Wynnie (Pineville, North Carolina) on 06/11/2011

It was the incessant (recent now that hot humid Southern USA Summer is here) foot licking and then the brown waxy substance at the base of several of his nails that started my search for an answer - he had licked one pad absolutely raw - almost oozing blood. A friend and knowledgable dog person suggested it might be a yeast infection. I had no idea a dog could get a yeast infection. I found this EarthClinic site and was spellbound reading the posts.

It's been two weeks of ACV treatment and here's what I've done... One Tablespoon of ACV per dog, per day. They don't care much for it and I have to keep switching how I "trick" them into ingesting it. I've used the pill-pocket type of thing commercially available, but it doesn't hold much and the vinegar makes them go "gummy" very very quickly. I tried it in their food, but they'd turn their noses up at it and I had to stand my ground and not feed them anything else until they gave up and were hungry enough to eat it anyway (maybe a 12 hour standoff). My current, successful, "trick" is to measure out the tablespoon of ACV and slowly pour it along one half of a hotdog roll. I break each half of roll into quarters, make them Sit and their other limited tricks and give the piece as a "treat". The older dog loves bread of any kind and just gobbles it down; the younger dog is catching on that it's vinegar and turns his nose up at it until he sees his father/buddy eating the same thing - he can't stand to be left out of anything and then deigns to eat each piece. I've successfully used a soaked pretzel rod to the same end. I have begun giving them this soaked piece just after they have eaten half the normal amount of their regular food so that the full strength vinegar isn't upsetting to their stomach. They seem happier with this timing. And, by soaking each piece of bread I know that each dog got their dose of ACV for the day.

The greek yogurt... My dogs don't particularly like it. I am sticking with it because it has multiple kinds of the "good bacteria" a digestive system needs. I am, again, "tricking" them into ingesting it... I put about 2 tablespoons on top of their dry food, keeping it in a little heap - don't spread it out - , then pour over that some wet food w gravy that I know they love to eat. They eat the yogurt in the process of eating the wet food that they love. I no longer Stir the yogurt into the food (thinking that mixing it would make it more palatable) as my two dogs will turn their nose up at it and refuse to eat it at all, even when I wait 12-18 hours for them to "give in" and eat it anyway. I feed a very high quality dog food and can't afford to waste it like that. Initially I was giving each dog one-third of a cup per day for the first week. I have since backed off to the heaping tablespoon per dog per day.

Diluted vinegar in the ears: Well, I tried the 1/3 ACV to 2/3 water once in the younger dog's itchiest ear. He was so blatantly miserable and in pain that I apologized profusely as I grabbed a handlfull of cottonballs soaked them in water and flushed the vinegar out. He forgave me, but wanted to hide when he saw a cottonball and smelled the vinegar. So, I diluted the mix down to maybe 1/8 ACV and 7/8 water.(1/8 cup vinegar to 7/8 cup water). I put the mix in it's own spray bottle so it was ready to use anytime. I then thought it's be easy just to spray the mix onto their paws and/or ears. Ha - silly me. My dogs are afraid of the spraying sound and, after almost dislocating my shoulder holding them to me as I sprayed their feet, I caught on and changed tactics. I now soak a palmful of cottonballs with the spray bottle solution and then walk calmly into the room they are lounging in and very gently swab between their toes, around the base of each nail and then another clean cottonball to gently wipe the inside/underside of their ear flaps. They no longer have the discharge at the nail bases and they don't run when they see me with a cottonball!

OverTheCounter Yeast Infection ointment: I bought the version with a tube of ointment with 7 applicator tubes. You screw the applicator onto the tube and squeeze in a small amount of ointment (maybe the size of three green peas, or the size of a mini marshmallow). The applicator is smooth and sterile and slips easily into the penis sheath with no "wrestling" of the dog to comply. Press the plunger and the ointment is deposited. I used one small dose each day for 5 days.

Results so far: The older dog stopped chewing at his feet in just a few days and hasn't licked any raw spots at all, seldom licks at all now (two weeks in). His penis sheath is less than half as swollen as it was and the mucous-ish discharge has stopped. It is not longer an angry-hot red at the opening. He is not dragging his rectum on the carpet as if it itched. He had one seizure on the third day of treatment, but it was smaller and less intense than any other ever and he recovered very quickly as well. He is not itching at his ears with vigor, just the occasional, more typical, doggy itchy-scratchy of an ear. His eyes are not as red at the rims/base of eyelashes as they were and he seems to be "feeling better" and has more energy and actually plays with toys now instead of just having his head down and looking up at you with very sad eyes as if to say I Don't Feel Good.

The younger dog doesn't lick his feet anymore and the nailbed discharge/brown waxy substance is almost all gone.

And all this from a half gallon of apple cider vinegar and two large containers of greek yogurt. I think we are on to something here and it is a very pleasant surprise. I feel terrible that the older dog was in such apparent misery (Ladies - if you've had a yeast infection you KNOW what I mean! ) for so long. But, he's acting half his 9 yr age and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Moral of the story: Give it a try, the ACV and the greek yogurt(plain, no flavor), be realistic and stick to it. I didn't see any concrete proof of it working until mid way into the second week. When his discharge symptoms abate further I will lower the vinegar to half a tablespoon and the yogurt to every other day and keep it up as Preventative Maintenance.

Replied By Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 03/04/2014

Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and  fueled  her quest for the knowledge held in lore,  and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

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Hey Hope!

Please let us know the results of your feeding trial!

Thanks!

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