Dogs normally do not develop yeast (candida) infections from antibiotic therapy, but it can happen on occasion. Antibiotics prescribed to treat common bacterial infections can cause an overgrowth of yeast on the dog's skin, digestive tract or within its ears. Abstaining from using antibiotics and finding a more holistic approach can help prevent unwanted yeast infections from occurring in the pet, according to the Organic Pet Digest.
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Antibiotics and Yeast
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Antibiotics work to kill unwanted bacteria within the body. They are a great ally in the fight against serious and, often life threatening, bacterial infections. Unfortunately, the antibiotics do not differentiate between good bacteria that serves a beneficial purpose to the canine body and bad bacteria which causes illness. The antibiotics simply kill all bacteria in the dog's body. When the bacteria die, yeast, a fungus, begin to take over and grow out of control because the bacteria no longer exists to combat it.
Buildup of Yeast
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Yeast exist on every surface of the dog's body, within its ears and mouth. They also live on the mucus membranes of the digestive tract. Yeast overgrowth in the ears causes a waxy buildup with an unpleasant odor, according to Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Education. The warm, moist ear canal normally houses both bacteria and yeast, but the inevitable death of the bacteria from antibiotics causes the yeast to prosper. An overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract causes toxins to enter the dog's blood stream. The immune system, endocrine system and nervous system are affected by the toxins. Yeast infections on a dog's skin cause areas of crustiness and a foul odor.
Symptoms
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A dog suffering an ear canal yeast infection will shake its head and dig on its ears. An overgrowth of yeast on the dog's skin causes it to itch and lick the area excessively. It will often suffer hair loss and bloody, moist wounds will develop. Dogs suffering from an overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract will be lethargic, often suffer bladder infections, skin conditions will erupt, loss of hair may occur and the dog will be more prone to allergies.
Diagnosis
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A veterinarian will exam the dog's ears. He may utilize an otoscope to look deep into the ear canal. A swab will be taken of the ear to determine if yeast is present. A veterinarian will take a scraping of any suspicious looking skin spots to determine if yeast is causing the irritation. If the dog is suffering from urinary tract infections or ongoing allergies and an overabundance of yeast in the digestive tract is suspected, a urine culture will be obtained.
Treatment
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Antifungal medications will be prescribed if a yeast infection is diagnosed. Some natural alternatives to treat yeast infections in dogs are black walnut leaf applied topically to locations of skin yeast infections. Olive leaf additives have strong antifungal characteristics and work well in treating digestive yeast overgrowth, according to Natural Dog Health Remedies.
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