To cut the long story short, the emergency vet gave us some antibiotic cream, which helped at bit at first, but then we saw no improvement, especially around the eyes, so I found this website and decided to treat Maya with an organic ACV (half and half with water). I sponged her back (she had a few lesions there as well) and her ears twice a day, I let her shake and then wiped her ears dry. I sponged her eyes gently as well. Her eyes were circled by an elephant-like skin with no hair, and it seemed that like would never go away! Within 2 days we noticed a great improvement. I continued the treatment for a few days twice a day, and her conditioned improved 99%. I've read that it takes 3-6 weeks for it to clear up completely and that it is suffice to do it three times a week.
I measured her pH balance and noticed that it was too alkaline (around 8). This helps yeast to grow, so we started adding a bit of vinegar to her food to stabilie her ph balance. We've also implemented other dietary restrictions that are typical with yest
Overall, we've definitely found success with ACV, and I hope that other dog owners would be able to learn from us to help their furry kids.
Replied By Sheila (Dallas, Texas) on 06/24/2008
I have a 70# dog with yeast issues on her feet and arm pits. How much ACV do you add to the food and can this help or hinder UTI. I was adding this to her water, but she didn't like the smell and wasn't drinking much water. Is there any other help for oozing, inflamed & itchy paws?Replied By Jimmy Yeo (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) on 07/11/2008
I brought my dog, Syberian Husky, for his second vaccination earlier this week and made a full check up. He's only about 2 1/2 months old. He was shacking his head and scratching his ears this few days so i ask the vet to check if there's any infection in the ears. The answer from the vet was, suspected to have yeast infection. Reddish color around his neck area but according to the vet, it's still hard to say if it's 100% yeast infection. He gave him injection and also anitbiotic for this problem. The vet told me that if he confirm to get this infection, it will be for his whole life. I was shocked to hear the result so i search the web to find for help and solution and found YOU. So i read about the vinegar solution and i tried it on for the first time today. Hopefully with the knowledge i read from this site, i would be able to cure my pet, Thunder. Can you tell me if this actually works? Thank you.Replied By Ellen (Charles Town, West Virginia) on 08/06/2008
I am so happy to see this site. It gives me hope that my poor English Setter, Lady has some chance to finally get well. She has been miserable for so long that I have been considering putting her down. I hate to lose her but she is so miserable with itching and she is constantly raw and bleeding all over. This has been going on for almost 6 years with her getting worse and worse. I don't know if this will work but at least there is some hope. How much should I feed and do you also use it topically? I love my pet so much that it hurts to see her suffer.Replied By Lesley (Sydney, Australia) on 02/13/2009
after our poor dog Hamish has suffered for 5yrs on cortisone tablets and gaining huge amounts of weight, (even though we were feeding him the correct amounts for his size) we decided to stop the tablets, he has just gone from bad to worse now I have found this site Im gong to try everything to help my pet, we just cant afford the vets bills and need to find something we can use for the rest of his life other than anti-biotics, it makes me feel like crying every time I see him scratch his ears raw and bleeding once again weve bathed him in every wash the vet has suggested, including Malase, with no results whatsoever, so wish me luck thanks everyone for putting your remedies here for anything is worth trying onceReplied By Angel (Vancouver, Canada) on 01/26/2010
It really works! I was as desperate as you and this was like a miracle cure.Replied By Ang (Port Elgin, On Canada) on 05/26/2011
I almost lost my dog to sysmatic yeast infection. Her symptons were red sores, greasy skin, discharge for her bum and finally seizures that almost killed her. Not to mention thousands of dollars in vet bills.
After hours of research I highly recommend these two sites, The great dane lady and Dr Dodds. Dr Dodds is a vet and a thyroid specialist. Yeast infection and hypothyroid are 99% connected. When reading the information on the great dane lady my chin hit my chest. She describe my dog to a tee' This is very dangerous condition. As I said before it almost killed my dog.
I'm glad to say my dog yeast free, rash free and living a healthy and happy life after a year and a half of hell. And may I add she is only on and 1 low dose thyroid pill and vit.
Replied By Alica (Dauphin, Manitoba) on 09/10/2011
I agree 100% on the info given from Great Dane Lady and Dr. Dodds. My response to the info was jaw dropping as well. I knew that the topical creams I had been administering to my 5 year old Rottweiller were bogus, but I had no idea how bogus and threatening to her immune system they had been. I have treated her on and off for the past 4 years with the topical creams Otomax and Surolan. I switched to the Surolan only after insisting to my vet that I felt my dog had developed some sort of immunity to the Otomax. (Which also made sense to happen after 4 years). Again the Surolan started working then would fail miserably. Her flare ups in her ears had actually progressed with each new flare up occurring. I strongly encourage all of you to read the article by The Great Dane Lady on Systematic Yeast Infection and how it attacks your dogs system. I was so angry at myself for allowing the vet to give me what I knew(antibiotics) weren't helping.
I strongly urge you to get to the "core" of the infection which is VERY INTERNAL and in most cases VERY MISTREATED by our vets today. A holistic approach to managing your dogs needs is crucial. After all it's common sense that guides us as humans with our physical well being....... Do the same for your dog. Food choices(which don't have to be expensive) are the number 1 ally you can have paired with your dogs physical/nutritional needs. Please feed your dog nutritional food. And please stop with the topical steroid treatments. The pretty packaging on Pedigree brands and Beneful brands are just that..... Pretty packaging. They can be a slow death sentence to a dog who already suffers from yeast. And the steroid treatments only remove what's left of your dogs natural immune fighting defenses, which take into mind are probably VERY depleted already(Hence why you are on this site desperately seeking help) Great Dane Lady definitely hit the nail on the head with this one.
Replied By Alexa (High Point, Nc) on 11/30/2011
Our buddy Mike has been having a terrible time with what we have figured out (after 2 vet visits, all blood ok, thyroid ok, 2 rounds of antibiotics-which made him worse- and some Science Diet 50dollar food which smelled awful and he hated) to be a systemic yeast infection. He has an odor which he never used to have, very painful joints and diarrhea, he is lethargic and grouchy, has blackened skin on one ear and under arms... ( we've been wiping him down with diluted Apple Cider Vinegar on the yeasty spots which he seems to like) We changed his diet to anti-yeast and gave him probiotocs but now has extreme die off symptoms and his joints are so sore especially ankles, and his eyes look dry and irritated.
So, we stopped the probiotic for now to ease these symptoms a bit, still eating anti-yeast, taking natural joint supplement. We ordered enzymes product for him so we will see how that goes when it arrives. It is so hard to watch your best friend suffer, we are trying to be patient but it's tough to keep perspective.
Replied By Annie (New Jersey, Camden) on 12/28/2011
I have a dog who has elephant skin on her back of head below the ears. She has allergies which I have not been able to find anything to help her eyes from drying up and peeling. She has yeast on the inside of her ears. I have to keep socks on forever because she will lick them constantly and make them bleed. The puffiness is starting to go down. She doesn't have excessive thirst and I have trouble with her appetite. And she doesn't pee often. But I make sure she gets water. If she cannot have potatoes and rice what else can you give her? She has one ear tip that won't heal it keeps getting larger because she flicks it all of the time. She also has anal gland trouble so I have to make sure she eats foods with fiber. I tried elimination of diet and never found anything to work right for her. Prednisone make her worse so she is off of it. She has been to holistic vets many times. I had her on a kit called enzymes and it did not work. I need a special shampoo for the yeast infection. Any suggestions?Replied By Debbie (Ontario Canada, Ontario,canada) on 01/11/2012
Try the apple cider vinegar remedy. I'm doing it right now and my dog Wheaten Terrier has the exact same issues.Replied By Akeentruth (Las Vegas, Nevada, Usa) on 01/12/2012
Hello I need some advice, I have been reading a lot of post on this site and I was hoping someone my be able to direct me in the right place. My name is Krys I have a 5 1/2 year old pit/chocolate lab mix with skin issues like no tomorrow. I have had my dog since he was 3 weeks old. When I first got him he had parvo and I made sure he survivred it. The first year and a half of his life he was fine no skin or ear issues.
After he hit two everything went down hill. His skin started to get really oily, and he would shake his head a lot. Slowly but surely he devoloped hives, losing hair, ears all red etc. Needless to say he also had happy tail syndrom... When the itching became excessive he chewed a sore on his tail and he caught gang grene and I had it amputated. I have tried everything, I feel like, for him. He was living in a cone/donut for the last 2 years on and off. I have taken him to vets, and dermatologist. He has been put on various meds, kenakonzol, doxicyclin, prednizone, many anti fungals, he takes zerytec daily, benadryl stopped working, I wash him with 3 medicated dog wash every other day. I have tried a daily bath of dawn dish soap per the dermatologists, I have tried yogurt in his food, as well as fish oils, and acidophilus.
Now he has developed a blood pocket in the inside of his ear, I have to take him to the vet tomorrow... Oh I also have tried switching his foods many many times. Right now my dermatologists has him on natural balance duck and potato high protein no grain. I am really at a loss. I love this dog with all my heart and I am afraid they have given him so many meds nothing is working, that the steroids are affecting his kidneys and that he is suffering, even though he is playful and full of life. If anyone and give any advice I would be so grateful.
Replied By Jl (Indianapolis, In) on 02/27/2012
Akeentruth - try getting your dog tested for hypothyroidism. This is commonly associated with skin disorders. It is like an autoimmune disease in that it lowers a dog's resistance to infections whenever they get a surface scratch on the skin. It takes about 45 days to see improvement and about 4 months to get 90% better. Please note that hypothyroid tests tend to not be accurate. So, if it comes back no problem with hypothyroid you might want to ask your Vet if it would hurt any to try a low dose med for hypothyroid for 30 days and see if there is improvement. This med is very inexpensive. You should also try Ketochlor Shampoo at the same time, bathing 3-4 times a week for 3 weeks, reducing to 2 times/ week and then once/ week at the 3-4 month mark. For ketochlor to be effective, it is best to shave the areas where the lessions are. I ordered a gallon of it since I was sure my dog would have outbreaks from tiem to time for the duration of his life. The shampoo works its way down the hair shaft- it is very effective. I also try rubbing apple cidar vinegar on my dog on days when he does not get a bath, to kill bacteria and yeast. The vinegar does not seem to bother him. Good luck!!Replied By Th6026 (Florida) on 08/14/2013
My dog has developed black elephant skin, itches all the time, and it has started developing on her front paw where she limps a little. I heard that apple cider vinegar and plain low fat yogurt helps so I have started using one teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and a heaping tablespoon of yogurt in her soft food. I also read that it takes about a month to work. Has anyone tried this. My poor baby looks miserable and I can't afford for the vet to do test after test only to find they didn't find anything.Replied By Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 08/15/2013
Sounds like a really bad yeast infection. Read how people have treated their dogs at this link (using ACV, Monistat, changing the dog's food to a higher-quality/no grain food, yogurt, and other treatments): https://www.earthclinic.com/pets/yeast_infections_dogs.htmlReplied By Debbiefudge (Brighton. Uk) on 08/18/2013
Hi. The most important thing to do is to change the dogs diet. Change to raw feeding only. Give probiotic yogurt every day. Half a clove of raw garlic daily. Bath in an antifungal shampoo and after the final rinse, mix half white vinegar/half water and soak every part of the dogs skin and leave to dry. Do this once a week. And also have a spray bottle with the same mixture in and spray any hot spots or where the dog is scratching, twice a day. I would stay away from the ACV until there is some improvement. Add a teaspoonful of DE (Food grade only) to the yogurt and mix well. This will help detox the dog. Don't give any vegetables. Just alternate different types of raw meat and raw bone. And, fish, once a week.