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By Judyvein Cheng, CPCN, BRNC
Certified pet nutritionist in Singapore
QUICK ANSWER
Ear yeast infections are one of the most common reasons dogs scratch and shake their heads. The tell-tale signs are a brown, waxy discharge and a musty smell. Clean gently with a pet-safe cleanser, soothe the itch naturally, and then look at the root causes, such as diet, moisture and gut health, so the infection doesn't keep coming back.
What is an ear yeast infection?
Yeast lives naturally on your dog's skin and in their ears in small numbers. The main types are Malassezia and Candida. When the ear's balance is upset, the yeast multiplies and causes inflammation, itching and that distinctive smell.
Ear problems aren't always yeast, though. Here's how the three most common causes usually differ:
Yeast
Brown, waxy or greasy discharge. A musty or sweet, "corn chip" smell. Red, itchy skin inside the ear flap. In long-term cases, the skin can thicken and darken.
Bacteria
Yellow or greenish discharge, sometimes pus. A strong, unpleasant smell. The ear is often painful to touch.
Ear mites
Dark, dry debris that looks like coffee grounds, and intense itching. Most common in puppies and kittens, and contagious between pets.
A quick check at home: gently wipe the inside of the ear flap with a cotton pad and look at what comes off. It gives you a clue, but only a vet swab can confirm whether it's yeast, bacteria or mites, and often it's a mix.
Signs your dog has ear trouble
✓ Scratching at the ears or rubbing them on furniture and the floor
✓ Shaking or tilting the head
✓ Red, swollen or hot ears
✓ Discharge and a bad smell
✓ Crusty or scabby skin around the ear
✓ Pulling away when you touch the ear
Why ear yeast infections happen
Diet
Yeast feeds on sugar. Diets high in starches and carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into sugar, can feed yeast throughout the body, including the ears.
Moisture
Swimming, bath water, and Singapore's humidity all leave the ear warm and damp, which yeast loves. Dogs with floppy or hairy ears are more prone.
Medications
Antibiotics wipe out the good bacteria that keep yeast in check. Steroids and drugs like Apoquel suppress the immune system, which can let yeast take hold.
Allergies
Food and environmental allergies inflame the skin, including the skin inside the ears. Read more in natural support for seasonal allergies.
Toxins
Chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and other toxins add to the load on the immune system, making it harder to keep yeast under control.
How to clean your dog's ears, step by step
You'll need a gentle, pet-safe cleanser and a good oil. I use JOOF Hygiene Water, made from just distilled water and salt, to clean, and coconut oil to soothe.
Clean first: soak a cotton pad with Hygiene Water and wipe the ear flap and the ear, as deep as your finger can comfortably reach. Don't squirt it into the ear canal.
Then drop in coconut oil: put a few drops of coconut oil into the ear canal and gently massage the base of the ear.
Let your dog shake, then wipe away the loosened debris with a clean cotton pad.
Keep the ears dry between cleans, especially after baths and swimming.
Be careful with cotton buds. Using one to clean the outer part of the ear is fine. Don't push it into the ear canal unless you know how to clear out debris properly. Vets do use cotton buds, but with the right technique. If you're not sure how, I'd suggest not to.
Never use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. They sting, dry out the ear and damage healthy tissue.
If the ear is very painful, bleeding or full of discharge, see your vet before putting anything into the canal, in case the eardrum is damaged.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE
When Wangcai had ear infections, I cleaned his ears 2 to 3 times a day. First I wiped them with Hygiene Water, as deep as my finger could reach, then I followed with a few drops of coconut oil and massaged the base of the ear.
You'll find the full routine in how to use coconut oil with your pets.
For routine ear and eye care, when there's no infection, see how to take care of your pet's eyes and ears.
Natural ways to soothe the itch
After cleaning, these can help calm itchy, irritated ears:
Coconut oil
Naturally antifungal and soothing. After cleaning, put a few drops into the ear canal and massage the base. Choose an organic, therapeutic-grade virgin coconut oil like CocoTherapy.
MCT oil
MCT oil has stronger antifungal properties than coconut oil. If coconut oil isn't helping enough, switch to an MCT oil like CocoTherapy TriPlex MCT-3 Oil and use it the same way.
Harmony Serum, for bad ear yeast
For stubborn ear yeast, especially when coconut oil doesn't work as well as needed, I recommend Farm Dog Naturals Harmony Serum. Drop it into the ear canal, let your dog shake out the debris, then clean as normal.
Restore Salve, for itchy skin
For red, itchy skin on the ear flap and around the ear, apply a thin layer of Farm Dog Naturals Restore Salve.
Other natural options. We don't carry these, but if you can get them, they can help too:
✓ Calendula: add 5 to 10 drops of calendula tincture to 1 cup of warm water, and use it to rinse the ear or wipe the ear flap. Calendula is soothing and anti-inflammatory.
✓ Apple cider vinegar: mix raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar 50/50 with water and wipe the ear flap. Its acidity makes the ear less friendly to yeast. Don't use it on raw or broken skin, as it will sting.
✓ Mullein oil: recommended by holistic vet Dr Randy Kidd for ear infections. Warm a few drops to body temperature and put them in the ear.
Fixing it from the inside
Cleaning and soothing help with the symptoms, but if the ears keep getting infected, the cause is usually inside. Here's where to look.
1. Find the root: diet and allergies. Diet and allergies are always the first place to look.
✓ Find your dog's sensitivities. Foods and things in the environment your dog is sensitive to keep the gut and skin inflamed. A pet intolerance test can show which foods and environmental triggers to avoid.
✓ Switch the diet. Cutting down on starches and sugars starves the yeast. A fresh, whole-food diet low in carbohydrates, ideally raw, is a good foundation. Read more in a beginner's guide to raw diets.
✓ Progress from there, adding the support below one step at a time. If you need more help, a PawConsult can help you work out the next steps.
2. Add natural antifungals. These can help keep yeast in check:
✓ Garlic, in small, safe amounts. Read more in garlic for dogs.
✓ Coconut oil and MCT oil, whose medium-chain fatty acids are naturally antifungal. MCT oil is the stronger of the two.
✓ Pau d'arco and olive leaf, traditional antifungal herbs. Both are in Glacier Peak Gold.
✓ Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast that competes with harmful yeast, such as Four Leaf Rover S. Boulardii.
For more stubborn yeast, a full protocol can help, such as Four Leaf Rover Yeast Guard Plus or the Adored Beast Yeasty Beast Protocol. Whatever you use, start small.
Go slow when killing yeast. If yeast dies off too fast, it can cause a Herxheimer (die-off) reaction, where symptoms get worse before they get better.
Start with a small amount of each product, add one thing at a time, and build up gradually. With yeast, slow and steady wins the race.
3. Heal the gut. About 80% of the immune system lives in the gut, so a healthy gut means a stronger defence against yeast. This is especially important after a course of antibiotics.
Healing the gut is a long process. It doesn't happen overnight, and in my experience it doesn't happen within 6 months either. It can take more than a year.
✓ Probiotics such as Adored Beast Fido's Flora or Love Bugs, rotated between brands. Read more in how to choose a probiotic for your dog.
✓ Omega-3s to calm inflammation, such as Adored Beast Phyto Synergy.
✓ Digestive enzymes to help your dog break down and absorb their food, such as Adored Beast Healthy Gut.
These are all good additions, but some dogs need more help. My teacher, clinical herbalist Rita Hogan, shares a gut-healing protocol in her book The Herbal Dog. You can follow it at home, or reach out to me for a PawConsult if you need more help.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE
BeanBean's yeast was mild. I managed to get rid of it by changing her food, adding MCT oil, cleaning her ears, and managing her food sensitivities with the pet intolerance test.
Wangcai did the intolerance test too, but his yeast was much worse, so he needed a protocol. He was on the Yeasty Beast Protocol, which suited his energetics.
Every dog is different, so the best way to work out what your dog needs is a PawConsult with me.
Read more in the pet parent's guide to digestive health.
When to see your vet
✓ Your dog is in pain, or won't let you touch the ear
✓ There's bleeding, pus or a lot of discharge
✓ Your dog tilts their head, loses balance or walks in circles
✓ The ear flap is swollen like a pillow, which may be a blood blister (aural haematoma)
✓ The ear doesn't improve after a few days of home care
Frequently asked questions
Is ear yeast contagious?
No. Yeast infections aren't passed between pets. Ear mites are, so if you have more than one pet and they're all scratching, get them checked.
Why does my dog's ear infection keep coming back?
Recurring ear infections usually point to something underneath, such as diet, allergies, an unhealthy gut, or moisture being trapped in the ear. Cleaning alone won't fix it.
How often should I clean my dog's ears?
During an infection, 2 to 3 times a day. Once the ears are healthy, check them weekly and clean only when they look dirty, plus after swimming or baths.
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This article is for educational purposes and isn't a substitute for veterinary care. If you're concerned about your pet's health, please seek professional advice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Judyvein Cheng, CPCN, BRNC
Judyvein is a Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist and Certified Raw Nutrition Coach for Cats & Dogs, and the founder of JOOF Holistic Pet. Her journey began with her Frenchie, Wangcai, and today she helps pet parents in Singapore take a root-cause approach to their pets' health.
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