A fungus among us
Play
Yeast infections can easily be cured, but in an immune-comprised animal, they take a long time to clear up
Now that I’m treating my white cat Mekhala for yeast infections on her paws, a reader asks for more information, as in “Just how dangerous is it? Can one animal catch it from another? Can you get it from an infected cat?”
Please remember that I’m not a doctor, not even a vet. Your own doctor or vet would know more about yeast infection than I do. Although I had seen it before, I didn’t know much about it, just that it's itchy, uncomfortable but actually very easy to treat. In a small number of untreated cases, though, it can cause death.
Then, last month, Mekhala was diagnosed with the infection, and I had to learn more about it.
Yeast infections (or “Candidiasis”) are fungus infections that usually occur in warm, moist areas of the body, such as under the arms. It’s not considered contagious because most animals and humans normally carry this fungus around on their skin without any discomfort or anything.
Their immune systems are healthy, you see, and can handle the fungus. If by some chance, the fungus takes hold, it’s very easy to cure.
If, however, a person or animal has another, more critical disease, or if the immune system is weak, then candidiasis seems to jump right in, ready to cause as much pain and discomfort as it can, again, again and again.
Thus people who are elderly, undergoing cancer treatment, or suffering from Aids, like Mekhala, who has Fiv (feline Aids), will have weak immune systems and are prime candidates for this illness.
Yeast infections are so opportunistic! The worst case I ever saw was a dog at my vet’s.
The poor dog, about 12 years old, was already suffering from mange, a skin disease caused by mites. Her skin was cracked and bleeding from her desperate scratching, and her poor face was bare and swollen.
When the dog first started showing symptoms of mange weeks before, the owner took her to the vet, who prescribed medicine and daily baths. Treatment never started. The owner was too busy to take care of the dog and asked his maid to do the bathing and give the pills. The maid was willing, but she didn’t know how.
As a result, the dog went untreated.
The mange spread, this time accompanied by the yeast infection, which had jumped right in when the wounds became infected from the dog’s scratching.
When she saw the dog the second time, the vet asked the owner to bring his maid in. If the maid was going to be responsible, at least she could be taught what needed to be done.
The maid quickly understood the method of bathing the dog without causing pain from the open wounds. Under her loving care, it nevertheless took months for the infestations and infections to be brought under control, the dog’s wounds to heal and the fur to grow back.
Skin problems need to be treated as soon and as quickly as possible.
