Dog skin problems - yoghurt.

POPPYOSCAR

Hope this helps someone.

Our remaining Westie aged 17 this year has had skin problems for the last few years.

We have had to bathe her with Malaseb shampoo on prescription from the vet on an almost continual basis.

Getting fed up with this and not liking to be using this all the time as it is a poison, I came across someone online saying they had tried everything and now since putting yoghurt in the food of their dog the condition had cleared up. It has something to do with the bacteria in the yoghurt affecting the yeast which causes the skin condition.

I thought it was worth a try and cannot believe the difference it has made. I wish I had known this before.

I am surprised the vets have never suggested this.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

That's interesting as I have a Shar-pei/basset cross that has skin flare ups every summer. In a bad summer, she can be on steroids for ages and Malaseb is a given.

Will do some more research...

Red-Squirrel_2

Interesting, I have a dog on medication for a long term skin problem, have had to lower the dose due to side effects and skin is flaring up again now.

Will definitely give this a try, thank you! Do you just get ordinary live yoghurt?

Fosterdog

Live yoghurt can be very good but it really does depend on the actual cause of the skin condition, where it will help some it will exasperate others. Even then for some adding it to the diet help and for others it gets rubbed on like a lotion.

The best thing I've personally found is a raw diet, it eliminates so many of the the common allergens for dogs and helps with yeast problems. When my old girl used to get bad flare ups (seasonal allergies) I'd use coconut oil, directly on the affected area twice a week and in her food daily, I used it for a few years before switching to a raw diet and from the first year she was on raw even her grass allergy didn't flare up as much and the skin would just get mildly irritated by grass instead of being raw and oozing. The coconut oil helped alliviate the dryness, in her last year you wouldn't even have known she had ever had skin problems.

GBNI

Feeding a high grade manuka honey can also help with skin issues

krlyr

Kefir is meant to be good for dogs with yeast infections - it's fermented milk rather than yoghurt, but much more strains of beneficial bacteria, and the fermentation process eats the lactose (which some dogs are intolerant to)

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Is there any reason why a shampoo containing 2% ketoconazole (ie, a human anti dandruff one like Nizoral or Boots own) would not work?

It would certainly work out cheaper than buying the antifungal one you're getting on prescription (yes, I know the one currently being prescribed also contains chlorhexedine - like is used in mouthwash as an antibacterial) and dogs can be prescribed it as well - if your Westie has skin issues of a fungal nature, it would seem to make sense to me, and then you'd only use something antibacterial if there was actually an infection.


In addition, I can see online that coal tar derivatives are also prescribed to dogs - that gives you the choice of trying T-Gel shampoo (Obviously I'm human and not a Westie , but I found that worked better for me than ketoconazole.


Perhaps it would be worth speaking to a pharmacist about - they're able to give professional advice upon whether the active ingredients are similar - some also dispense veterinary medicines, so you're not stepping outside the realms of good medical practice to ask if they are essentially very similar. Your vet might answer if asked, but do bear in mind that at present, they are receiving payment for a prescription and the shampoo, so agreeing that yes, a bottle of Nizoral may be a far cheaper treatment, isn't necessarily in their interests.

POPPYOSCAR

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Interesting, I have a dog on medication for a long term skin problem, have had to lower the dose due to side effects and skin is flaring up again now.

Will definitely give this a try, thank you! Do you just get ordinary live yoghurt?

Yes I use Plain full fat Greek yoghurt. I read that this has the most bacteria in. I get tesco own 4 pack for £1 as once it is open it only keeps for 3 days.

I put about two teaspoons a day in her food.

She used to bite clumps out of her fur with the itching and the groomers had to cut her fur rather than use the clippers as her skin was so bad at one point.

I am really amazed at the difference in her skin and only hope it continues to do so as she hated being bathed and she is much happier in herself now.

POPPYOSCAR

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Is there any reason why a shampoo containing 2% ketoconazole (ie, a human anti dandruff one like Nizoral or Boots own) would not work?

It would certainly work out cheaper than buying the antifungal one you're getting on prescription (yes, I know the one currently being prescribed also contains chlorhexedine - like is used in mouthwash as an antibacterial) and dogs can be prescribed it as well - if your Westie has skin issues of a fungal nature, it would seem to make sense to me, and then you'd only use something antibacterial if there was actually an infection.


In addition, I can see online that coal tar derivatives are also prescribed to dogs - that gives you the choice of trying T-Gel shampoo (Obviously I'm human and not a Westie , but I found that worked better for me than ketoconazole.


Perhaps it would be worth speaking to a pharmacist about - they're able to give professional advice upon whether the active ingredients are similar - some also dispense veterinary medicines, so you're not stepping outside the realms of good medical practice to ask if they are essentially very similar. Your vet might answer if asked, but do bear in mind that at present, they are receiving payment for a prescription and the shampoo, so agreeing that yes, a bottle of Nizoral may be a far cheaper treatment, isn't necessarily in their interests.

I have tried all sorts of antibacterial shampoos, creams,sprays containing silver etc. but nothing worked, only Malaseb did.

As I understand, it is an increase of yeast on the skin that causes this and as she is nearly 17 years old her immune system is weaker than before and so it takes over.

The yoghurt boosts the immune system and controls the yeast.

zenshi

Lioness_Twinkletoes wrote: »

That's interesting as I have a Shar-pei/basset cross that has skin flare ups every summer. In a bad summer, she can be on steroids for ages and Malaseb is a given.

Will do some more research...

What diet do you feed? Many shar pei are intolerant to cereals which manifests in yeast overgrowth causing itchy and inflamed skin

Ash_Mc

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I am surprised the vets have never suggested this.

They can't prescribe it can they