Yeast infections in dog’s ears can be a serious problem, especially during the summer period.
Noticing your puppy scratching its ear and seeing discomfort in its eyes? Our suggestion is to call your vet and schedule an examination immediately.
We summed our knowledge about dog yeas infections and think that you will find this article very helpful.
Let’s take a look.
What Is A Dog’s Yeast Ear Infection?
An ear yeast disease starts when yeast species proliferate in a pup’s ear, and it’s called otitis externa. Malassezia pachydermatis is the naturally occurring fungi found in dogs’ ears.
It is naturally found in very small amounts on the skin and ears of dogs, but if the right conditions exist, it irritates the skin. The result of this process is the creation of noncontagious yeast infections in dogs and sometimes recurrent infections.
How Does A Ear Yeast Infection Spread?
The ear canal of a dog descends and then drifts away from the dog’s ears entrance (it is naturally formed like an “L”). This provides a favorable moist environment for yeast growth.
The outer pet’s ear extends from the earlobe to the ear drum. Otitis externa is an infectious disease in this part of the ear.
Otitis media is a middle ear infection that usually occurs in conjunction with an outer ear infection. Once the middle ear gets infected, the infection spreads, and you can feel a musty smell coming out of your pup’s ear.
When the middle ear becomes infected, the infection spreads to the inside parts, affecting the dog’s proper balance and position.
Fungal infections can also appear on your dog’s skin in other places. When this happens, the skin becomes scabby, red, or crusty with a strong odor.
Causes Of Yeast Ear Infections In Dogs
Yeast infections in dogs can be caused by several factors, including:
- Food Allergies
Yeast overgrowth in the ear may occur if a dog is allergic to something in the environment or food.
The body’s reaction to the allergen is inflammation, which can cause yeast to flourish in the ear. Allergy testing should be provided, and you should avoid giving your dog sugary snacks.
- Ear Mites
Ear mites, which feast on dog’s ear wax, can cause ear irritation and inflammation. This can lead to yeast overgrowth.
- Moisture
An ear canal is a warm environment, and yeast thrives in warm, moist conditions.
If water enters the ear canal, for example, during a bath and the ears are not properly dried out, yeast will replicate and cause an infection.
Other factors include:
- Antibiotics
- Immunodeficiency
- Bathing excessively
- Allergy to yeast
- Swimming frequently
- Hot humid weather
- Sugary treats for your dog
- Not cleaning your dog’s ears regularly
- Floppy ears
- Certain foods.
Symptoms Of Yeast Ear Infections In Dogs
An ear yeast infection causes a dog to wiggle its head and scratch its ears. This is because the infection causes irritation and inflammation and may have the same symptoms as bacterial infections.
Because of the discomfort, your dog may be hesitant to have its head and ears touched, as the infection can occur in one or both ears.
There might be a brown discharge or a dark discharge present. Also, erythema and swelling inside the ear may imply a yeast ear infection in dogs.
If your dog has an ear infection caused by a yeast, a foul smell similar to sour bread dough could be present and extremely itchy.
If you notice oily ear debris and brown waxy discharge in your dog’s ears, it indicates that its canals are inflamed and may have an infection.
Both the ear canal and the ear flap can be affected. The condition can cause skin thickening on the ear flap.
Skin scaling or crusting on the ear flap is also common, particularly in severe or chronic cases.
If you notice your dog walking around with one ear drooping or carrying one side of its head lower, this could indicate that your pet has had an ear infection for some time.
Malassezia pachydermatis is the yeast that is commonly found on pet’s skin folds.
Under certain conditions, it could result in an ear yeast infection or fungal infections in other parts of the dog’s body.
The symptoms that occur are not very specific but should alarm the owners that there’s something wrong with their pet.
You will notice your dog walking off the balance if the infection is causing neurological problems. This usually indicates that the inner ear is affected.
Dog Breeds At Risk For A Yeast Ear Infection
The dog’s ear is a natural breeding ground for yeast and bacteria due to its warm, humid environment. We know that preventing yeast ear infections in dogs can be a tricky thing.
An imbalance of yeast or bacteria can be caused by various factors, including gender, ear shape, water exposure (swimming) history, and the amount of hair inside the ear canal.
Types of dogs with floppy ears, such as Basset Hounds; oily coats – Cocker Spaniels; and allergy-prone breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers, are prone to severe or recurring dog yeast ear infections.
Specifically, the following breeds are at the highest risk of yeast ear infection:
- Schnauzers
- West Highland White Terrier
- Poodles
- Shih Tzu
- Cocker Spaniel
- Golden Retrievers
- Labrador Retrievers
- Basset Hound
- German Shepherd
- Maltese
- Dachshunds
Treatment of Ear Yeast Infections
- Medicinal Baths
As long as there are no secondary infections, an antifungal shampoo and other cleaning products can assist in controlling the yeast infection. For best results, wash your pet every 3-5 days for 2 to 12 weeks (or as guided by your veterinarian).
Since the most important part of the curing is to keep the dog’s ears healthy after proposing an accurate diagnosis and constitute medical advice.
- Cream for External Use
If the infection is limited to a small area, apply an antifungal cream topically to the skin and cover it or use medicated ear drops for the irritated ear. The medicated cream should come with specific written instructions, which you should carefully follow.
- Clean Your Pet’s Ears
Because the ears are among the most common locations for yeast infections, keeping them clean and tidy is critical.
If necessary, administer a yeast infection cream inside the ear as indicated. Do this after carefully cleansing the ear with a soft tissue or cotton ball and a dog-ear cleaning solution made to lower pH levels.
- Considering Surgery
Only your veterinarian can decide the best course of action if the infection is farther into the ear canal and requires oral treatment and potentially surgery.
The healing time for severe ear yeast infections can reach six weeks.
- Examine Your Dog’s Diet
The key to your dog’s health is having a balanced diet. Foods and snacks high in refined carbs, such as potatoes, corn, grain, rice, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup, should be avoided.
Since yeast uses food for growth and multiplication, avoid feeding your dog any table food.
Even though they can be treated, some dogs are prone to reoccurring yeast infections. The safest method to avoid a potential incident is to properly maintain your dog’s immune system.
Always ask for veterinary advice for the best treatment of the underlying cause.
Dog To Human Transmission
Even if they come into direct contact with the sick dog’s skin, yeast cells cannot spread to another pet or a human.
It should be noted that secondary bacterial or yeast infections caused by yeast infection can sometimes be communicable.
This is also true for people; secondary illnesses like ringworm are spread by direct contact, so dog owners should exercise caution.
However, the most important message is to understand that dog-to-human transmission is not common at all.
FAQ
Summary
Treatment should be considered after the consultation with the vet professional and uncovering the underlying cause. It can vary from home remedies, anti-inflammatory medications, and medicinal baths all the way to surgery.
After resolving the pup’s ear infections, the owner must take actions to prevent yeast ear infections and make sure the ears stay healthy. At the end of the day, don’t panic; it is very common health issue, and it can happen to anyone.
Related topic: Help! My Dog Died – What To Do With Body
*photo by rinzz.hotmail.com – depositphotos