Best Dog Foods for Yeast Infections: Let Diet Support the Treatment
By Dr. Paola Cuevas, MVZ (Vet)
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Yeasts are part of the natural flora of your dog’s ear and skin. However, yeast infections happen when your dog’s skin or ear microbiome loses balance and excessive yeast reproduction and growth become problematic. Yeast infections in dogs are caused by the species Malassezia pachydermatis, which is considered an opportunistic colonizer, meaning that they tend to overgrow, taking advantage of an immunodeficiency or underlying skin disease.
Dogs with bacterial skin infections, allergies, or even endocrine disease will have a challenged immune system and disturbed skin barrier, which are ideal conditions for yeast to take over and colonize. Treatments with drugs like steroids (which are immunosuppressants) and antibiotics (which wipe out all of the normal flora) can also set the ideal conditions for these opportunistic microorganisms to take over.
Allergies are very common culprits for secondary yeast overgrowth because they cause inflamed and irritated itchy skin, which is also disturbed by scratching.
Signs of Yeast Infections in Dogs
Dogs with yeast infections have a characteristic smell that is sometimes described as corn chips or “Fritos” scent. Generalized yeast infections cause oily, scaly, or red, inflamed skin that is very itchy and uncomfortable. In extreme cases, the skin will become thicker and darker. A dog’s ears and paws are also common target areas for yeast infections.
Treatment & The Importance of Diet
Once your dog has been diagnosed with a yeast infection by your vet, it is essential to support their medical treatment with an appropriate diet. There is no specific commercially available anti-yeast diet; however, a low-carb, species-appropriate diet could support your dog’s recovery.
Since most commercially available kibbles are high in carbohydrates and starches and ultra-processed, they are also considered pro-inflammatory diets. An anti-inflammatory and antioxidant diet would be a better choice to support your pup’s treatment, so the diet should be based on minimally processed raw and fresh foods. Less processed foods that are less inflammatory can help support your dog’s recovery.
In our guide, we will go through some alternative diets and nutraceutical ingredients to consider in your dog’s diet to support their recovery. It is crucial to note that diet by itself is not a complete treatment against yeast and your dog will still need a prescription anti-yeast shampoo and/or ear drops to help control the yeast overgrowth. Moreover, since yeast is not a primary problem, your vet will need to help you determine the primary cause of your dog’s yeast infection and treat it accordingly.
It is also very important to remember that if your dog has an allergy to one of the proteins in these foods, you shouldn’t feed it to them, as this will make things worse. Our recommendation is to educate yourself with the info and options we provide and then speak to your veterinarian before deciding on the best diet for your dog.
Some Desired Characteristics of an Anti-Yeast Diet For Dogs
1. Grain-free
Yes, grain-free diets have been controversial in the past due to a still-ongoing investigation into the potential link between certain grain-free diets and the development of Dilated Cardiomyopathy. However, that was due to a lack of important amino acids and excessive use of plant-derived proteins, rather than the absence of grains.
We recommend grain-free diets because grains are a source of carbohydrates and we need to avoid them in our anti-yeast diet. However, before you run to buy a dog food with that label, please know that unfortunately, most commercially available grain-free dog food is still high in starchy carb sources.
2. Low Carbohydrate
With all the food options out there, it is hard to believe how challenging it is to find a low-carb dog food. Since carbohydrates are not listed on the guaranteed analysis, you might need to do a little math. However, here are some carb-loaded ingredients to avoid:
- Corn
- Wheat
- Rice
- Millet
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Tapioca
- Oats
- Peas
- Apples
- Other fruit ingredients
3. Containing prebiotic fiber and a source of probiotics
Probiotics help to rebalance your dog’s gut and skin microbiome, aiding in the recovery of the skin barrier. Some of the probiotic strains to look for are Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Probiotics can also be given in supplements, although some diets contain them.
4. Optimal omega 3:6 ratio
Food containing fish oil is rich in DHA and EPA, which are used as adjunctive therapy for inflammatory conditions, such as inflammatory skin disease. Flaxseed oil rich in LA and ALA can also support a healthier coat in combination with zinc.
5. Coconut Oil
This is another ingredient worth considering, as lauric acid content is known for its antifungal properties. A combination of topical and oral use of this ingredient is common in Asia to treat skin fungal infections in pets.
Best Anti-Yeast Dog Foods
These foods were added to this list because they have certain characteristics to support your dog’s anti-yeast treatments. However, each case is different and this is in no form an endorsement or recommendation of a particular product for your dog.
Our recommendation is to involve your dog’s veterinarian in the selection of the best diet to support your dog’s anti-yeast treatments.
Fresh Dog Food
1. The Farmer’s Dog Chicken Recipe
If your dog is not allergic to chicken, you could try making the transition to The Farmer’s Dog Chicken Recipe. This is a beautiful, gently cooked, minimally processed food with only 1.82% of carbohydrates on a Dry Matter Basis. Being less processed means this food can provide antioxidants and is considered less anti-inflammatory.
A diet made of less processed food and based on fresh ingredients can help support your dog’s gut microbiome and reduce inflammation.
Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food
2. Stella & Chewy’s Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Patties Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food
Rabbit is considered a “Yin Tonic” or “cooling protein” in traditional Chinese medicine and cooling proteins can help to bring down inflammation. This is why Stella & Chewy’s Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Patties might be the way to go to support your dog’s recovery from yeast infection.
With a single source of organic rabbit and fortified with probiotics and antioxidants these patties might be just what you are looking for. The patties are complete and balanced, can be fed during all life stages, and you can rehydrate them in cold or warm water or even serve them as they are.
3. Surf & Turf Freeze Dried Raw Patties for Dogs
Open Farm’s Surf & Turf Freeze Dried Raw Patties for Dogs are another great option to try if your dog is allergic to chicken. Based on beef and salmon as protein sources. This product is low in carbohydrates and since Alaskan Salmon is one of the protein sources it has a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Coconut oil is also a key ingredient in this formula which might have a positive impact on your dog’s health.
4. Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Raw Rabbit Entree Mini Nibs Dog Food
A change to rabbit-based food can be the secret code if food allergies are behind the primary cause of your pet’s secondary yeast infection. Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Raw Rabbit Entree Mini Nibs Dog Food is a great product free from grains, legumes, artificial preservatives, additives, dyes, or fillers.
With herring oil as a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA and EPA and vitamin E as a great skin-enhancing antioxidant, this recipe is a great option to try out.
5. BIXBI Rawbble Duck Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Duck is another great protein option that is worth trying, since duck is also considered a Yin tonic or cooling protein in Chinese traditional medicine, it can help to lower inflammation and support your dog’s treatment and recovery from yeast infections. BIXBI Rawbble Duck Recipe is 100% complete and balanced for small and medium breed puppies and all adult dogs.
Enriched with natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids from Salmon oil, plus coconut oil and vitamin E, this is a promising recipe to support your dog’s skin recovery. This food is best served rehydrated with ½ cup of warm water per cup.
6. Stella & Chewy’s Stella’s Solutions Skin & Coat Freeze-Dried Raw Lamb & Salmon Dinner Morsels
This recipe is indeed a great one to support the health of your dog’s skin and coat. Containing coconut oil and linoleic acid from flaxseed as well as vitamin E as a healthy antioxidant that supports your dog’s skin health.
The lamb and salmon protein this amazing food might provide just the right fatty acid balance that your beloved dog needs to support their skin’s health and recovery.
7. Primal Duck Formula Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food
This is another low-carbohydrate, duck-based formula worth checking. While a 34% fat content might be on the higher end for some dogs, this formula contains a ton of good fat sources including cod liver oil, fish oil, and coconut oil. All of which could be supporting your dog’s skin health. Another great point for this dog food is that it contains probiotics in the formula, 100 million colony-forming units per kilogram of food.
All in all this product has a lot of positives to consider in supporting your dog’s treatment and recovery from a yeast infection.
Raw Dog Food
8. Natural Selections Duck Canine Meals
If you prefer feeding raw, you must be familiar with Darwin’s Raw food. This duck recipe is another great option to try out. Naturally low in carbohydrates and enriched with fish oil, this duck-based raw dog food might be exactly the missing piece to help support your dog’s recovery from that stubborn yeast.
Wet Dog Food
9. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Real Rabbit Recipe Wet Dog Food
If your dog prefers wet dog food you might want to try this limited-ingredient rabbit dog food. With a single source of protein and one single vegetable, this rabbit and chickpeas recipe is a low-carbohydrate, easily digestible formula that could be just what your pup needs.
This complete and balanced recipe will provide your dog with all of the nutrition they need with less chance of triggering your dog’s gut and immune system allowing them for the well-deserved break they need from continuous antigenic challenges.
Dry Dog Food
10. ORIJEN Six Fish Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
While kibble is naturally higher in carbohydrate sources than the options presented on this list. If there is no way to get your pup out of the kibble, this fish-based recipe is perhaps the best option to try. With 85% animal-based ingredients from a variety of fish, this recipe is rich in natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids to support your dog’s skin and immune system.
The inclusion of fermentation products provides 100 million colony-forming units of probiotics per pound of product to support your dog’s gut’s microbiome health. This is a complete and balanced formula for dogs of all life stages except for large-breed puppies.
Buyer’s Guide – What to Look for In the Best Food to Support Your Dog’s Yeast Infection Treatment
The best diet for a dog with yeast infection will look different for every dog. The traditional anti-yeast diet is a low-carbohydrate diet. We also strongly suggest swapping kibble or processed canned food for a more natural fresh, raw, or home-cooked complete and balanced diet. A less processed diet can help to lower intestinal inflammation and support the restoration of your dog’s gut microbiome.
An alternative protein diet is also worth trying since more often than not, yeast infections in dogs are secondary to food allergies that cause itchy, swollen skin and an overall inflammatory state in your dog. Trying a rabbit or duck diet for a couple of weeks might help your dog’s body to restore and heal.
Natural sources of Omega-3 fatty acids especially DHA, EPA from fish oil or LA, and ALA from linseed oil can help your dog’s skin recovery, you must also ensure the diet contains zinc.
Additional Tips
- If your dog is battling a yeast infection, finding the root cause and a diet to support their health is only one part of the equation.
- Yeast, like other fungi, are resilient and difficult to treat once they have become problematic.
- You will also need to ensure that you regularly disinfect your dog’s problematic areas. Please do not skip the prescribed medicated baths, ear drops, cream applications, or any other treatment that is prescribed by your vet.
- Affected areas will need regular disinfection and your dog’s bed, bedding, and environment will also need to be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
- Keep your dog dry and clean! Yeast thrives in warm and humid environments, so you will need to ensure your pup’s ear canals and coat are maintained dry,
- If your pup’s yeast infection is in the paw, consider medicated paw baths and ensure their paws are kept clean and perfectly dry.
Conclusion
While there is no one-size-fits-all-all formula for the anti-yeast diet for dogs, diet is an important coadjuvant of the treatment. Moreover, in many cases, diet holds the secret to a successful treatment since more often than not it is behind a dog being in a constant inflammatory state. While traditionally a low carbohydrate diet is considered an anti-yeast diet, it is an anti-inflammatory diet that might better support a dog’s recovery.
Less processed, diets of novel limited ingredients and enriched probiotics and sources of omega-3 fatty acids might be the way to go. Remember a dietary change by itself will not suffice and you will need to also implement the vet’s recommended treatment.
Featured Image Credit: Iryna Imago, Shutterstock
