If you have a dog, chances are you are familiar with dog ear infections. As one of the most common illnesses to plague canines, ear infections can be simple to treat or chronic and very bothersome. If your pet is experiencing reoccurring ear infections, feeding it a diet that is designed to help combat the woes of otitis externa may be beneficial.
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Yeast
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The most common culprit of ear infections is yeast. Ears are dark and often moist by nature, thus creating the perfect environment in which yeast thrives. Many believe that the yeast found in diets also triggers ear infections. Therefore, it can be helpful to remove ingredients containing yeast, starch, sugar and grains from the food. These ingredients include most fruit, potatoes, corn, yams, sweet potatoes and winter squashes. Additionally, you can also try adding yogurt to your dog's food in order to control the yeast. But be careful, because some dogs are lactose intolerant. If your dog develops diarrhea from the yogurt, stop using it immediately.
You may also want to add supplements to your dog's diet that can inhibit yeast growth, such as probiotics; vitamin C with bioflavonoids; fresh, crushed garlic; olive leaf extract; and salmon oil.
Inflammation
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Adding fatty acid supplements, particularly those containing omega-3 fatty acids, may be beneficial in treating your pet's ear infections. Infection causes inflammation in the ear, which is often painful for your pet. Omega-3 fatty acids typically reduce inflammation. Therefore, feeding your pet food that has this ingredient can not only help current infections, but can prevent future flare-ups as well. The BARF, for biologically appropriate raw food, diet is an all-natural, raw diet that contains these essential fatty acids.
Food Allergies
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Many pet owners see a link between their dogs' allergies and ear infections. Therefore, veterinarians are now exploring the possibilities that ear infections may be caused by food allergies. If your dog is getting recurrent ear infections, it is possible it is allergic to a component in its food. The only way to definitively diagnose this is through an elimination diet.
Most allergies stem from the protein source in the pet's food. The most common protein sources in commercial food are beef, lamb and chicken. In an elimination diet, pet owners swap that protein with one that their dog hasn't had before, such as venison, rabbit or fish. This diet is then fed for about six weeks exclusively. This means that treats and even beef-based heartworm preventatives are prohibited because they can interfere with the results.
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