Can dogs have raw honey

Q: How much raw honey can I give my dog?

While larger doses are safe, dogs dont need much honey in order to benefit from its ingestion. A quarter-teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight daily is enough for health maintenance. Since dogs enjoy honeys sweet taste, its easy to feed from a spoon or, if the honey is thick, you can roll it into a treat-sized ball.

Q: What kind of honey is safe for dogs?

Yes, dogs can eat raw honey. If youre going to feed your dog honey, stick with raw, local honey or Manuka honey. Avoid supermarket honey that was processed using heat and/or includes low-quality ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

Can honey be used to treat wounds?

There has been some research that confirms that certain types of medical grade manuka honey can aid wound healing. However, it’s important to emphasise that wounds should only ever be assessed and dressed by trained veterinary professionals, as treatment of wounds at home can easily lead to nasty infections and wound deterioration, which can result in a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering.

Índice Show

Can honey be used to treat wounds?
Can honey be used to treat allergies?
Can honey be used to treat kennel cough?
Can honey help with gastrointestinal issues?
Dogs benefit from raw honey in the following ways:
Tips for Feeding Your Dog Honey
How much raw honey can I give my dog?
What kind of honey is safe for dogs?
What happens if you give a dog honey?
Can dogs have raw honey for kennel cough?

In terms of dressing wounds at the vets, there are some post-surgical wounds (which veterinary professionals will be able to correctly assess) where manuka honey can be used to aid wound healing, in conjunction with other suitable dressing materials. That being said, honey is by no means a cure-all, and should only be used in specific cases. Honey is also only suitable for the initial stages of wound healing. There are also plenty of other alternative forms of wound dressings that can be used instead of manuka honey for dogs that can also act to aid wound healing, and it will be up to your vet to make a decision as to which dressing is most appropriate in each individual case. It’s also worth being aware that manuka honey can take longer to work than some alternative wound dressing materials and can cause surgical sutures to break down more quickly, meaning it can be detrimental to wound healing when used in inappropriate cases.

There has also been some debate as to whether manuka honey has any antimicrobial properties. Although honey does have some antimicrobial effects, it’s not able to protect against all bacterial spores and so should only be used following assessment by a veterinary professional.

Can honey be used to treat allergies?

There has been some discussion as to whether honey can be used to treat other conditions. For example, it has been suggested that honey may be useful in dogs with allergies as, if they have an allergy to pollen, the honey itself may expose them to smaller doses of the allergen, helping to build their immunity without triggering a full allergic reaction. However, this is not a reliable method of treating allergies as it is very unlikely that the pollen your dog is allergic to will be the same type as that contained in the honey, and many dogs with allergies also react to several other allergens.

In addition to this, it is not possible to measure the dose of allergen you feed your dog via honey, and a very specific dose of an allergen has to be given in order to only trigger an immune response, so it’s possible that the honey itself could cause an allergic reaction. Because of this, and the fact that the sugar in honey can be detrimental for your dog, we would always advise against using honey for allergy cases. If you are concerned your pet may be suffering from an allergy, it’s best to speak to your vet for further advice.

Can honey be used to treat kennel cough?

Honey is known to soothe a sore throat, which can be one of the symptoms of kennel cough. However, the effects are fairly minimal, and sore throats do not always require treatment. In addition to this, there may also be a more appropriate and effective alternative treatment available for your dog. Because of this, if you suspect your dog has kennel cough, it’s always best to speak to your vet first before giving honey as treatment, as they will be able to advise you on appropriate treatment and, more importantly, this will help to rule out any alternative – and potentially more serious – underlying medical conditions.

Can honey help with gastrointestinal issues?

There has been some research into using honey as a probiotic in humans2; however, there are currently no conclusive studies determining the effect of honey on the canine gastrointestinal system. Therefore, if you think your dog may be having gut problems, it’s best to speak to your vet. If you are interested in finding out about products that will support your dog’s gut, again your vet will be able to advise you on which products are appropriate.

So that concludes our article, ‘Can dogs eat honey?’. If you’re looking for another sweet treat for you pet, check out our article, ‘Can dogs eat bananas?’.

Honey is an amazing gift from nature, used for more than a thousand years to promote health and recover from illnesses. It’s loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals, as well as powerful antioxidants. It has research-proven antibacterial/antimicrobial properties, can calm allergic reactions, and will soothe irritated skin and throats.

Look for “raw” honey, preferably from local beekeepers, rather than the processed product often found on grocery-store shelves. Raw honey is strained to remove debris, but that’s it. It’s otherwise as natural as you can get. Shop at the farmer’s market or do an Internet search for local beekeepers.

Processed honey, on the other hand, is manufactured with heat, which thins it and destroys many of its beneficial attributes. In fact, many processed honey products aren’t even truly honey, as the manufacturing can filter out the beneficial pollen.

Natural honey color will vary from light to dark golden amber, depending on the flowers the bees used to make the product. It’s only a color.

While larger doses are safe, dogs don’t need much honey in order to benefit from its ingestion. A quarter-teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight daily is enough for health maintenance.

Since dogs enjoy honey’s sweet taste, it’s easy to feed from a spoon or, if the honey is thick, you can roll it into a treat-sized ball. Honey can be fed by itself, mixed with powdered herbs for additional benefit, or added to herbal teas that double as cough syrups. To find instructions on creating your own herbal honey, see “Herbal Medicine for Your Dog,” (April 2007). We’ve read that some people add honey to the dog’s water. If you do that, you should offer plain, fresh water as well.

Dogs benefit from raw honey in the following ways:

1. Raw honey provides allergy relief to dogs.

Medical research supports the use of local honey to combat environmental allergies. Note that we said local honey. A local product contains tiny amounts of the pollen in your area, so that when your dog ingests the honey, his body can adjust to the potential allergens gradually, which should help prevent a full-blown attack. Hint: Be sure you’re dealing with an environmental allergic reaction. Itching, scratching, and hot spots can also indicate a food allergy. See “Suspect Your Itchy Dog Has a Food Allergy?” (March 2015).

You can even take things a step further in your quest for allergy relief. Texas beekeeper and dog trainer Michele Crouse washes her dogs with it. “I start with a clear, natural shampoo base from an organic supplier,” she says, “and mix it with an equal amount of honey to which I’ve added aloe vera and essential oils like lemongrass, orange, lemon, lavender, tea tree, citronella, and the Asian herb May Chang (Litsea cubeba). All of these plants have disinfecting, deodorizing, or insect-repelling properties. The essential oils make up about five percent of the formula, so it’s safe for adult dogs and older puppies. To dilute the shampoo and make it easier to use, I add about 25 percent water.”

The resulting shampoo doesn’t lather much, Crouse says, but it cleans the dog well and soothes the skin. “I let it stand for a minute or so, rinse it off, reapply, and then give a final rinse. I board dogs, and if a visiting dog is scratching and itching, I’ll give him a bath in honey shampoo, and that always helps.”

2. Raw honey soothes symptoms of kennel cough.

Honey is a time-honored solution for soothing irritated throats and coughs. For kennel cough, you can use local honey, but Manuka honey may be your best choice. Made by bees pollinating the Manuka trees in New Zealand and parts of Australia, Manuka honey has the highest antibacterial properties of any honey in the world. It’s also the highest-priced honey in the world, and may cost three or four times what you might pay for local honey.

3. Raw honey helps heal dogs’ burns, scrapes, and cuts.

Manuka honey is also a top choice for a natural wound dressing. In fact, Manuka honey is FDA-approved for use on human burn patients. But any raw honey will help keep the wound area clean and moist, which promotes healing. Honey’s natural antibacterial properties reduce the chance of infection and protect the injured area.

After cleaning the wound, spread on a thick coat of honey and then apply a light bandage, if necessary. Of course, you may have to also use an Elizabethan collar or similar device to stop your dog from licking the area!

Note: Deep, wide or puncture wounds should always be examined by a veterinarian before applying any medicine.

4. Raw honey reduces gastrointestinal upset in dogs.

For minor bouts of an upset stomach or diarrhea that might come from something simple, such as your dog feasting on fresh grass, a couple of doses of honey may help quiet and soothe his GI tract.

Some veterinarians suggest honey to help control minor stomach ulcers, since honey’s natural antibacterial properties can help destroy bacteria that may be causing the ulcer.

Again, you need to be certain about what you’re dealing with, so seeking veterinary advice in these situations is wise.

5. Honey lends an energy boost to dogs.

Honey is a sugar, and sugar boosts energy. Anecdotal evidence shows that honey helps many older dogs regain some of their former spunk and drive. Many owners of canine athletes use honey to promote energy, endurance and vitality.

Tips for Feeding Your Dog Honey

All honey is thick, but honey that has crystallized is usually too thick to pour or even scoop out. It can be softened by putting the jar in a bowl of hot tap water. The water should reach about three-quarters of the way up the jar. Let it sit for five to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally after the first five minutes. This method will soften the product without harming it because you’re not using too much heat. Do not use a microwave or put the honey in boiling water on a stove top. Store honey at room temperature in a tightly sealed jar.

Potential Problems with Feeding Honey to Your Dog

Honey contains 64 calories in a tablespoon. While that may not seem like much, it’s a relative thing, depending on your dog’s normal weight and his activity level. Unwanted weight gain can result from the addition of a daily dose of honey, if other adjustments are not made (i.e., reducing other treats or the amount of food your dog receives).

Heads up: If your dog is diabetic, discuss the use of honey in his diet with your veterinarian. Honey is a simple sugar.

A final caution: Do not give honey to puppies. Natural, raw honey can contain very small numbers of Clostridium botulinum spores, which can be found in dirt and dust. The mature digestive systems of adult dogs (and humans) can move the spores through the body before they cause any harm, but puppies (and babies) can become sick from ingesting the spores. Save honey treatments for dogs who are more than a year old.

Here are some more reasons to use caution when administering honey. Ultimately, however, raw honey is safe and beneficial to adult dogs.

For an in-depth survey of all the ways you can use honey and other bee products for dogs, read “Bee Products Have a Special Meaning for Dogs,” (September 2007).

Cynthia Foley is an experienced freelance writer and dog agility competitor in upstate New York. Her last piece for Whole Dog Journal was “Reduce Your Dog’s Cancer Risks” in August 2016.

How much raw honey can I give my dog?

While larger doses are safe, dogs don't need much honey in order to benefit from its ingestion. A quarter-teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight daily is enough for health maintenance. Since dogs enjoy honey's sweet taste, it's easy to feed from a spoon or, if the honey is thick, you can roll it into a treat-sized ball.

What kind of honey is safe for dogs?

Yes, dogs can eat raw honey. If you're going to feed your dog honey, stick with raw, local honey or Manuka honey. Avoid supermarket honey that was processed using heat and/or includes low-quality ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

What happens if you give a dog honey?

Yes, dogs can have honey, it is safe for dogs to eat in small quantities. It's possible for dogs to consume too much honey. If your dog has eaten too much, they may have elevated blood sugar levels, causing symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. If you observe these symptoms, talk to your vet.

Can dogs have raw honey for kennel cough?

2. Raw Honey Helps Dogs with Kennel Cough. Honey is a time-honored solution for soothing irritated throats and coughs. For kennel cough, you can use local honey, but Manuka honey for dogs with kennel cough may be your best choice.