Top photo: Before and after photos of Chubbs' yeast dermatitis and hot spots between his toes and under his chin healed with Lavengel®
Chubbs the Golden Corgi was suffering from yeast dermatitis that had spread to various parts of his body. The itching and discomfort were severe, and the poor pup would literally scratch his fur off.
After much licking, chewing, and scratching, Chubbs found himself with thinning fur, red, inflamed patches of skin, and a hot spot on his throat and another between his toes. His owner, Alex, tried various ways and products to relieve the itching, but nothing worked consistently until Lavengel®. Here's what he had to say:
"My golden corgi has been struggling with a systemic yeast infection and he will figure out ways to scratch himself raw. I've tried various topicals, including hypochloric acid, aloe vera - powdered and gel, ozonated coconut oil; Lavengel works the best and within hours. Plus it smells good and I like the moisture barrier that slows the yeast multiplication.
You have made such a great product here. It worked when nothing else would. Thanks so much!"
Photo: A closer look at the before / after comparison of Chubbs' paw yeast dermatitis and interdigital hot spot, with less redness and fur regrowth after Lavengel®
How Do Dogs Get Yeast Skin Infections?
The vast majority of all dermatological yeast infections in dogs are caused by the fungus Malassezia pachydermatis, which is among the common microbes that inhabit a dog's skin microbiome. Like all yeast and bacteria, Malassezia love darkness, warmth, and moisture.
When the skin barrier is breached - say, via a wound caused by an injury or self-infliction from scratching - these yeast (and bacterial) cells move in, establish colonies, and proliferate quickly. In fact, a significant amount of yeast infections begin as a dog scratches, licks, and chews at skin allergies - more on that further down.
As yeast colonies increase, they spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, creating a systemic infection. This is where things get complicated and treatment becomes more costly.
Photo: Malassezia pachydermatis cells under a microscope, in both the round "bud" form and stick-like "filament" form; via University of Adelaide, Mycology: Malassezia
Canine Yeast Infections Can Be Tough
Fungi are highly adaptive eukaryotic organisms, able to change forms (from single "bud" form to a more complex "filament" form) and even work symbiotically with existing bacteria. Research indicates that Malassezia yeast and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, the leading culprit behind nearly all canine bacterial infections (pyoderma), share a semi-symbiotic relationship.
The Staph bacteria form a biofilm, which is essentially a tough, sticky "forcefield" that protects the bacteria from the immune system and antibiotics. The yeast and other microbes can hide in this bacterial "bunker" and evade treatment while they continue to proliferate.
Bacterial biofilms (and even fungal biofilms) have become incredibly resilient over the years, creating "superbugs" that bring incurable infections. This "Antibiotic Resistance" is a problem that perpetually haunts the world's healthcare system. See our article on Antibiotic Resistance to potentially help keep you up at night.
Photo: A closer look at the red yeast dermatitis patches and hot spot on Chubbs' neck and chest versus after using Lavengel®
Treating Canine Yeast Infections
The first thing to remember is that the longer a dog's yeast (or bacterial) infection is left untreated, the more serious it can become, and the more time and treatment will be required.
The second thing to remember is that yeast infections are considered secondary infections, meaning they arise after, or in tandem with, a bacterial infection. So, if you're treating for yeast, you'll likely be treating for bacteria as well. This is an area where Lavengel® can truly shine, as it affects both.
For spot treatments, yeast dermatitis can be countered with antifungal creams containing miconazole or ketaconazole may be prescribed. As you have read above, Lavengel® can be a viable and safer alternative to these.
For yeast dermatitis that has spread to multiple parts of the body, medicated shampoos containing selenium sulfide or benzoyl peroxide are typically used to initially cleanse and "degrease" the skin. From there, bathing with anti-fungal shampoo with chlorhexidine, ketaconazole, or miconazole every few days for several weeks may be needed - on top of spot treatments for troublesome areas.
Oral anti-fungal and antibiotics may also be used for systemic infections as well, though these are generally saved as a last resort to avoid inadvertently creating an antibiotic / antifungal resistant infection.
If you'd like more info on yeast infections in dogs, see our Canine Malassezia Yeast Infection Resource (also referenced in the "Further Reading" section at the bottom).
What Makes Dogs Lick Their Feet?
There are a plethora of reasons that dogs treat their tootsies like ice cream cones. Here are ten of them, which are further discussed in-depth in our Dog Paw Licking Resource:
- Infection, whether bacterial (pyoderma) or yeast (Malassezia)
- Skin allergies
- Self-grooming
- Anxiety and boredom
- Hidden cuts or debris
- Dry, cracked paw pads
- Parasites
- Arthritis or joint pain
- Interdigital cysts
- Interdigital warts
Photo: Dog with severe atopic dermatitis due to skin allergies, with alopecia (missing fur), and leathery skin on face and feet; via Family Pet Clinic of Menomonee Falls
How Do Dogs Get Skin Allergies?
We go into a lot more detail into dog skin allergies, as well as many other skin conditions, in our Resource Center.
The short and sweet of it is that canine (and human) allergies are caused by the immune system's reaction to irritants (allergens) that it deems harmful. Why exactly these molecules affect one dog and not another is not currently understood, but it is believed that a dog's genetics and environment play a major role in the development of immunity - especially in the early years of life.
Allergens are generally considered seasonal, environmental, or food-related, with the majority of skin allergy (atopy) cases in dogs involving the former two. Seasonal and environmental allergens can include:
- Pollen from trees and plants
- Grass and hay
- Mold
- Certain fungal spores and yeast
- Dust mites
- Dander (dead skin, which can even include human dander)
Further Dog Paw, Yeast, and Rash-Related Reading
- Canine Malassezia Yeast Infection Resource
- Top 10 Reasons Dogs Lick Their Paws
- Skin Allergies + Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs Resource
- Complete Canine Hot Spot Resource
- The Dog Owner's Ultimate Guide to Hot Spots
Want to make a hot spot into a not spot and keep yeast-affected areas from getting worse? Try Lavengel® for yourself!
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