Earlier this year, I thought I had solved Chloe’s debilitating itching with a Vet-approved treatment that had cleared up her yeast infection – or so I thought.
But it turns out, the solution was lying in her food bowl all along.
If you’re tired of spending hundreds or even thousands on vet bills, only to see your furry friend still in discomfort, this post is for you!
You see, Chloe’s itching was unbearable, not just in her ears but even her paws and private parts were affected. Her itching and constant licking only served to spread the yeast infection over her body.
The issue persisted, getting only temporary relief from frequent vet visits.
And, it turned out that she wasn’t alone.
I discovered that a friend had spent THOUSANDS over the past few months, trying to cure his dog’s incessant itching that actually led to open wounds all due to excessive scratching.
Neither my friend nor his dog could get a good night’s sleep, for several months now.
The dog would wake up multiple times, crying out in pain from scratching the open wounds that itched so severely. He’d no sooner lay down to sleep and would awaken again, crying from scratching again.
The Turning Point
Just when I was about to resign myself to frequent vet visits, my groomer Katie – whose vet school background provides her with a unique expertise – offered a different perspective.
She suggested that the root of Chloe’s problems might be her diet.
After following Katie’s advise to switch over to a high-quality dog food, Chloe’s condition started to improve dramatically.
Her coat has become shiny, her incessant itching ceased, her ears and paws cleared up, and she regained her playful spirit!
The Outcome
With Chloe’s dietary switch to better quality dog food, and continued care, she has been yeast-free and happier than ever.
Not only that, but I was able to share what I discovered from Katie, with my friend who lives several miles east of my city, so that his dog can now start feeling better too.
SIDE NOTE: Katie also recommended my adding sauerkraut and/or unsweetened and plain Greek Yogurt to Chloe’s diet, to improve her gut bacteria, which in turn helps her immune system. And that blueberries are a great anti-inflammatory!
Conclusion
And, to be perfectly clear about this experience, I do NOT believe the Vet intentionally misled me at all.
What I do believe is that Vets across Ontario, Canada (maybe even further afield), are still trusting name-brands as being quality pet foods, even though most well-known name brands have been sold to other owners; in many cases those brands have been sold to new owner more than once, over the last 15 or so years.
And that is my opinion as to why Vets do not seem to be even considering that a pet’s diet is the real issue behind so many never-ending yeast infections.
I’m sure that many of you that are reading this, have observed the quality of any well-known brand often declines significantly once the brand has established itself in the market and is subsequently sold to a new owner.
It turns out, sometimes the best vet is the one who doesn’t just treat the symptoms but looks at the entire lifestyle of the pet.
By choosing quality over convenience when it comes to Chloe’s diet, I’ve saved money, reduced stress, and most importantly… improved the quality of Chloe’s life dramatically!
This total experience has to have us pet owners now asking ourselves: “What sort of crap is now going into all of those mass-produced dog foods and treats?”
And maybe even cat foods too.
It’s no more mass-produced, even name-brand… dog foods for my fur-baby! How about you?
If you know of someone who’s been fighting a losing battle against their dog’s health issues, please share this story. You could make all the difference!
