Canine yeast infections are red, itchy, crusty, and greasy; they smell foul and cause your dog a lot of discomfort. Canine yeast infections themselves are easy to treat, but they're usually due to an underlying condition. Without treating the underlying condition, your dog's yeast infection could recur.
Why Dogs Get Yeast Infections
Yeast live normally on your dog's skin. When conditions on the skin change and become favorable to the proliferation of yeast, your dog gets a canine yeast infection.
Skin Conditions That Cause Yeast Infections
A skin condition could be responsible for your dog's yeast infection. Sometimes, your dog's skin problem is due to a poorly functioning immune system, such as in the case of allergies or demodectic mange. It's that same immunodeficiency that can cause yeast infections of the skin.
Some dogs may be allergic to the yeast itself. Others may be suffering from seborrhea, a condition in which the skin produces too much oil. When the skin becomes too oily, yeast infections can occur.
Yeast infections can also occur as a secondary infection if your dog suffers from hot spots or any other skin irritation.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Your vet probably won't even need to inspect the yeast under a microscope. A topical antifungal or oral antifungal may be prescribed, but your dog will also need treatment for any underlying skin conditions that may be contributing to his yeast infections.