Now that spring has arrived, you notice that your dog is scratching and their hair is falling out. Are they really suffering from seasonal allergies or have they been battling a yeast infection?

Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself:
1. Were they constantly licking/chewing their paws and were they the colour of rust?
2. Did they scratch their ears and shake their head a lot?
3. Did their symptoms start up in the spring and disappear in the fall?
4. Did they lose hair on their tail and upper back?
5. Did you see tiny black dots on their belly and gray or rust discolouration around their genital?
6. Did they have a foul smell and greasy fur?
7. Did you see any black skin where there was hair loss?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, your dog was most likely suffering from a yeast infection rather than seasonal allergies (grass/pollens).

Skin is a reflection of what is going on in the body and when there is an over production of yeast, the body is out of balance and reacts similar to an allergic reaction. You can ask your vet to test for yeast which is really a fungal infection and begin treatment.

A homemade, yet effective option is to go to your pharmacist and ask for sulphur (no it won’t smell like rotten eggs) and combine it with lard to form an ointment. One part sulphur: two parts lard. Rub into the affected areas for a few days and you should see an improvement. You will also want to limit or eliminate simple sugars from the diet; so read the food/treat labels and look at going grain-free. Your dog will thank you.

About the Author

Corry Hamilton is the owner of Taking The Lead (www.takingthelead.ca) — a pet care business that focuses on pet nutrition and well-being. Like many entrepreneurs, her journey towards creating a business of her own wasn't a straight path, but she believes that no matter what life throws at you, you can always pick yourself up and move on. You never know where it may take you and make all your dreams come true. You can check out what Corry is up to on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TakingTheLead.CorryHamilton and Twitter: https://twitter.com/TakingTheLead07