Exacerbations to yeasty ears in 2yo male GSD

[LyndseyM]

Happy (belated) holidays!

I've written about my Xander before, but I can't locate the thread, here is some background.

Xander is 2yo intact male GSD and is raw fed.
Ear infections first started at 5 months old at first vet visit for rabies (January 2020), treated (unsuccessfully) with a round of Trasaderm. Summer 2020 did leaky gut and yeast protocols with seeming success, only to have them return. April 2021 we treated with topical antibiotics because they seemed to just not respond to anything. Knowing this is an
antithesis to health, we found resolution for a short period of time, only to return. Knowing yeast is pleomorhphic, I have been treating him with various protocols to mix them up and keep the yeast on its toes. It seems to work okay - as his symptoms could definitely be worse - but I am not finding resolution.

Having battled these yeasty ears and allergies with numerous protocols over the last 18 months, this has finally come to a head...

On Monday, December 27th, we had to release our 3.5yo female this life due to seizures that we could not successfully resolve without "assistance" from pharmaceutical intervention. Since this, Xander is visibly upset and his ears and allergies are ever the concern.

I'm exhausted, mourning, and at my wits end. I already watching a traumatic end to my female and watching Xander suffer from these allergies is even more upsetting, as it only highlights my failures as a pet parent.

Currently I am giving Xander the following:
Seacure
Adrenal Cocktail [Sodium, Potassium, Vitamin C from acerola]
Soil Based Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes
Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance base
Cod Liver Oil
Trace Minerals [Mag, Chloride, Sodium, Potassium]

I should also mention that I did start dosing him with Ignatia 30c as he seems to be experiencing worsening since grief. It seems to work well, but I can't be sure if its merely coincidence.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
- Lyndsey

 

[Dr. Jeff]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your pup Lyndsey.??

What potencies of Ignatia do you have and how are you dosing the 30c? In what way did Xander seem to be exhibiting grief, and how does the Ignaia seem to help?

What is Xander eating? Any veggies/fruits/grains?

BTW-Coincidences of healing, miracles of healing, Radical Remission, placebo, etc. are equally wonderful and humbling to see IMHO as they all show us the same thing. The body's ability to heal.

He's a young boy who may have obstacles to that healing process but as long as we can educe them, his natural healing ability will kick in. That's a certainty (that nature heals).

Again, I'm super sorry to hear about your other pup. With your continued wonderful support I know that you'll get Xander to be as good as he can be!

 

[LyndseyM]

Thanks, @Dr. Jeff; we're managing okay, still very fresh and pretty painful.

I only have Ignatia 30c and have dosed it roughly 2-3 times per day. He is not eating as often, foregoing his midday meal. He seems extra mopey and lacking general interest. Ignatia seems to get him a little more active and moving around than he would be otherwise. With or without it he does eat his dinner.

He is eating raw muscle meat and organs (pork, duck, turkey, and bison). We do Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance base is dehydrated fruit/veggie mix which contains: Broccoli, Green Beans, Squash, Carrots, Celery, Cabbage, Crushed Eggshell, Spinach, Pumpkin, Beets, Raw Goat’s Milk Powder, Apples, Blueberries, Bone Meal, Sesame Seeds, Chia Seeds, Shiitake Mushrooms, Green Lipped Mussel Powder, Milk Thistle, Ginger, Spirulina, Kelp, Parsley, Eggshell Membrane.

No grains.

The problem he seems to be having is frequent head shaking. I always shudder to think there is more going on

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for your reply Lyndsey.

In addition to the Ignatia it would be great to focus the next few weeks on doing those things he loves the most in the world (sniff walks, treat games, massages, etc.).

You may also want to evaluate his response to a few weeks with extra heart and kidney organ meat and on one protein (his favorite) and omit the fruits and veggies.

Have you done a Nutriscan or otherwise tested for food "allergies"?

Nutriscan | Hemopet

Give your animals the pet care they deserve. Hemopet's testing gives you data to help you understand your pet's dietary needs to improve your pet's overall health.

hemopet.org

 

[LyndseyM]

Thanks for your reply Lyndsey.

In addition to the Ignatia it would be great to focus the next few weeks on doing those things he loves the most in the world (sniff walks, treat games, massages, etc.).

You may also want to evaluate his response to a few weeks with extra heart and kidney organ meat and on one protein (his favorite) and omit the fruits and veggies.

Have you done a Nutriscan or otherwise tested for food "allergies"?

Nutriscan | Hemopet

Give your animals the pet care they deserve. Hemopet's testing gives you data to help you understand your pet's dietary needs to improve your pet's overall health.

hemopet.org

Yes! We did a test through 5Strands when our female, Brynn, developed seizures; we wanted to ascertain if there were any toxic metals or what not in our environment since we have well water. We also tested for environmental and food allergies, too. 5 Strands tests through hair, not sure if that has less value than Dr. Dodds' salivary test?

He came up with a lot of food sensitivities - so it is evident that he has leaky gut - we had done a test last year, too and I started a protocol. But it seems as though they still persist.

Since I do a lot of GI dysfunction with humans in my office, I thought maybe a poop kit would provide insight, so we just got in one from AnimalBiome. I did the package of 2 tests and they do oral fecal transplant capsules. So test then give capsules for 2 weeks and test again. Are you familiar?

The head shaking is becoming more of a constant as of late and I notice that if I rub his ear at the base where it meets his head, I can hear swishing on the right side, so it is evident there is fluid in there, but I'm unsure of how to get it out? Any thoughts on this?

He is clearly in distress which is distressing for us. We're not really sure where to go.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, I'm very familiar with AnimalBiome and their "poop pills".

My (different) opinion about where to go next, would not be in the physiological realm. It would be energetic.

The "hypothesis" I understand to be closest to observation is that homeostasis is fundamentally energetic.

However, as you well know Lyndsey, the underlying energetic imbalance of TCM, Ayurveda and homeopathy is not "research proven".

Your other options are to keep doing what you're doing to better define what's going on (physiologically).

Let's see what AnimalBiome says and perhaps try Probio Defense (a unique probiotic strain) from Xymogen.