Whether your dog is an avid swimmer, has many folds on her body or is an older dog who is more susceptible to skin infections including yeast infections, you can treat the problem cost effectively and take measures to keep the malady from recurring. As always, get a veterinarian's care if your dog's problem gets worse instead of better.
Things You'll Need
- warm water
- Dermazole shampoo
- Probiotics
Instructions
Identify the yeast infection. Usually a skin infection on a dog will appear under folds, in armpits, in the groin area or under the jaw and down the chest. Your dog will begin to lose hair in the infected area and will continually lick the area. There may be a distinct odor coming from the infected area. The odor will be slightly sour and a white discharge might appear, depending on the severity of the infection. The area will also become red.
Prepare a bath for your dog and purchase a medicated dog shampoo that contains miconazole. Miconazole works to break the wall of the skin that is infected. Ketoconazole is another anti-fungal medication that is often recommended. Once the bacteria is broken, it doesn't have the strength to multiply.
Follow the instructions on the container. This could mean vigorously rubbing the infected area with the shampoo and letting stand for 10 minutes. While you're waiting, you can wash the rest of your pooch's body with a regular shampoo, making sure you give him a GOOD scrub down so he's extra clean and won't spread infection due to being dirty. You can also take the time to clean his ears, such as by wiping with a fragrance-free baby wipe and cotton swabs. If your dog has a yeast infection on his skin, he may have a yeast infection in the ear so clean well.
After 10 minutes, rinse with warm water. You will need to repeat the wash: two washes per week for a month, and one wash per week afterward.
The last step is to feed your dog probiotics, especially if your dog in older. Infections such as like this should be "kicked" by the dog if she is in superior health, so many times it means that your dog is either lacking nutrition or needs a little help drawing nutrients from her food.
When the skin infection is clear, make sure your pet is as clean as possible all the time. If he's a swimmer, give him a bath after each swim. If you walk him daily, give him a bath at least once a week.