Itchy skin, red, irritated hot spots and dirty, sometimes goopey (I may have made that word up) ears. These are all symptoms most often associated with pet allergies. This may not be the case though. What many mistake for seasonal or food allergies is often actually a yeast infection.
What is Yeast?
Seasonal and food allergies are not the only thing that can cause your dog’s skin irritations. Yeast may be the actual culprit. Yeast is a form of fungus that is naturally occurring on your dog’s skin and in their gut. It loves warm, moist environments such as paw pads, ears.
At normal levels, it coexists with the gut’s healthy bacteria as part of a balanced immune system. However, if your pet’s immune system becomes suppressed for one of many reasons, this yeast can begin to overpopulate and take over the gut entirely. Striving for balance, the dog’s body will attempt to get rid of the yeast. This is when symptoms become noticeable. Symptoms of a yeast overgrowth can be very similar to those of allergies, which is why it is so commonly misdiagnosed.
