http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_yeast_infection_of_the_skin.html

Scroll to "WHERE WOULD A DOG GET A YEAST INFECTION?"

QUOTE: Yeast happily live on most normal skin and in ears and anal glands. To get a yeast infection, conditions on the skin surface have to change to favor the proliferation of the yeasts. The yeasts in small normal numbers are harmless but when the yeasts are present in large numbers, disease results. ... So what conditions lead to a yeast proliferation? An increase in skin oils (which often occurs in an allergic flare up) would be the most common situation. Sometimes there is an immune deficiency which allows the yeast proliferation. Some animals are battling seborrhea (excessive oil production of the skin) and thus are naturally predisposed to the yeast proliferation. Some animals are actually allergic to the yeasts themselves. The most important thing to realize is that while yeast infection is not contagious it tends to recur unless the underlying allergy, seborrhea, or other problem is controlled. END

Connie:

Yes it is ketaconazole. Max has actually been on this anti fungal for almost three months with no significant improvement to the infection. I always give with food and Max hasnt had any stomach upset that way.

I am thinking that the Previcox is what is causing the vomiting and diareha. Max threw up four times during the night( last night) contents again his dinner and had loose stools, two accidents in the house. His itching is random and everywhere, sort of what you would see with fleas. He DID NOT have this itching prior to being on Previcox. It doesnt appear to be associated with the ear infection/possible allergies as it just started last night.

I went here http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/Products/ApprovedAnimalDrugProducts/DrugLabels/UCM050402.pdf and see that all of these recent issues are possible side effects of the previcox. This was given to bring down the swelling of the ear canal.

I will do as you have suggested and contact the specialist Monday morning for a referral to someone else if he cant get him in. I am also going to stop the Previcox until I can speak to someone knowledgeable about this sort of thing and find a suitable alternative. Any suggestions from anyone on an anti inflammatory that would be safer with less side effects?

Thanks.

Lois

Hello everyone. I sure hope you all had wonderful holidays.

Thought I would update where we are at with Max's ear infection. I find that sometimes people post a question, get some responces and then never post back with the outcome. That drives me nuts because I always am interested in knowing how things turned out.

So...this is where we stand with Max's ear infection today.

I am so happy to report that Maxs ears are clean and pink after almost 7 mos of fighting this infection!! Im not quite sure what has helped the most but here is what I did to get him to the point of comfort:

* Predinizone as prescribed to decrease the swelling of the ear canal. He had an awful reaction to the Previcox ( vomiting and diarrehea)so was taken off that immediately. He didnt complete the prescribtion for Predinizone. When the swelling was gone, I stopped giving due to the obvious concerns with steroids.
* Ketaconizole given religiously as prescribed. 2 pills every 12 hours.

* a Low Glycemic diet as described by Lew Olson ( thanks for the link Connie.. Lew says that any sugars/carbs in the diet feeds the yeast so those have been eliminated via the diet he is on. I have been cooking his food in bulk and freezing. He really likes it and it seems to be helping.

* Ear washes twice perday with Opi Otic. This has always been a complete nightmare with Max as he fought me coming near him with any sort of eye dropper or nozzle bottle. I seriously would have to put him in some sort of wrestling move ( my brother did these to me when I was younger by the way lol) A better method to get anything in his ears is by soaking a cotton ball and then squeezing the solution into his ear( warming it first in warm water so it is more comfortable). You would not believe the gunk I have gotten out this way.

* After cleaning out a bunch of gunk, then I put in his ear drops. Conifit has been prescribed by the speciality vet so he gets three drops one time per day.

Anyways, most of all I want to thank those who have helped me. Lori Hall, thank you for caring enough to PM me to check on Max. Most appreciated.

I have an appt in FEB to see the speciality vet ( soonest available!!)and will plan on following thru as I think there are some underlying allergies that are the ultimate cause of this yeast issue. But most importantly, Max rests comfortably at my feet this evening. Thank You Lord!

Good going, Lois! I just want to mention that a steroid protocol is eased off and not stopped abruptly, for other readers; you want to get the vet's instructions for quitting Pred.

February will be here before you know it. You stuck to it and even followed up on the links to Lew Olson (she is great, isn't she?) and the diet change, and I really applaud you. I've been there more than once with allergic dogs, yeast, ear infection, and the whole terrible thing, and I know how frustrating for you and how miserable for the dog it is.

Yeah, I'm glad to hear Max is doing better - and that you will get a much needed break! Just keep up the ear washing until the derma vet appt! Now that he is all clear, you might want to try the blue power ear wash to keep the yeast and bacteria under control - my derma vet is very impressed with that stuff!

Let us know how the derma vet appt goes!

lori

Connie:

There was only two pills of Predinizone left so the vet said it was okay to stop. But you are right he started out at a heavier dose and then tapered off.

Lori:

I have been doing the ear washes religiously every day. Vry little gunk in there anymore and with the new way Im doing it ( soaking the cotton balls) Max isnt fighting me too much. He doesnt enjoy it by any means, now hes just got a resolved look on his face like ' Ok get it over with all ready' haha!

I did the blue power solution today and found out one thing for sure. This MUST be done outdoors! The solution DOES stain and the dog will shake his head. Needless to say my home office walls have purple spray patterns all over the wall! Oh Well, some might actually call it art! lol.

Thanks again!

A semi strong solution of oxi-clean may get it off.

I had the same thing happen and the oxi-clean got if off the woodwork and most of it off the walls.

Just be sure to go back over it with plain water or it will bleach the paint.

I know the solution stains, but I didn't think about it spraying on walls when they shake their heads! - Kasey is a golden and his ears flaps flop right over the ear canals so nothing ever goes farther than the inside of his ear flap! Plus I usually do it outside anyway when I'm brushing him. I hope you can get it off the walls! I have gotten on my clothes a couple times though when I wasn't careful. I always wondered about women who use it when they are breastfeeding and get Thrush (that yeast infection that affects the woman and the inside of the baby's mouth). They go around with purple chests!