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This condition is very common in Bassets. We recently attended a seminar on skin conditions and this particular condition was talked about at great length. All dogs have this organism on their skin but for some reason Bassets in particular appear to have more per square inch than the average dog! Vets do not know why this is, possibly the bassets immune system is weaker and has more trouble fighting this bacteria, but vets do not know for definite.
We have found that by bathing a couple of times a week with 'Malaseb' (which you get from your vets) seems to help keep it under control, our bitch Lily seems to suffer from this condition from time to time. Keep their ears clean so as not to let the build up of wax become a breeding ground for the yeast. We have altered Lily's food as we found that too much protein seems to set it off, she is now on a mixer biscuit which is free from any additives, and she has cooked fish every day. This can be either Coley, tinned Tuna, Salmon, fish of the oily types are of course rich in Omega 3 oils which are very good for the skin. We supplement this with Evening Primrose oil, Cod Liver Oil, and Piriton tablets (one a day) which are for allergies and skin conditions. All these things combined seem to help keep this condition under control. We also give all our hounds a clove of Garlic twice a week as this helps to boost the immune system.
More information on this and many other conditions can be found at the Canine Inherited Disorder Database
