Best Whole Dog Food For Yeast Infections And Itchy Skin

 Written by Kristin Matthews, Tom&Sawyer CoFounder & Kelly Gredner, RVT, VTS (Nutrition Tech)

Few things are as frustrating for a pet parent as watching your pup suffer from relentless itching. You might notice them obsessively licking their paws, shaking their head, or perhaps you’ve detected that distinct, musty "corn chip" smell radiating from their coat.

These are hallmark signs of yeast overgrowth. While topical treatments can provide temporary relief, true skin health starts in the gut. Systemic yeast issues are often a sign that your dog’s microbiome is out of balance, sometimes fueled by a diet that unintentionally feeds the fungus.

While most allergies are not food driven (a very small percentage are), food can be part of the solution. Let’s discuss what's in your fur-iend's bowl for a moment. Switching to a fresh, whole-food dog food for yeast infection can be a great line of defence. By eliminating the starches that yeast thrives on and introducing Human Grade nutrition, you can help restore your dog’s skin barrier and comfort. 

What Can I Feed My Dog To Get Rid Of a Yeast Infection?

An effective dietary approach to managing yeast is a regimen low in simple carbohydrates and high in bioavailable proteins and healthy fats.

Yeast, specifically Malassezia, thrives on sugar. Unfortunately, many commercial dog foods—even premium kibbles—are heavily reliant on starch to bind the kibble nuggets together. When your pup digests super processed ingredients in kibble like corn, wheat, potatoes, or peas, their body converts these starches into sugars. This creates an internal environment that acts as a buffet for yeast.

To starve the yeast, you must minimize these high-glycemic ingredients in over processed kibble. Instead, prioritize:

• High-Quality Proteins: Muscle or organ meats that support tissue repair.
• Healthy Fats: For skin barrier support.
• Low-Glycemic Vegetables: Greens and non-starchy veggies that provide fiber without the sugar spike.

We recommend moving away from or significantly reducing highly processed "feed-grade" dry pet food diets toward anti-inflammatory, gently cooked meals. This ensures nutrients remain intact and digestible, rather than being destroyed by high-heat extrusion methods.

How Are Yeast Infections And Inflammation Connected?

While sugar feeds yeast, inflammation is what opens the door for it to take over.

Yeast is naturally present on all dogs in small amounts. However, when a dog suffers from chronic inflammation—often caused by environmental allergies or, in some cases, dietary sensitivities—the skin barrier becomes compromised. An inflamed skin barrier is warmer and moister, creating the perfect breeding ground for yeast to multiply out of control.

Therefore, an effective diet must do more than just lower sugar; it must actively reduce systemic inflammation. Clinical research supports this approach:

• Dietary Support for Dermatitis: A study published in BMC Veterinary Research found that dogs with canine atopic dermatitis (AD) showed significant reductions in skin lesion scores and owner-reported itching when fed a diet enriched with ingredients to support skin health and reduce inflammation, compared to a control diet. This confirms that specific dietary compositions can directly improve inflammatory skin conditions. (Source)

• Nutritional Modulation: Furthermore, a veterinary nutrition review notes that specific nutritional supplements and dietary strategies can modulate inflammation and help manage skin diseases in dogs. This highlights the importance of a targeted nutritional strategy in stopping the cycle of inflammation and infection. (Source)

The Role Of Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients

To replicate these clinical results in your dog’s daily life, look for recipes rich in specific anti-inflammatory agents:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oils and certain plant oils, these are critical for strengthening the lipid barrier of the skin.
• Antioxidants: These combat oxidative stress that damages skin cells.

Tom&Sawyer diets are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and include antioxidant-rich ingredients to support skin & coat and reduce inflammation.  When the skin barrier is strengthened through these nutrients, it becomes much more difficult for opportunistic yeast to take hold.

Does Grain-Free Dog Food Help With Yeast Overgrowth?

This is one of the most common misconceptions in canine nutrition. Many pet owners assume "grain-free" equals "yeast-free," but this is rarely the case.

"Grain-free" does not mean "starch-free." In the absence of grains, many kibble manufacturers substitute feed-grade ingredients like:

• White potatoes
• Peas and lentils
• Tapioca starch
• Chickpeas

While these aren't grains, they are still dense sources of carbohydrates that break down into sugar during digestion. For a dog struggling with yeast, a grain-free kibble full of low quality feed-grade potato starch may be just as problematic as a grain-inclusive one.

Rather than focusing on the "grain-free" label, focus on a low-glycemic approach and the quality of the ingredients- namely human grade ingredients. Fresh, gently-cooked pet food typically includes far less starch compared to kibble, making it naturally lower in the sugars that feed yeast. And look for the ones that say made in a human food facility (not just human grade ingredients) to ensure food safety and cleanliness of facility on top of the ingredient quality. Tom&Sawyer is the only 100% human grade pet food company in Canada.

Can Coconut Oil In Dog Food Kill Yeast?

Coconut oil is a powerful culinary tool in the fight against yeast due to its unique fatty acid profile. It contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), specifically caprylic acid and lauric acid.

These components possess well-documented antifungal properties. Caprylic acid works by disrupting the cell walls of the yeast fungus, effectively killing it.

Incorporating coconut oil into a dog's diet offers a dual benefit:

1. Internal: It helps combat yeast in the gut.
2. External: It improves lipid metabolism, leading to a healthier, glossier coat.

For canine companions prone to fungal issues, a diet formulated with coconut oil can act as a continuous, gentle therapeutic measure.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Yeast Infection Vs. Allergies?

Distinguishing between allergies and yeast infections can be difficult because they frequently occur together. Allergies often trigger the initial inflammation (the "spark"), and the yeast infection follows as a secondary issue (the "fire").

However, there are specific symptoms that point directly to yeast:

• Odor: A distinct musty smell, often compared to corn chips or old cheese.
• Greasy Skin: The coat feels oily or waxy to the touch.
• Discoloration: Due to constant licking, rust-colored or reddish-brown staining, particularly around the paws and the groin can occur. The staining is from the natural porphyrin in the dogs’ saliva.
• Ear Debris: Dark brown, malodorous discharge in the ears.
• Thickening Skin: In chronic cases, the skin may become thick and dark (elephant skin).

If your dog has these symptoms alongside general itching, it is likely they are dealing with a secondary yeast infection and requires treatment

Tom&Sawyer: Fresh Meals For Sensitive Skin

At Tom&Sawyer, we believe that therapeutic nutrition shouldn't come at the expense of palatability. Our meals are the result of a rigorous collaboration between professional chefs and veterinary nutritionists, designed to bridge the gap between medical dietary needs and culinary excellence.

For pups struggling with yeast and inflammation, we often recommend our Coconut Chicken & Rice Recipe.

This formulation is intentionally low-starch and highly digestible, removing the fuel source for yeast. It features premium, human-grade chicken and is enriched with coconut oil to leverage those natural antifungal MCTs. By combining gentle cooking methods with clinically-backed ingredients, we provide a meal that supports the immune system and strengthens the skin barrier from the inside out.

We are committed to transparency and science-backed nutrition, ensuring your dog gets the relief they need through the power of fresh food that contains whole food ingredients.

 

References

de Santiago, M.S., Arribas, J.L.G., Llamas, Y.M. et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial measuring the effect of a dietetic food on dermatologic scoring and pruritus in dogs with atopic dermatitis. BMC Vet Res 17, 354 (2021).

Marchegiani, A.; Fruganti, A.; Spaterna, A.; Dalle Vedove, E.; Bachetti, B.; Massimini, M.; Di Pierro, F.; Gavazza, A.; Cerquetella, M. Impact of Nutritional Supplementation on Canine Dermatological Disorders. Vet. Sci. 2020, 7, 38.