Scaly skin. Reddening or blackening of the skin. Loss of hair in the afflicted area. Strong odor coming from the skin.
Constant itching and scratching. Shaking or tilting of the head (if the infection is on your dog’s skin or ears). Loss of balance or hearing (if the infection is on your dog’s skin or ears). Frequent walking around in circles (if the infection is on your dog’s skin or ears).
The easiest way to rule out an allergy is to have your vet administer an allergy test to your dog. If you have recently switched your dog’s food or shampoo, this could be causing an allergic reaction. Try switching back to the previous food or shampoo and, if the symptoms disappear, you’ll know that your dog did not have Malassezia.
Your vet may want to have a full medical history of your dog on file. With this information in hand, your vet can conduct medical testing on your dog, including urine, blood, and skin analysis.
Bathe your dog in an antifungal shampoo. The shampoo should contain the ingredients chlorhexidine, miconazole, or ketoconazole. [5] X Research source Know that not every medicated shampoo contains these anti yeast ingredients. When bathing your dog, make sure that the shampoo is on its skin for a full 10 minutes before you rinse it off. For full effectivity, give medicated baths for every 3-5 days, for 2-12 weeks (as long as symptoms last).
Apply a miconazole yeast infection cream to the affected areas a couple of times each day for 7-10 days. Only apply enough of the cream to thoroughly cover the infected area. The cream packaging will likely include instructions for applying the cream to your dog’s skin—follow these instructions closely.
Oral medications often include prescriptions which contain ketoconazole, fluconazole, or itraconazole. [7] X Research source These medications often need to be administered for a long period of time: from 5 weeks to several months. [8] X Research source Oral antifungal medications can have unpleasant side effects. These can affect your dog’s liver and may need to be monitored by your vet.
Dog ear-cleaning solutions are not given by prescription. There are many retail brands available; check your local pet store or vet’s office. There are also home-made recipes online—most of these use safe substances (such as apple cider vinegar). Apply an ear cleaner designed to lower pH levels, clean the ear gently with a soft tissue, and apply yeast infection cream inside the ear as directed. If the yeast infection is deeper in your dog’s middle ear, it will need to be treated with oral medication, and perhaps even with surgery. Serious yeast ear infections can take up to six weeks to heal. [10] X Research source
“Is there anything I can do to keep my dog from scratching the infected area?” “What’s the best way to figure out if my dog has an allergy that caused this infection?” “Is it likely that this disease is congenital (present from birth) or genetic?”
Excess heat and humidity (keep your dog indoors during these conditions). Skin folds also tend to gather more humidity and can lead to an infection. Food and flea allergies.
Poodles and basset hounds, Cocker spaniels, Dachshunds.
Keep your dog up to date on all of their immunizations. Check your dog for any injuries or cuts after she has spent time outside. These can become infected.
