natural diet. Mine do not eat the same meal twice in a row & they suffer no digetive problems. The rise of diabetes, cancer, pancreas problems are due to commercial cooked to death food. Same for us, cooked food is lethal. Then the pet food industry adds God Know What! It's a toxic situation."

10/26/2010: Janice from Coloma, Mi replies: "Bb.. I've switched my dog to raw food and wondered about the bones. She seems to throw a lot of them up. Also, do you feed raw vegetables?"

11/19/2010: Jeff from New York, Ny replies: "My cocker is 11 years old and developed yeast infection. Vet gave me malacetic solution (with boric acid) and otomax to clean ears. Also gave me heartworm chews and antibiotoc for eyes. Lastly he gave me a 30 day oral liquid antibiotic that he said would wipe out everything. $350 later the infection is much worse. it spread to the ear flap, and to the entire side of his face and under jaw/neck. all the hair fell out in those places and he now has black elephant skin and stinks.

3 days ago I started 70/30 ratio of acv/water and wash the areas 3x daily. I also will bathe every 2 or 3 days in head and shoulders shampoo. At night I rub monistat cream on the areas as well. I changed food to grain free taste of the wild and add 1-2 tbsb plain danon yogurt, 1 acidopholus pill, 1 baby aspirin (81mg), and 1 vitamin c tablet (250mg). Also, I add 2tbsb Apple Cider Vinegar to his water bowl. Too bad the vet gave me additional yeast and antibiotics. He also never advised a change in diet which I believe is the reason we're in this position in the first place. It's a rigorous process but I'm sticking to it. I'm on day 3 of the treatment and seeing slight results. I'm wondering how long it will take for the odor to go away, for the skin to heal, and for the hair to grow back. I could use some advice here if this is really going to work??"

02/14/2011: Janni from Pearl River, Ny replies: "Thank you to Brooke, from Va, regarding the Malaseb shampoo. She is lifesaver! She is correct, PetShed does have the shampoo, I ordered it yesterday and it shipped already. They are in Australia. My German Shepherd has been suffering for 3 weeks now with horrible itch, sores from biting. I have tried everything, been to a conventional vet, a holistic vet, tried Chinese herbs, steroids for a very short time, antihistimines, changed his food to raw, oatmeal baths, etc. Nothing has relieved his itch. You must build up their immune system, and I am giving him 3 billion of acidophilus, vitamin b. Do research on yeast infections, that is what I think my dog has, combined with those sarcotic mites, which I cannot figure out where he got them from. He does not socialize with other dogs in a dog park nor is he near other dogs. I got something called Candex from Vitamin Shoppe to kill yeast in the digestive system. Good luck with your pets."

04/05/2011: Az from Marietta, Ga replies: "I have a 10 yr old shepherd with the same issues. Was elated to see that there were remedies. Then dashed when I discovered that the manufacturer of the Masaleb shampoo was shut down by the FDA. Very hesitant to buy products from a company that knowingly puts out altered products.

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm174880.htm"

[NAY]  04/17/2011: Gigi from Glasgow, Uk replies: "So many of you are using antibiotics. These just make the yeast run riot the same as in humans. Use them short term if there is a skin infection due to the yeast lesions but then continue with just an antifungal shampoo. I have also given my bullmastiff dog the human oral antifungal capsule Fluconazole within the last week because we were so sick of seeing him so uncomfortable, itchy and smelly. Within two days the worst of the smell was gone and there were no new skin lesions. He also gets probiotic yogurt daily and acidophilus. Steroids help the itch but again encourage the yeasts so you end up on a never ending cycle. We are also changing his diet to a grain free one. Over the last few months of this problem with Seth this is the first time we feel as if there is a real improvement but I'm sure it will take a good while to clear entirely. He is brighter and more alert and interested in life than he has been for some time so we are hopeful. We are going to give a Fluconazole capsule twice a week reducing this to one a week as things improve. In the UK we can buy these over the counter at the pharmacy. So please, think twice about using antibiotics as a first strike treatment."

04/20/2011: Smiley De Beer from Caledon, South Africa Western Cape replies: "My dog, a pacement special has a dry skin and itching. My web enquiry reminded me that vinegar kills fungy - it works on humans. Drench hair and simply let it dry, repeat over time and dry skin is something of the past. I will try this cheap maybe tomorrow!"

08/02/2011: Amy from Pinson, Alabama replies: "I have a yeasty dog, though not officially diagnosed by a vet, but I know without a doubt that's what it is. I've just recently started adding plain yogurt to her diet and it has helped. Can you give the enzymes and the acidophilus together? Someone told me to try enzymes, but then I've read so many things about the acidophilus. She eats chiken and rice formula dog food, but am thinking of switching her to lamb and rice, with no grain. She has really bad ears to top it off, no sores, but dry flaky skin, hairloss, and she stinks so bad. I'm going to get some antifungal shampoo and some baking soda/oatmeal shampoo and use both. It's so bad!! She's miserable and has no energy, yelps at the itching. We got her about 2 mos ago and she was on steriods for "allergies" and on benadryl 3 25mg tablets 2x's a day, I don't want to stop the benadryl because of the severe itching but it really doesn't seem to help anyway, any advice guys?"

09/01/2011: Christina from Chicago, Il replies: "I have a yeasty lab/ridgeback mix as well. We were dealing with yeast and I believe mites. I eventually after trying many of the remedies switched his food from Kirkland lamb and rice to a mix of Blue Wilderness for large breed and Nutro Natural Lamb (purely for financial reasons because they are pricey and I get a coupon for Nutro on their website as a reward member). Within a month, the black skin under his belly started to look pink again and his hair grew back underneath. What I like about the mixture of food is both brands have acidophilus in it. I also cleaned the area he sleeps along with bathing him in the borax/water/peroxide mixture you may have read in various post. We still deal with an ear problem that I'm going to try again using vinegar/water but this time I'm going to try saturation with a dropper. I know the food had alot to do with it. I don't put anything extra in food. Hope this helps, this website has been a lifesaver!"

10/01/2011: Becky from Worthington, Ohio replies: "

Update on Marcus - almost 2 years later and he is still cleared up - no yeast or sores. The treatment I described in an earlier post worked for him completely. He is medication free and all of his hair has grown back. He's like a different dog. He eats a high protein food for his food and treat. Nothing else."

10/13/2011: Kari from Flemington, Nj replies: "My dog's skin is raw and he is losing much of his hair. I think his problem is, he has Lymphoma and has been getting chemo (trust me even the holistic vet I called said that chemo was the only choice for lymphoma and usually had a good outcome... I would have chosen natural therapies if I could). Well every time, chemo lowered his white blood cell count and sometimes they gave him antibiotics for that. I truly believe this resulted in an imbalance of good/bad bacteria and this infection covering his whole body is due to their overuse. I would have tried the ACV but he has open cuts and honestly I think it would burn, even if diluted. I have been feeding him a grain-free diet for the last five or so years and now have him on probiotics.

I just ordered the shampoo suggested by others here but I also want to just mention the one I tried today as I see someone said their dog had problems with MRSA or Staph. The one I tried today is called Zymox and they are all natural enzymes that kill yeast, bacteria, staph, MRSA etc. And its non-toxic. I use the final rinse on him and they say not to rinse it off and I don't have to worry about him licking it which is good. It may be something to look into.

Also there is a holistic vet named Dr. Karen Becker who suggests Povidone Iodine (another non-toxic solution! )for dogs with allergies and other problems. She says to dilute it until its the color of tea and use it as a rinse. Look her up on the internet as well, you can find the article and video. I don't know if either of these work, but I know the shampoo has great reviews on some sites that sell it. I am hopeful because my poor boy has been through the mill and it pains me to see him like this, I could cry!"

11/28/2011: M.e. from Garland, Tx replies: "Here is the link w/ Dr. Becker demonstrating foot soak for dogs: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/25/dog-foot-bath.aspx

Another link with Dr. Becker re. yeast infections in dogs:

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx"

[YEA]  01/16/2012: Sarah from Bradenton, Fl replies: "After years of treating my dog for "food allergies" by having her on Wellness Ocean, sweet potato as a treat, benadryl every day and treating with allergy shampoos (that contained oatmeal) on the advice of several vets and still having her suffer with constant itching and hair loss my house/pet sitter mentioned that a yeast infection may be the problem instead of a food allergy.

After doing research, including on this website, I starting using Malaseb shampoo followed by a conditioning rinse with a couple of drops of tea tree oil added, gave her 1 acidophilus tablet from Kirkman a day and stopped giving her sweet potato or any startches as a treat. Within a week there was a noticeable reduction in the level of scratching and 3 weeks later her scratching has completely subsided and her coat is coming back. I cannot believe that something so simple was never recommended by any of the vets who I spent 100's, if not 1000's, of dollars visiting.

Thank you to everyone on this website for sharing your information and helping my dog. My question is, do I need to keep on giving the acidophilus indefinitely or once the "good" bacteria are restored should I wean her off?"

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