Apple Cider Vinegar for Yeast Infections in Dogs

Organic & Unfiltered ACV. Bragg is what I use.

Equal parts of ACV & DISTILLED WATER, 10 drops in ear. Twice a day.

Some brands exacerbate a yeast infection because they contain yeast. The manufacturers added yeast to ferment the vinegar. But some brands ferment their vinegar without adding yeast. These cause no problems. The brand I use is yeast-free--I called the manufacturer today and asked. It won't cause problems. I get it from a health food store, and the label says it's organic, raw, unpasturized, and with the 'mother'.

Just diagnosed my lab with yeast and I have been fighting my own battle with candida with coconut oil so what easier way to give to them in their food and put in their ears, belly, paws, and groin and is harmless of couse give them the best virgin coconut raw oil you can buy it for 45 at rawfoodworld.com for a Gallon!

Saundra, my yellow Lab mix had terrible skin for most of her 12 years, up until 6 or so months ago. I switched her to a grain-free food and before she finished the first bag, her skin was much better. I buy chicken and cook it to add to my dogs' supper, tossing in an egg on occasion or mixing in some yogurt or beef along with some chicken broth. The grain-free dry food is costly, but maybe if you can substitute a portion of what your dogs are eating now it would help. Perhaps there's a source of the dry food that's less expensive; I pay close to $25 for a 13 lb. bag. Good luck and thank you for taking care of those in need.

I would definitely start with changing the food your dog is eating. The brands you are giving them are of the lowest quality. It's made of slaughterhouse waste and fillers. Check out the website www.dogfoodadvisor.com it will help guide you to a better food. Grain free is not always expensive. A lot of people use Taste of the Wild and it's affordable.

Saundra, Beneful is the worst dog food on the market! Pedigree is not much better. Go to Dog Food Advisor dot com for more dog food info. I feed raw food which is high fat, moderate animal protein, low carb, grain free. This is a dog's natural food. Too much carb feeds yeast bc it breaks down to sugar in the digestive system.

Don't use Selsun Blue or ANY HUMAN SHAMPOO on DOGS! That's for humans! The PH is different for dogs skin/ears. I used to use dandruff shampoo on my dog and never did get rid of his fungus. I later learned it was too potent for animals to use human shampoos. I found Vetrust antibacterial/antifungal shampoo for dogs at Walmart and it works great. Good luck!

Hey John!

I must respectfully disagree with your proclamation.

First, the basics:

For both humans and dogs "A highly important component of skin is what is called the acid mantle. This is a lightly acidic layer that covers the skin, serving as a barrier to protect the porous topmost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, from environmental contaminants such as bacteria and viruses. The stratum corneum is responsible for keeping the outer body well hydrated, by absorbing water and not allowing excessive evaporation to occur. When we bathe, using soaps and shampoos, we wash away this layer of acidic oil."

Next: "The acid mantle can also be defined as the relative pH balance of the skin. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with levels less than 6.4 considered high acidity, and levels more than 6.4 considered high alkalinity. The normal range of skin pH levels for humans is 5.2 to 6.2...Depending on breed, gender, climate, and the anatomical size on the dog, the pH levels range from 5.5 to 7.5, ..."

"...if a shampoo that is formulated for human skin is used on a dog, the dog's acid mantle will be disrupted, creating an environment where bacteria, parasites, and viruses can run rampant. Unknowingly, many pet owners will repeat washings of their dogs because of the smell caused by a proliferation of bacteria, making the problem worse as the skin's acid mantle/pH level becomes more imbalanced."

Source: http://www.petmd.com/dog/grooming/evr_dg_shampoo_for_dogs

Because dog shampoos can be very expensive, and human shampoos are usually very affordable, the solution is to give your dog an ACV rinse after the bath to restore the acid mantle and balance the PH of the skin.

And, about the Selsun Blue not working on the fungal infection on the skin of your dog, the working ingredients in Selsun Blue are selenium sulfide [anti-fungal]or salycilic acid [anti-bacterial] in either 1% or 3% concentrations. The VetTrust shampoo from Walmart has chlorhexidine gluconate [anti-bacterial] and ketoconazole [anti-fungal]. It would seem that the yeast/bacterial infection on your dog was simply not sensitive to the Selsun Blue, but was sensitive to the VetTrust product. What works is what works, however a far less expensive and super effective approach would be Ted's Anti-fungal/Anti-staph remedy.

there is an enzyme solution you can buy for ear infections that is amazing. I have a rescue basset hound with big hot ears who had terrible smelly ear infections fromt he day we got her. we did several rounds of antibiotics from the vet with the infection coming back as soon as the drops ran out. And she would cry when you put the drops in ther ears, must burn or something. I found it cheapest on Amazon. The one I used has lysozyme, lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase in it with hydrocortizone. she didn't mind the drops and after a week of using it her ears cleared up perfectly. Not even a hint of infection for over a year now. They also make a topical cream that may do something for the skin infections. They each run between $10-15 per bottle-cheaper than a vet visit and definately worth a try.

I live very close to you and have been battling ear infections for 9 years with my cocker. I am wondering what vet you use, the name of the product you mentioned and where you got it. She has been on Natural Balance Potato and Duck dog food for years. What dog food do you use? The yeast infection has always been in her ears and often her eyes - now added on 3 paws. I am now doing a dip of 1/4 C vinegar, 1/4 C hydrogen pyroxide, 1 qt water. I am worried about getting her dry enough.

Kate,

I battled ear infections in our labradoodle for 5 years, probably a dozen trips to the vet, several hundred dollars and about a gallon of Animax, but it still didn't solve the problem. I found a recipe online from a cocker spaniel owner for a vinegar based solution that has been a miracle. I use it once a month and for the past four years there hasn't been a single ear infection. Here is the website: http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/EarCleaner.html

I've too have been using that for years and it's the best thing ever for ear infections. http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/EarCleaner.html

Try changing your food. Most allergies are caused by their food, which usually contains beef, corn or wheat. My dog also suffers from allergies and I just changed the food to _____. I also add a tablespoon of ACV to his water daily.

Cherrie - my part-Yellow Lab has had skin/ear probs since she was a pup; it's been a constant struggle, mostly for her. I've spent my child's inheritance on vet bills! Vet just kept prescribing the industry shampoo, steroids, etc. Allergy test proved she's allergic to dust mites, storage mites, mold, straw..you get the idea: nothing I can really DO anything about. She eats Nutro, which is supposed to be all natural..she hasn't had canned food since the tainted pet food episode.. I've given her colloidal silver appropriately diluted (with a syringe)and that seemed to help a little..the black skin, according to my vet, is "saliva stain". Mine has it, too and I don't think it's anything to worry about, even tho' it's a bit unsightly.

FYI - Nutro has switched to using soy in their foods and MANY dogs and cats who used to be fine on it now cannot tolerate it. I switched my cat to Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance and ALL allergies cleared up within days. No more scratching, gnawing, licking. My dogs now eat only grain free food, either Tast of the Wild or Before Grain because one of them had serious seizures from the fillers (grains) in almost all dog food. Not a single seizure now for almost 3 years.

Linda, I had a yellow lab who was allergic to dust mites and I had the vet give him IVERMECTIN injections .. 1 shot then 2 weeks late a second one.. I dont know the dosage.. But it completely cured him. Good Luck

I have a white Maltese with a yeast infection who has turned pink and rather smelly her skin is very flaky and it shreds like desicated coconut the vet keeps giving me different shampoos but so far has not made any real difference she has taken a course of Nizoral tablets which calmed the skin a little but the dog has been quite miserable and snappy and has suggested we try just changing her food to just dry food and water for next 4 weeks I would like to try your remedy can someone give me the dosage please?

I realize the post is old but thought I would respond in case anyone is still having these problems. Regarding the stomach discoloration, dirty spotted looking belly etc. that doesn't come clean with a bath. I shave my dogs stomach or area then put baby oil on it. I let it sit for about 5 minutes then with a baby oil soaked Q-tip I rub off the discoloration. I think it's just dead skin cells, she's left with a nice soft pink tummy and she loves it. I think bathing your dog at least once a month helps keep the discoloration at a minimum, use extra soap on the tummy area and give them a good rub.

With regard to the yeast infection did anyone try monistat cream? I would think that would be the best treatment for a yeast infection anywhere. When my daughter was small she had a red area on the top of her nose, she was diagnosed with a yeast infection. Doctor prescribed monistat cream it cleared up quickly.

I'm glad you posted today because it did help. I thought about the monistat but would be concerned if my dog ingested it. I am going to try your baby oil idea. Thanks

My dog suffered from yeast infections in ears and body for three years straight. She was so bad that after thousands of dollars on vet bills and meds that would make her sicker and showed no improvements I started with home remedies that though worked better would still come back. Finally I found two things that got rid of everything and shes been symptom free for two years. This dog was so bad I was seriously considering putting her down. She looked like she had soars all over and haf to wear a cone of shame all the time. I put her WELL BALANCE CORE NO GRAINS WHITE FISH FOOD. I also started her on DINOVITE. Dinovite clearly says she will get a little worse the first two weeks while everything gets expelled but stick to it. Sure enough after two weeks I started to notice improvements and within a month her hair had already grown back. I still almost three years later have her on both the core wellness white fish no grains diet and dinovite and she has never gotten another yeast ear infection or those horrible yeast scabs she had. Vet visits are just for physical and vaccines. Shes healthy and happy now.

Hi there,

I'm not sure how your baby is doing but if you are fighting a yeast infection more than likely your dog could have candida of the stomach like humans often have. Give them an excellent probiotic daily; I use Dr. beckers on Dr.Mercola's website and it is high about 30 billion per serving. It needs to be high. Also, watch what you are feeding them, no grains, sugar, starchs such as potato in foods. Wet food is better. I have totally switched my dog to a dehydrated organic dog food which he loves! Hope this helps! Best of luck!

I had a beloved black Scnauzer mix named Missy about 25 years ago. When she was about 4 years old she developed a horrible, black, oozing, gummy, stinky secretion on her entire body. She would scratch non-stop. No amount of baths, different shampoos helped. My vet told me it was bad genes/hereditary, and there was nothing to clear it up! He had no idea what she had. I did everything I could think of to help her, to no avail. She became so crazed with scratching, that she wasn't even the same happy, little dog anymore. She literally scratched all the time. I came home from work one day, and she had rubbed her little body all over the walls and blood was everywhere. I had to take my sweet little dog and have her put to sleep. She was only six years old. I cried my eyes out all the way home. Today, I believe she could have been helped. Obviously, she had a terrible yeast infection. If I had only known....

Hey Vickyi!

Please do not beat yourself up over putting your girl to sleep- she well may have had atopic dermatitis, which is a genetic condition and for some dogs PTS is the only way to get relief. You sound like a conscientious pet guardian, and I am sure your girl got the very best care during her time with you.

Hi all just want to say I have a rescue pup who has allergies of some kind food or evironmental. I like holistic vet care but the closet one is in Austin, TX. You look him up and you can follow him and learn how to care for your pets. Like how repeated vaccines hurt and toxic flea meds are bad.

This is what I recently did for my rescue: coconut oil 2oz and 2ml colloidal silver in a hair color bottle from Sally's...rub it into coat and skin head to toe and leave for 2 hours, then bath and boy he looked so much better the next day and the good news is if there are hidden mites, which happens often, the colloidal silver kills them. Pup allergies bumps biting itching gone.

Witch hazel cleans ears. This last time I put 2-3 drop colloidal silver messaged and cleaned out.

They say that food allergies are either chicken beef or grains. Its' my under standing that grains are not good for us or pets. Raw or home cooked best or canned dog food. I use standard process muliti vitamin - great product. Sometimes shedding is low vitamin e. I hope this helps someone.

After numerous visits to vet with scratching, skin sores, inflammation, and yeast infections my shepherd mix's medical root cause was determined to be a low thyroid. He is now on low dose of thyroxine which helps but at onset of spring he still had a severe skin flair-up. My observation is that his recurring yeast infections manifest from an overgrowth of yeast in the gut that he cannot balance due to his poor immune-system. After listening to a lecture on probiotics from a doctor at recent dietitian conference I decided that this was worth a try. I have now had him on Mercola's probiotics (human dosage) which had 70 million flora and I do believe it seems to be helping. My philosophy is it can do no harm. His itching is waning and he's resting better, less anxious. Not sure if this is the answer but I believe it is a part of the answer. The right probiotic helps restore the yeast imbalance caused by the complexity of a immune-system run amuck.

My Yorkie whose previous owner had tried many things including allergy testing, would gnaw and chew his back until he had sores. His skin was very oily and had a bad smell after just a day of being bathed. After trying many things to relieve his problem I happened to discover Douxo online and ordered some. I have been using it for about a year and no longer have any problem with his skin. I shampoo him weekly and although the Douxo is a little pricey, it lathers well so a bottle lasts me for 8 months or so. Apparently his probably was never allergies but a yeast overgrowth.

Joan - did your Yorkie also have bumps on his back?

I had a pit that had very sensitive skin had to put him on taste of the wild salmon, he healed up beautiful.... My dogs don't eat anything but that.

Don't ever use wheat germ or grains cause these all are yeasty so for ears go to vet they give good tube of stuff that takes yeast away but then you also get a bottle of ear cleanser which you need to do especially if your dogs ears get wet like swimming baths. Always dry ears cause yeast likes wet dark places so go to vet, get these things, doesn't cost much but as in my dog who has yeast all over bottom and arm pits. I need a shampoo and she cannot have any sugar! Taste of the wild has some potato which is sugar but it's from me feeding her crackers, potatoes, chicken, lots of dogs are allergic to chicken!!!!!!!

No, please don't put your dog to sleep because of this issue! I am certain you can solve it. Sounds like you might need a better vet if they haven't helped you with this issue after all this time.

What brand of dog food are you feeding your dog? This may be part of your problem. You may want to switch to a brand without preservatives. Check Petco if you have one in your area as they carry a number of better quality holistic brands.

I rescued a mutt last year who had been dumped on a trail and he too had a very bad ear infection, besides being underweight and crazy with anxiety. When I found him he smelled absolutely terrible, even after I bathed him. I figured out whoever had him before me feed him nasty cheap dog food. Within a week of feeding him the good stuff with ground beef and turkey added to it (I use blackwood but it's hard to find), his smell went away. I still had to treat his ear infection at the vet with topical antibiotics to solve the issue. Make sure your vet tests the dog for various bacterial strains from an ear culture. My dog had 2 different types of bacteria in one of his ears (nasty black crud that smelled terrible) and had to have custom prepared drops to treat the strains.

For his anxiety, make sure you give him enough exercise every day. If he's tired out enough, he won't get anxious.

I agree, DO NOT put your dog to sleep because of this!

Your dog may be allergic to the stuff going on with your RENOVATION. The particles and dust may make his allergy worse.

Try giving your dog Activia-maybe 2 big spoonfulls of the PLAIN-NOT SWEETEND Activia in his food or in his bowl, whatever once or twice a day-depending on his size, as I do not know what size he is.

Make a mixture for his food of:
5 ounces of Olive Oil
1 ounce Flaxseed oil
1 ounce of Cod Liver oil
1 ounce of Wheat Germ Oil-I found it at tractor Supply
Mix it all together and put in a glass bottle. You can also put in a sprig of Rosemary and a teaspoon of garlic powder (My dogs do not like those two ingredients, so I quit adding them)-I used an old Olive Oil bottle and used a thing to get it in the bottle (can't think of what it's called but they use it for oil changes to put oil in....)
For every meal, drizzle some on his food. You will help increase his Omega 3 oils and help to get him the nutrients he needs.

Also you may want to give him a half a childrens multivitamin to help him like every other day or so.
Also I have seen this stuff called Yeast and Fungal Detox by Natures Sunshine Recommended. Supposedly it works well.

I would think with the ACV, the Activia, the oil supplement, the multivitamin, and the Yeast and Fungal Detox, you should be good to go.

Also you need to find a Holistic Vet.

HTH!

For yeast infection in the ears if the vinegar did not work you might try over the counter yeast cream that women use for yeast infections. I used this for my yorkie and it worked. Just rub the cream in the applicator inside the ears for seven days.

When a child has an ear infection you try one of three things I know that all work. Mullin or garlic oil. (If you have mullin around it's easy to use but most people don't. Garlic on the other hand, I always have. Just use the prediced in a jar type, and add some oil. then drain it off after stiring and presto!) Other than those, I always use the regular 3% hydrogen peroxide, and let it bubble in there, holding the dog on it's side for as long as 10 minutes, or until it stopps bubbling.( It needs to be full so you can see it preferably) Then repeat on the opposite side. It always works for my kids.

Hi Emily, I hate to advertise for brands but, You may want to try using "Halo" brand Herbal Ear Wash. This stuff has worked wonders for my Dog and Cat for all ear issues (including bad infections that usually needed antibiotics). It is sure worth a try. Good Luck!

PLEASE...DO NOT USE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE. it kills not only bacteria but tissue. it can damage the dogs hearing. there are some good ear wash and drops on the market.

my vet recommended a mixture of 1/3 vinegar, 1/3 water and 1/3 rubbing alcohol. I cleaned my dogs ears everyday with this solution using Q tips. she has been much better and only gets it in one ear occasionally. I have a 7 yr old english springer spaniel. I am having trouble with her scratching. going to try switching her food and ACV spray.

Do not use Oatmeal shampoos. They contribute to the yeast problem. I've been using Earthbound Tea Tree & Aloe and it's worked wonders.

I use AC Vinegar as a rinse for my dog who has systemic yeast infection-remember people many times the yeast infection can be a secondary infection due to something else going on. In my dog's case it was staph (in fact MRSA)-I had to put her on antibiotics-no choice-30 days of it-but I also gave her pro-biotics, omega 3 & milk thistle. Bathed her in Malseb with the vinegar rinse. She is a Doxie I found 7 months ago curled up in a ditch, thought she was dead. She weighed 8lbs and was covered in sores & scabs. She's now 14lbs, her hair has grown back in and we may have the staph licked. My vet tried to say it was allergies-didn't listen-that is the usual diagnoses. I did put her on Precise holistic grain free food though as I didn't want anything yeasty in her system. Good luck folks yeast is a tough one to conquer!!

For yeast problems: Please stop shampooing with oatmeal products, eliminate all grains and potato products from diets. These products all inflame yeast problems. 1 cup vinager + 1cup peroxide to 1 gallon of water is a great rinse for after shampoos (anti-fungal). Can also be used daily especially on the paws. This cured my dogs yeast problem in 2 weeks. Hot and humid weather also adds to yeast blooming, so pets should be kept cool and dry. T

A few posters here mentioned about not feeding dogs carrots while dealing with yeast infections because they are high in sugar. Will steaming them help reduce the sugars or should I just totally avoid them? My dog has been living on them for years. Isn't it true that dogs cannot digest carrots and pass them completely?

Thanks for any feedback. George

You can feed them carrots but make sure to saute them very long as they need to be very very soft for dogs to digest and get the benefits from them.

You can put some oil in the steel pan, saute the carrots on low and then sqeeze some fresh lemon juice and cover so it can steam and this will not only cook the carrots slowly but will retain the nutrients. Give all types of veggies to your dogs as they contain all kinds of nutrients and are full of fiber.

I have been giving my dogs organic carrots everyday for the past few years and it does keep them healthy. When serving, put in a 2-4 tablespoons of good unrefined coconut oil depending on your dog size. Both carrots and lemon juice help in liver detox - the most imp. organ in our body (next to heart).

I also add spices - tumeric, GROUND fennel seeds, GROUND cloves, thyme, iodized salt and little cayenne along with flax seeds, GROUND sunflower seeds and GROUND pumpkin seeds - all done in the grinder then and there just before going in the cooking pan.

Hi There, I am new to this board and have been reading all the replies. Great info. I have a 4 month old english bulldog who just started to develop yeast on her under belly side and on the face around the folds as well as her eyes. Lots of oozing on the face. Poor baby. I have made a list of things from all the tips I have been reading but wanted to add my input on one great thing that I am using for the yeast treatment on the skin and face. Coconut oil. I have been cooking in coconut oil for a healthier immune system and intestinal tract.

Coconut oil is a wonderful treatment for many things including YEAST. It also kills the strep virus, staph infections, and many other things.

I melted the coconut oil and then poored over my dogs food. I also took some of that melted oil and rubbed it all over her skin where the yeast was present. It's also safe to apply to her mouth area and eye area. Not to mention she likes licking her chops afterwards. lol. Here is a link on more info on coconut oil.

Here's a quote from the article.

"Melt 2 tblsp of oil in a cup of hot water. After bathing, refill the tub with luke warm water, add the cup of melted oil into the running water. Using a plastic bowl, pour the coconut oil water all over the dogs coat, rubbing to get down to the skin. Be sure to get the whole body.

Do not rinse

Dry as usual. You will immediatley notice the coats healthy condition. And it smells great!

A 160 uses for coconut oil...Link:

http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/02/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Whenever I bathe my dog she always gets an ear/yeast infection. What works the best whenever your dog gets wet from baths, swimming, etc. is Epi-Otic Advanced ear cleaner by Virbac. Apply after bath or swim, it dries up any water in the ear and helps prevent bacteria from attaching to the skin surface in ear. I also bought Zymox ear solution from the "pet store" to treat an ear infection when we were on vacation. It worked faster and better than antibiotics, it's a natural bio-active enzymes, It treats bacteria and yeast infections. I saw results the next day and it cleared up within 2 days and only 2 applications. These products are the best for dogs ear issues

You should really give it a try for at least week. I didn't think it was working either initially, of course of meds it looks like the vinegar is just making it worse, but it really does work. Absolutely amazing. This site saved my dog.

I have a German Shepard with a ear/yeast infection problem. I keep seeing ACV listed as a part of the cure. What is ACV? He's currently on cephalexion because of what the doctor calls a secondary infection. I'm assuming after reading this that is a yeast infection on his skin, black under his legs. So what exactly is the ratio of vinegar and water? I've seen 50/50 listed on this site. Do I spray him all over and wipe his ears with it? He's 100 lbs. How much _____ [Yogurt] would a dog this size need daily? Thanks for your time. Hope you have some answers for me

I also have a German Shepard with yeast problems...A K-9 Officer told me to put 2 Tablespoons of plain yogurt into his food everytime he eats. Mine is also about 100 lbs. I used it on him and he got better, we ran out without me being told and he got a horrible ear infection to the other ear.....use the 1/2 (warm) water 1/2 apple cider vinegar solution a couple times a week along with the yogurt. don't let the vet give him antibiotics cause it will kill the good bacteria in his body. good luck....

In large breed dogs, low normal thyroid levels can also contribute to yeast overgrowth. Unless the low normal levels are corrected the probiotics will not work. If you are having trouble fixing the yeast problem, get a T3 and T4 thyroid panel run and medicate if needed. Once the thyroid is hormone in in balance, the yeast treatments will work.

I am the owner of 2 Dane mastiffs and the male one, Zeus, had nearly chewed the padding of his foot off. They gave him antibiotics and it seemed to do the trick. But he has a tummy rash. His sister has huge welts on her tummy that appear to be yeast so I'm pumped to try remedies tomorrow. I hear you mentioning Omegas and since I manage my lupus with adult opcs I am going to order her pet opcs. They are already on Blue dog food so I'm going to do mobistar and yogurt and the apple cider vinegar and medicated shampoos. Thanks!!!

Hey Lisa!

You asked: "Why would the condition reappear if she was on a maintenance diet - not feeding the yeast."

Many factors are involved here - including airborne allergens and seasonal molds. It could also be that while you are not feeding the yeast, it is not getting digested/eaten/ imbalance of internal flora. You might consider switching the probiotics - change acidophillus brands frequently which will allow a variety of strains to populate the GI tract. I switch around between DDS w/FOS, PB8, Shiff's Digestive Advantage, Forti Flora, and whatever I find on sale. The key is variety.

Ted has some remedies - this is paraphrased from his many posts:

Sometimes we are dealing with internal/systemic yeast or an internal fungal infection - and sometimes despite the best nutrition out there we will experience an individual that for some reason is deficient in a mineral such as boron. If the dog is low in magnesium quite often allergies will arise. If you are dealing with yeast try adding 1/16 teaspoon of Epsom salt in 1 liter of drinking water for 2-3 days - max; this is not intended for long term use, just to nip a break out in the bud. When you stop the Epsom salt in the water you can then start adding 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 liter of water; do this for 5-7 days. This is a 'break out' or crisis dose. After a week you can cut it back to a maintenance dose of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water. If you suspect a fungal component [yeast] you can add 1/16 teaspoon borax along with the baking soda in 1 liter of water. In acute and extreme cases 1/4 teaspoon of borax in 1 liter of water is indicated. Many humans take 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon borax in 1 liter of water daily as a detox and antifungal/antiyeast, so long term use is not an issue, however all these remedies are something you should 'play by ear' and should be adjusted as you see fit. The water additives address mineral deficiency issues and should be addressed first.

Now, when I am dealing with a dog with the itchies I first treat with Ted's mange remedy; I find that the veterinarian prescribed or OTC medicated shampoos just do not have the efficacy that I seek and they also tend to be on the spendy side.

Ted's Mange Remedy

Ingredients:
Borax laundry booster - the plain stuff with NO scent.
1 -16 oz bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide

I get both of these from the grocery store.

Process:
Empty hydrogen peroxide into larger bottle - I use an empty 1 gallon vinegar jug. Add to this 32 oz filtered or distilled water - I just refill the hydrogen peroxide bottle twice - and dump into the jug. What this does is change your 3% hydrogen peroxide into 1% hydrogen peroxide.

Next add 1 cup of the borax crystals and shake. There should be some undissolved crystals in the mixed solution - this is just right. I try to use hot water from the kettle on the stove, that or sit the jug of mixture in the sink full of hot water while I bathe the dog.

NEXT:
Bathe the dog - use whatever shampoo and rinse well. Squeeze out excess water and make sure the tub is drained. I then plug up the tub. Now pour the mixed up solution over the dog. I use a small sponge to soak up the solution from the bottom of the tub and squeeze it out onto the dog again and again, making sure I get the head and underneath. Keep squeezing solution over and over onto the dog for about 15 minutes - 30 minutes is better. Then pull the stopper from the tub and let the excess drain. DO NOT DRY THE DOG OR RINSE THE DOG. The solution has to remain wet as it is still working. Allow the dog to air dry. I just pop mine into their crates and I remove any absorbent bedding.

If you are worried about poisoning your dog keep in mind that borax has the same toxicity as table salt. The solution doesn't seem to hurt the eyes or sting any sores on the skin. Some dogs feel instant relief!

You can make up a solution for a spray bottle and touch up areas on a daily basis if you choose – just keep the hydrogen peroxide ration 1:2 – so 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide straight from the bottle to 2 cups filtered water OR 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide to 2 tbsp water – and then add powdered borax until it stops melting into the solution and remains as grains on the bottom of the mixing bowl. The key is to make a “saturated” solution, the point of saturation is where the grains of borax stop dissolving; again the solution should be grainy whatever the ratio of hydrogen peroxide and water that you use.

To make a stronger or more aggressive solution use an equal amount of white vinegar [NOT ACV] - so add 48 oz of vinegar to recipe above for a peracetic acid solution and then use as directed above.

Now, the above remedy is for mange - but its a good start for troubled skin. If that doesn't seem to be working and things do not look better you can make a topical skin solution for the troubled spots. I would first make up a large batch of the following solution and bathe with the above protocol - ie no rinsing, allow to drip dry for as long as possible.

Anti fungal/staph skin solution - you will need:
Milk of Magnesia [magnesium hydroxide]
Epsom salts [magnesium sulfate]
Borax [sodium tetraborate]
1% hydrogen peroxide solution

Mix 1 tbsp of MOM with 1 tbsp epsom salt and 1 tbsp borax into 1-1/2 cups of 1% hydrogen peroxide. Apply and do not rinse. This solution should knock out any staph infection or yeast infection going on in the skin.

Additionally you can add pet vitamins, ie Pet Tabs - for a week, along with flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil; you can also try flaxseed oil and coconut oil - 1 -2 tsp am and pm in the food; you should see improvement in a couple of days.

I have a 70# dog with yeast issues on her feet and arm pits. How much ACV do you add to the food and can this help or hinder UTI. I was adding this to her water, but she didn't like the smell and wasn't drinking much water. Is there any other help for oozing, inflamed & itchy paws?

I brought my dog, Syberian Husky, for his second vaccination earlier this week and made a full check up. He's only about 2 1/2 months old. He was shacking his head and scratching his ears this few days so i ask the vet to check if there's any infection in the ears. The answer from the vet was, suspected to have yeast infection. Reddish color around his neck area but according to the vet, it's still hard to say if it's 100% yeast infection. He gave him injection and also anitbiotic for this problem. The vet told me that if he confirm to get this infection, it will be for his whole life. I was shocked to hear the result so i search the web to find for help and solution and found YOU. So i read about the vinegar solution and i tried it on for the first time today. Hopefully with the knowledge i read from this site, i would be able to cure my pet, Thunder. Can you tell me if this actually works? Thank you.

I am so happy to see this site. It gives me hope that my poor English Setter, Lady has some chance to finally get well. She has been miserable for so long that I have been considering putting her down. I hate to lose her but she is so miserable with itching and she is constantly raw and bleeding all over. This has been going on for almost 6 years with her getting worse and worse. I don't know if this will work but at least there is some hope. How much should I feed and do you also use it topically? I love my pet so much that it hurts to see her suffer.

after our poor dog Hamish has suffered for 5yrs on cortisone tablets and gaining huge amounts of weight, (even though we were feeding him the correct amounts for his size) we decided to stop the tablets, he has just gone from bad to worse now I have found this site Im gong to try everything to help my pet, we just cant afford the vets bills and need to find something we can use for the rest of his life other than anti-biotics, it makes me feel like crying every time I see him scratch his ears raw and bleeding once again weve bathed him in every wash the vet has suggested, including Malase, with no results whatsoever, so wish me luck thanks everyone for putting your remedies here for anything is worth trying once

It really works! I was as desperate as you and this was like a miracle cure.

I almost lost my dog to sysmatic yeast infection. Her symptons were red sores, greasy skin, discharge for her bum and finally seizures that almost killed her. Not to mention thousands of dollars in vet bills.

After hours of research I highly recommend these two sites, The great dane lady and Dr Dodds. Dr Dodds is a vet and a thyroid specialist. Yeast infection and hypothyroid are 99% connected. When reading the information on the great dane lady my chin hit my chest. She describe my dog to a tee' This is very dangerous condition. As I said before it almost killed my dog.

I'm glad to say my dog yeast free, rash free and living a healthy and happy life after a year and a half of hell. And may I add she is only on and 1 low dose thyroid pill and vit.

I agree 100% on the info given from Great Dane Lady and Dr. Dodds. My response to the info was jaw dropping as well. I knew that the topical creams I had been administering to my 5 year old Rottweiller were bogus, but I had no idea how bogus and threatening to her immune system they had been. I have treated her on and off for the past 4 years with the topical creams Otomax and Surolan. I switched to the Surolan only after insisting to my vet that I felt my dog had developed some sort of immunity to the Otomax. (Which also made sense to happen after 4 years). Again the Surolan started working then would fail miserably. Her flare ups in her ears had actually progressed with each new flare up occurring. I strongly encourage all of you to read the article by The Great Dane Lady on Systematic Yeast Infection and how it attacks your dogs system. I was so angry at myself for allowing the vet to give me what I knew(antibiotics) weren't helping.

I strongly urge you to get to the "core" of the infection which is VERY INTERNAL and in most cases VERY MISTREATED by our vets today. A holistic approach to managing your dogs needs is crucial. After all it's common sense that guides us as humans with our physical well being....... Do the same for your dog. Food choices(which don't have to be expensive) are the number 1 ally you can have paired with your dogs physical/nutritional needs. Please feed your dog nutritional food. And please stop with the topical steroid treatments. The pretty packaging on Pedigree brands and Beneful brands are just that..... Pretty packaging. They can be a slow death sentence to a dog who already suffers from yeast. And the steroid treatments only remove what's left of your dogs natural immune fighting defenses, which take into mind are probably VERY depleted already(Hence why you are on this site desperately seeking help) Great Dane Lady definitely hit the nail on the head with this one.

Our buddy Mike has been having a terrible time with what we have figured out (after 2 vet visits, all blood ok, thyroid ok, 2 rounds of antibiotics-which made him worse- and some Science Diet 50dollar food which smelled awful and he hated) to be a systemic yeast infection. He has an odor which he never used to have, very painful joints and diarrhea, he is lethargic and grouchy, has blackened skin on one ear and under arms... ( we've been wiping him down with diluted Apple Cider Vinegar on the yeasty spots which he seems to like) We changed his diet to anti-yeast and gave him probiotocs but now has extreme die off symptoms and his joints are so sore especially ankles, and his eyes look dry and irritated.

So, we stopped the probiotic for now to ease these symptoms a bit, still eating anti-yeast, taking natural joint supplement. We ordered enzymes product for him so we will see how that goes when it arrives. It is so hard to watch your best friend suffer, we are trying to be patient but it's tough to keep perspective.

I have a dog who has elephant skin on her back of head below the ears. She has allergies which I have not been able to find anything to help her eyes from drying up and peeling. She has yeast on the inside of her ears. I have to keep socks on forever because she will lick them constantly and make them bleed. The puffiness is starting to go down. She doesn't have excessive thirst and I have trouble with her appetite. And she doesn't pee often. But I make sure she gets water. If she cannot have potatoes and rice what else can you give her? She has one ear tip that won't heal it keeps getting larger because she flicks it all of the time. She also has anal gland trouble so I have to make sure she eats foods with fiber. I tried elimination of diet and never found anything to work right for her. Prednisone make her worse so she is off of it. She has been to holistic vets many times. I had her on a kit called enzymes and it did not work. I need a special shampoo for the yeast infection. Any suggestions?

Try the apple cider vinegar remedy. I'm doing it right now and my dog Wheaten Terrier has the exact same issues.

Hello I need some advice, I have been reading a lot of post on this site and I was hoping someone my be able to direct me in the right place. My name is Krys I have a 5 1/2 year old pit/chocolate lab mix with skin issues like no tomorrow. I have had my dog since he was 3 weeks old. When I first got him he had parvo and I made sure he survivred it. The first year and a half of his life he was fine no skin or ear issues.

After he hit two everything went down hill. His skin started to get really oily, and he would shake his head a lot. Slowly but surely he devoloped hives, losing hair, ears all red etc. Needless to say he also had happy tail syndrom... When the itching became excessive he chewed a sore on his tail and he caught gang grene and I had it amputated. I have tried everything, I feel like, for him. He was living in a cone/donut for the last 2 years on and off. I have taken him to vets, and dermatologist. He has been put on various meds, kenakonzol, doxicyclin, prednizone, many anti fungals, he takes zerytec daily, benadryl stopped working, I wash him with 3 medicated dog wash every other day. I have tried a daily bath of dawn dish soap per the dermatologists, I have tried yogurt in his food, as well as fish oils, and acidophilus.

Now he has developed a blood pocket in the inside of his ear, I have to take him to the vet tomorrow... Oh I also have tried switching his foods many many times. Right now my dermatologists has him on natural balance duck and potato high protein no grain. I am really at a loss. I love this dog with all my heart and I am afraid they have given him so many meds nothing is working, that the steroids are affecting his kidneys and that he is suffering, even though he is playful and full of life. If anyone and give any advice I would be so grateful.

Akeentruth - try getting your dog tested for hypothyroidism. This is commonly associated with skin disorders. It is like an autoimmune disease in that it lowers a dog's resistance to infections whenever they get a surface scratch on the skin. It takes about 45 days to see improvement and about 4 months to get 90% better. Please note that hypothyroid tests tend to not be accurate. So, if it comes back no problem with hypothyroid you might want to ask your Vet if it would hurt any to try a low dose med for hypothyroid for 30 days and see if there is improvement. This med is very inexpensive. You should also try Ketochlor Shampoo at the same time, bathing 3-4 times a week for 3 weeks, reducing to 2 times/ week and then once/ week at the 3-4 month mark. For ketochlor to be effective, it is best to shave the areas where the lessions are. I ordered a gallon of it since I was sure my dog would have outbreaks from tiem to time for the duration of his life. The shampoo works its way down the hair shaft- it is very effective. I also try rubbing apple cidar vinegar on my dog on days when he does not get a bath, to kill bacteria and yeast. The vinegar does not seem to bother him. Good luck!!

My dog has developed black elephant skin, itches all the time, and it has started developing on her front paw where she limps a little. I heard that apple cider vinegar and plain low fat yogurt helps so I have started using one teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and a heaping tablespoon of yogurt in her soft food. I also read that it takes about a month to work. Has anyone tried this. My poor baby looks miserable and I can't afford for the vet to do test after test only to find they didn't find anything.

Sounds like a really bad yeast infection. Read how people have treated their dogs at this link (using ACV, Monistat, changing the dog's food to a higher-quality/no grain food, yogurt, and other treatments): https://www.earthclinic.com/pets/yeast_infections_dogs.html

Hi. The most important thing to do is to change the dogs diet. Change to raw feeding only. Give probiotic yogurt every day. Half a clove of raw garlic daily. Bath in an antifungal shampoo and after the final rinse, mix half white vinegar/half water and soak every part of the dogs skin and leave to dry. Do this once a week. And also have a spray bottle with the same mixture in and spray any hot spots or where the dog is scratching, twice a day. I would stay away from the ACV until there is some improvement. Add a teaspoonful of DE (Food grade only) to the yogurt and mix well. This will help detox the dog. Don't give any vegetables. Just alternate different types of raw meat and raw bone. And, fish, once a week.