For pet parents, dealing with and treating canine yeast infections can be challenging. Throw in the mention of an anti-yeast diet, and it really gets challenging. The good news is that, with proactive nutrition and care, you can help keep yeast infection flare-ups to a minimum. An anti-yeast diet for your dog is one way to help reduce the risk of yeast overgrowth in their bodies and skin. Let’s take a look at what an anti-yeast diet for dogs looks like.
As with any infections in dogs, yeast can be caused by a variety of factors, but allergies to food are the most common.
It is common for dogs with skin folds or food allergies to have yeast infections.
Therefore, choosing the right foods for dogs with yeast infection is one of the things you can do to eliminate this fungus once and for all.
Symptoms of Yeast Infection in Dogs
In dogs with a yeast infection, your furry friend will show signs of discomfort.
Beyond being miserable and having itchy skin, the signs, and symptoms include:
- Shaking or tilting their head due to ear infections
- Chewing or licking their paws
- Having musty odor
- Blackening of skin
- Losing of hair on the tail or upper back
- Having dark and rusty-red hair between their toes
- Hot spots
If your furry friend has two or more of these signs, then it could be suffering from a yeast infection.
To combat this, it’s best to change your dog’s diet to an anti-yeast diet until the infection is fully treated, along with other treatments.
Stop feeding the yeast!
There might be ways you unknowingly feed the unwanted yeast infection in your dog.
Yeast craves starch and sugar. Since carbohydrates are made up of sugar, when your dog consumes them—and breaks them down—this feeds the yeast.
So, by removing carbs and sugar from your dog’s daily diet, you will be starving the yeast and preventing yeast growth.
When you bite a slice of bread and keep it in your mouth for a few seconds, you will notice the sweet taste starts to come out simply because your saliva breaks the starch down into sugar!
The same scenario happens in your dog’s gut and the yeast feeds off that sugar.
Does Grain Contribute to Yeast Infections?
Grains are seen to be a potential contributor to yeast infections in dogs, especially when your pet has an allergy.
Grains contain carbohydrates, and as stated before, this can feed the yeast in your dog’s system.
Additionally, grains can also be difficult for dogs to digest which can lead to inflammation in the gut and an imbalance of good bacteria.
The best way to determine whether your dog is allergic to grains or not is to observe its reaction when you give it grain-based foods.
If it shows signs of discomfort, then grains should be eliminated from its diet.
Grains and starch-based foods are also easily broken down into sugar, so avoid feeding your pet any grain-based food. A grain-free diet without corn, wheat, rice, and oats is best.
What should I feed a dog with a yeast infection?
When your dog is suffering from a yeast infection, there are things you can do to eliminate the infection and prevent it from reoccurring in the future—and that is to change your dog’s diet!
Be mindful of what you are feeding your dog.
All sugary treats must go.
Dogs with yeast infections must eat non-starchy vegetables, fiber-rich foods, lean sources of protein, and foods loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
They can eat raw, homemade, or even commercial dog foods—as long as they are packed with anti-inflammatory and immune-boosters such as probiotics and hypoallergenic.
They should not contain any problem-causing ingredients.
Raw Food
For yeast infections, this diet can do wonders.
Dogs suffering from an overgrowth of yeast may do best on a raw diet. This means feeding your dog with meat, organs, and bones.
A very short list indeed!
Raw diets are the quickest way to starve the yeast and eliminate them completely.
Homemade Dog Food
You can also choose to cook your own homemade dog food at home.
Although it can be challenging, make sure you get the right mix of ingredients.
You can start by preparing healthy protein content such as beef or lamb and add low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens, squash, and broccoli.
It can be difficult to get the right balance of nutrients when it comes to home-cooked meals to provide a balanced diet.
For this reason, commercial dog foods that are vet-recommended and appropriate for your dog’s needs are often a better option.
Commercial Dog Food
Yeast infections are also common among dogs that are immunocompromised by medications.
So, if you opt to feed your four-legged family member commercial dog food, it is important to look for ones with immunity boosters.
Antioxidants are one of the ingredients that boost your dog’s immunity and help fight the infection naturally, so make sure the dog food is packed with vitamins B-complex, C, E, and fatty acids.
They are also anti-inflammatory which can help treat and prevent allergic dermatitis.
Probiotics in the ingredients can help keep the growth of yeast in check by increasing your dog’s good or friendly bacteria leading to healthy skin.
Also, ensure that the ingredients DO NOT contain starch and sugar, as these are the silver bullets for yeast.
Other ingredients should also include:
- Lean animal protein
- animal-based high-quality fats
- dietary fiber
- low carb veggies
Limiting the anti-yeast dog food selection to these ingredients is the easiest way to find the best anti-yeast dog food.
Conclusion
While it’s always a good idea to first check with your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment, there are other things you can do at home that are not only easy but natural to help treat and prevent your dog’s yeast infection.
Know what is going on with your pet—be proactive.
Of course, your dog can’t tell you directly if they feel any discomfort or if something is wrong with them, but you can see sudden changes.
Observe your dog’s behavior.
Regularly check their ears, bellies, and toes for any redness or scaliness.
But most importantly, watch what your dog eats.
Early intervention and an anti-yeast diet can help manage the overgrowth of yeast in your dog.
