Response to Anne in Ohio
Q: My girl dog licks her vaginal area and I have brought her to the vet and he said to just wipe with baby wipes....is there anything else I can do? She scratches and itches a lot and I am using a good brand of dog food--Nutromax. Anne in Ohio
A: When female dogs are licking at the vaginal area, there are usually two key culprits:
a urinary tract infection or yeast. Sometimes female dogs have anatomical issues where there are folds or excess hair in the area which can be irritants but most commonly it is yeast or a UTI. Ariel, my beloved husky mix, had this chronic licking of the vaginal area and I brought her from vet to vet. The vets told me to use baby wipes and other creams and nothing helped. Then, I gave her antifungal supplements to fight yeast and the problem immediately stopped. Unfortunately she was already 10 years old when I discovered this!
In general, carbohydrates such as grains, wheat, gluten, rice, etc. can cause dogs to have allergic reactions. Nutromax contains a high percentage of carbhohydrates. You need to find a dog food that is fresh and lower in carhohydrates--grain free. Try Natures Variety raw or instinct canned. Kibble again, is more of a "convenience" food and isn't fresh and can promote yeast growth.
In addition to making dietary changes, you need to put your dog on the following supplements routinely: Power Probiotic, Mycozyme and Pet UTI Prevention Formula. A fish oil supplement such as Amazing Omegas would help greatly. Click here to learn more about the products.
