# Black Skin



## Sian (Oct 19, 2011)

I'm dealing with a yeast problem in my 7 year old German Shepherd mix, Misty. The skin in her groin area has black greasy patches and I'm wondering if there's any way of getting that to go away and become pink and healthy looking again.

My treatment for the yeast so far has been to improve her diet, bathe with Malaseb and Xymox and rinse with a diluted vinegar mixture, bathe her feet (which she has chewed until they are red and have sores) in a diluted peroxide and vinegar mixture, and to keep her feet wrapped up (another problem). She seems lots less itchy if I bathe her every couple days.

I have been giving Misty a grain and potato free food (Nutrisca) and am starting to add in some raw meat too. I give her a vitamin and acidophilus and a probiotic too.

any helpful suggestions would be most welcome!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

The only way to get rid of yeast is to cut sugars completely out of her diet because yeast thrives on carbs. This means switching her to a raw diet that doesn't include any carbs or starches in any way.


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## Sian (Oct 19, 2011)

I will do that now that I know she can tolerate the raw well. Is the black stuff the yeast itself? Will it be there the rest of her life?


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

Agreed, she needs to be on prey model raw.

Also have you gotten her thyroid tested? My friend's hypothyroid dog gets dark on his groin and armpits when his levels go wonky.


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## Sian (Oct 19, 2011)

I haven't but she is due to go in for a checkup and shots so I will ask for a thorough thyroid test to be done. Thank you for the reminder! At her last checkup the results showed thyroid to be on the low end of normal..


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## cricket (Oct 24, 2011)

That happened to my pup! Spent 2 years doing as the vet said; but not anymore. Your poor baby is having a systemic yeast overgrowth issue. Don't give up, I was just about to when I found "Answers". "Answers raw pet food", it's been great as a newbie to raw. I just went to raw on October 8th, and I absolutely love it! I've been majorly impressed. Within 2 weeks my dogs skin has cleared and hair is growing back on his feet. He is healthy, happy and has no issues. Just make sure to stop all steroids (pred) and antibiotics, the yeast thrives off that stuff. To help with itching use benedryl and your shampoo with the vinegar solution. What a lifesaver for my dog! I wish you the very best!!


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

If you have a yeast problem, like all the above recommended, you need to switch to a raw diet. Khan had a yeast problem as well, and as soon as we switched it went away. He also cannot tolerate A LOT of other foods. When he got into some cheese my husband left too temptingly close to the edge of the counter, his tummy turned black/greyish. I actually took him in for a shot since he was so uncomfortable and itchy! I didn't want to wait for the dosage of benedryl I was able to give him to "kick in" Once everything was out of his system, his skin went back to normal. 
I know you said you were giving her grain free; but remember there are a lot of other things that she could be reacting to. As an example, Khan reacts to cheese/dairy, salmon, flax, cedar dog beds, just to name a few.
Also remember that changing their diets also means you need to consider what type of TREATS you are giving. If the treats you use have grain in them, she really isn't grain free. Treats are one of those things that people tend to forget about. 
Khan's still got some environmental allergies; but I can keep them under control with OTC allergy pills.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

Zoey used to have issues with Yeast, I switched her to Prey Model Raw and it's been about 16 months and she hasn't had issues in about a year. It's been a miracle. I give her no grains PERIOD, no treats etc. I also give her Bragg's ACV, probiotics, The Missing Link and she gets Melatonin for alopecia. She was pretty itchy/licky lou before I switched her to raw even on a limited ingredient diet. It's been the best thing I've done for her health. As others have said, carbs/grains feed yeast. Here is a great link with information about Yeast in dogs. Yeast Infections In Dogs I used to have a westie and when his 'allergies/yeast' flared up he got black skin, over time it went back to normal other than his 'normal' pigment.


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## Sian (Oct 19, 2011)

cricket said:


> That happened to my pup! Spent 2 years doing as the vet said; but not anymore. Your poor baby is having a systemic yeast overgrowth issue. Don't give up, I was just about to when I found "Answers". "Answers raw pet food", it's been great as a newbie to raw. I just went to raw on October 8th, and I absolutely love it! I've been majorly impressed. Within 2 weeks my dogs skin has cleared and hair is growing back on his feet. He is healthy, happy and has no issues. Just make sure to stop all steroids (pred) and antibiotics, the yeast thrives off that stuff. To help with itching use benedryl and your shampoo with the vinegar solution. What a lifesaver for my dog! I wish you the very best!!


I looked up Answers and I will definitely try some! Thank you! I am a newbie and I have 50 years of 'programming' to overcome and confess I'm still a little 'squeamish'. I grew up with the idea that dogs should not have chicken bones and that pork was bad for them and that raw meat was bad for _everyone!_ I intend to get over all this for the sake of my dog which my husband and I both love but giving Misty something ground up sounds easier for now. 

I've stopped all prednisone and benedryl and I keep Misty away from Grandpa who feeds dogs anything and everything. I have all meat treats and will throw everything else out. If this doesn't help quickly I'll be looking into something else that she might be allergic to. The vet said she had a grass allergy but now I'm wondering if that's correct.. guess I'll find out next summer.

Next question: many people say that the routine shots dogs get can be harmful; why is this?


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