My dog has a yeast infection. I had an old Golden Retriever a few years back who developed a yeast infection and the vet treated it with antibiotics plus flushing out the ears and then putting drops in them. It went away for only a short time. His health went down hill fast and he was in great pain from hip displacia. I have recently read up on a type of fungus/yeast infection called Candida Albicans. It has all the same symptoms. Part of the cure is to give an enzyme that is found in yogurt. It said to give the dog Acidophilus to build up the natural enzymes in the stomach where this infection starts. The smell from the dogs body and ears are horrible. He gnaws at his feet and skin all the time. I have read from some of you that the ear canal and the stomach are not connected but you still went on to say give the dog a non grain food. This fungus/yeast infection works its way from the stomach and makes its way to most parts of the body, especially the ears.

So am trying the ear rinse of one part white vinegar to four parts water. twice a day, one Acidophilus a day and maybe some yogurt once a week. It can’t hurt. I also give him a children s antihistamine once a day for the itching. We will see how much better (if any) this will be then what the Vet prescribed for my other dog.

I have had this on and off since the age of 8. (No sexual abuse by the way, just itching for no obvious reason.)

I have been to the Gynecologist a dozen times + and they always say "It isn’t a yeast infection and we can’t detect anything else. Use the OTC Creams." and send me on my way. No insurance has prevented me from being able to have any form of advanced testing that might be able to nail down what it might be.

I’ve had legitimate yeast infections in the past with the HORRIBLE and SUPER INTENSE itching/burning and Discharge but other than those two outbreaks, I have no abnormal smell or discharge what so ever. Those two times cleared up with the use of OTC Anti-Yeast Treatments.

The ONLY tissue irritation is from scratching in my sleep, which has led to actually scratching wounds into the labia majora. The itching is limited to the Labia Majora… Meaning, it is NOT on the mucosal tissues (pink tissue) and is ONLY on the skin where hair grows, so again, that limits what it might be.

It wakes me up at night… It makes me miserable in the day…

I am using the Wal*Mart brand of Vagicle Maximum Strength (20% Benzocaine) Anti-Itch Benzocaine Cream at the rate of about a tube a month. I put it in a pump-bottle so I don’t use too much at a time and I carry Emergency Wipes in my purse.

When I go to bed, I am so desperate for relief that I take a pump of the 20% Benzocaine Cream and add some Diphenhydramine HCI (benadryl) which is applied topically for both analgesic (numbing) properties as well as antihistamine (allergic reaction reducing) properties. It numbs me out for long enough for me to get to sleep.

Ibuprofen used to help with the itching but it doesn’t seem to do that much anymore.

The itching is driving me insane and is actually hindering my day to day activities by making me miserable all day AND keeping me from having a good night’s sleep.

I’m also getting Shingles outbreaks on my forehead, nose, and chin when I get stressed, so about one every month or so. Sometimes more, sometimes less…

Likely or no, I am super careful about washing after applying abriva and creams to my shingles/cold sore outbreaks and never touch my eyes nor my genitals without soap and water.

I do not have genital herpes. I have never had a blister and was told that my almost constant outbreaks of shingles on my head mean that self-transmission to the vagina is highly unlikely… I have not had many partners that have actually had "vanilla" genital contact. I’ve had 4 partners my whole life and only had "Vanilla Sex" with one of them and all of this, the itching and the cold sores/shingles outbreaks started before I was sexually active, it is physically impossible for any of this to be STD’s or HIV or anything else transmitted through sexual activity… This all started between the ages of 8 and 14 and I didn’t have any sexual activity until I was 17.

Please help me…

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Oh, and please don’t tell me to go see my doctor… Been there, done that, don’t have the money for anything else.