Malassezia Yeast In Dogs Ears

Malassezia is normally found on your dog rsquo s skin and in his ears as part of his natural makeup.

Malassezia yeast in dogs ears.

Malassezia is a type of yeast fungus found on the skin of most dogs. Although it is a normal occurrence in some cases the yeast grows faster than usual and causes a yeast infection and dermatitis. Malassezia yeast are a normal inhabitant of the canine and feline skin. In an animal with normal skin these yeast organisms live on the skin surface.

Malassezia otitis symptoms include. Though a normal inhabitant of these regions an abnormal overgrowth of the yeast can cause dermatitis or inflammation of the skin the exact reasons behind this disease are not yet known but it has been linked to allergy seborrhea and possibly congenital born with and hormonal factors. Malassezia is very common in the ears. A dog s ear canal is much longer than ours and you re only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Malassezia dermatitis is caused by a yeast called malassezia pachydermatis that is commonly found in the ears and on the skin of dogs. Otitis in dogs refers to an inflammation of the ear canal. When this inflammation is accompanied by an infection it becomes a favorable habitat for the proliferation of yeast i e malassezia. Some breeds which have hair growing in the inner ear canal like schnauzers are also more susceptible to yeast infection.

Malassezia dermatitis is one of the two most common skin conditions in dogs. However times of stress infection and other factors can lead to an overgrowth. Its presence is not a problem except when malassezia grows at an abnormal number and can cause an infection. It s generally found on the paws ear canals armpits jowls anal area and any skin folds that your pooch may have.

Ear infections caused by yeast are more common in dogs with floppy ears like cocker spaniels basset hounds golden retrievers labrador retrievers and poodles. So what is a yeast infection in dogs. Malassezia dermatitis in dogs. So are dogs with allergies.

The increased yeast causes your dog to develop the symptoms listed above. Clinical signs include itchiness redness scaly or crusty skin and foul odor. So if you put a cotton ball down your dog s ear canal and find dark brown stuff on it then it s very likely your dog has malassezia overgrowth in the ear. This is a different than the yeast which causes most yeast infections in humans candida.

Yeast dermatitis or malassezia dermatitis is an extremely common skin disease in dogs. Malassezia pachydermatis is a yeast found on the skin and ears of dogs. The type of yeast we see on the skin and in the ears of cats and dogs is almost always malassezia yeast. Finding small amounts of yeast on dogs is normal it only becomes a problem when yeast grows out of.