Aunt Vadge: will your yeast treatments work on my dog’s yeasty paws?

Dear Aunt Vadge,

I have a dog who gets moderate to severe yeast infections on her paws, and she’s constantly licking and chewing them.

The worst part is that she smells like sour popcorn and it’s driving me nuts. Nothing else has worked, even the vets aren’t helpful.

If I use your lactulose product on her paws, would that be helpful? In my head I’m thinking yeast is yeast regardless.

Sincerely,
Daisy
Age 27
USA

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Hey there,

Oh dear, poor puppy with yeasty paws, that sounds ruff! The sour popcorn smell is definitely a signature of yeast overgrowth – not exactly the candle scent we’d all choose, right?

Now, when it comes to lactulose products from my arsenal, they’re typically for our own human bits and pieces and are designed to promote healthy bacteria and pH levels in places like the vagina. It’s a leap to go from vaginas to doggy paws, but your logic is sound enough.

Lactulose is used orally in animals for the same reasons as humans: constipation and in liver conditions. Use of lactulose for yeast on paws isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but it’s untested and there might be better options.

The thing with yeast is, even though it’s true yeast is yeast, the environment and the kind of yeast can vary a lot. The types that like to hang out on dog paws are a different crowd than the ones that party in our human nooks and crannies. So, the approach to tackling the problem differs too.

I know you mentioned your vets haven’t been super helpful so far, which is a real bummer. But it might be worth seeking a second opinion, or even asking a vet who specialises in dermatological issues. They might have alternative solutions or treatments you haven’t tried yet. There are specialist vet dermatologists!

Or, if you’re still having no luck, find a natural medicine practitioner who specialises in animals. They exist, and may be able to help you work out why the yeast won’t go away, and look at other important elements like diet, environment and other animals nearby.

Unfortunately I’m not sure that anything we offer here at My Vagina is appropriate for pups – I’m more of a cat lady, if you know what I mean! If you thought it wouldn’t hurt and go the ok from a vet, you could try my Yeast Herbal Blend.

Shake well and apply to your pup’s paws gently with a cotton tip. Skin test the blend using just a small amount on a small area, and avoid your doggo ingesting the herbs and oils, and clear any extra treatments with your vet.

The herbs in the yeast blend are:

• Sweet almond oil
• Lactulose
• Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) extract
• Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) extract
• Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) extract
• Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) extract
• Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) extract

Keep your sniffer up and let’s get to the bottom of this paw problem with the right help. If you’re stuck on what to do next, talk to a vet – and if you’re not getting the answers you need, keep asking until you do. Your dog deserves to be comfy and you deserve a house that doesn’t smell like a movie theatre floor.

Best of luck,
Aunt Vadge