Can Dogs Have Honey?
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Rich in vitamins, natural sugars, and minerals, honey has been proven to offer a wide array of medicinal properties. This has seen people frequently use honey as a health supplement for its many health benefits such as anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, treating sore throats and stomach ulcers, as well as minimizing allergies. It is no surprise that you probably wonder if your dog can also eat honey and reap these benefits.
So, can dogs have honey?
Yes, dogs can eat honey, and it’s healthy, but only when given in small amounts. Honey has high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that your dog requires to stay healthy and happy. When giving your dogs honey, you should opt for raw honey wherever possible as it will be in its pure natural form and is yet to be heated, pasteurized, or processed. Highly pasteurized honey has fewer health benefits. While honey has many benefits, it is also high in calories and sugar; hence moderation is the key. In smaller amounts, raw honey has lots of positive effects for dogs as it does for people. Read on to understand more about the benefits and concerns associated with dogs eating honey.
Benefits Of Honey for Dogs
Honey has vitamins B and C, natural sugars, pollen grains, minerals, enzymes, sodium chloride, magnesium, iron, potassium, sulfur and phosphate, hormones, and proteins. Hence, it is believed to be an effective natural remedy for everything from allergies to inflammation. Some of the common benefits of honey for dogs include;
Dogs with allergies
If your dog is often susceptible to allergies, he might benefit from eating some honey. Honey consists of little amounts of pollen grains. When you feed the honey, it introduces pollen grains into your dog’s body, helping its body to create antibodies. During warm weather, the antibodies help prevent the autoimmune response to airborne pollen. Pollen, also known as quercetin, is a bioflavonoid with antihistamines. This helps in decreasing itchiness and watery eyes.
Dogs with skin issues
If your canine friend has skin issues such as eczema, hot spots, or insect bites, topical honey can be an excellent way of soothing and healing these common skin issues. Honey also helps in easing scrapes, scratches, and wounds. Raw and unpasteurized honey has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. The less moisture in honey makes it difficult for the bacteria to grow. Honey also produces low hydrogen peroxide levels, an antiseptic that sanitizes the healing skin tissues. Honey also helps in reducing inflammation and pain.
Treat digestion problems
Dogs often have digestive problems. Fortunately, honey is a natural and safe product that might help combat gastrointestinal diseases such as colitis, irritable bowel disease, gastritis, bacterial overgrowth, etc. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties might help in soothing the irritated digestive system of your pet as well as balancing the natural gut bacterial flora.
Kennel cough
According to Trupanion research studies, this infectious respiratory infection is commonly caused by various cough-inducing pathogens, some of which are bacterial. Because of its antibacterial properties, doling out honey to combat infection and soothe the throat can be effective. The honey helps relieve throat discomfort and pain and promotes the healing of an infected dog.
Energy boost
The high amounts of sugar content in honey can provide sluggish dogs with an energy boost. Honey contains natural sugars that are slowly broken down than processed sugars which helps in increasing healthy energy levels.
Helps in managing weight
You are probably wondering how honey helps manage your pet’s weight when it has high sugar content. According to studies, honey helps in slowing down your hunger pangs. While honey is a simple sugar, honey breaks down differently from the normal table sugar. Honey breakdown and metabolism require lesser insulin amounts and is sluggishly absorbed into the circulation system.
When Should You Avoid Feeding Raw Honey to Your Dog?
While honey comes with lots of health benefits, some dogs are not able to enjoy these benefits. If your dog is in any of these categories, you should not give him honey.
Puppies or elderly dogs
You should avoid giving honey to puppies or dogs for under a year. Due to their undeveloped gastrointestinal systems, puppies are more likely to get ill from bacterial spores found in contaminated honey. To be safe, wait until your dog matures and becomes an adult before giving it honey or adding honey to the diet. More so, you should avoid giving honey to elderly dogs with compromised immunity.
Diabetic dogs
If your dog has diabetes, you should not give it honey because honey has a high glycemic index. This means honey can lead to high blood sugar, so you should avoid feeding it to a diabetic dog.
Dogs Allergic to bees
Some dogs can develop an allergy to bee stings. Hypersensitivity dogs might have an allergic reaction by simply ingesting honey.
Obese dogs
You should avoid giving honey to obese dogs because of its high calorific value. Therefore, watch for weight gain in your dog, and if they are gaining weight, you should stop feeding them, honey. If you have any concerns about feeding your dog raw honey, consult with your veterinarian for recommendations on your dog. The sprucepets recommends brushing and caring for your dog’s teeth to avoid tooth decay due to honey consumption.
How Much Honey Should You Feed to Your Dog?
A teaspoon of raw honey has around 18 grams of sugar and 70 energy calories. This is a significantly high amount of sugar for your pet. Hence, you should limit the honey you give to your dog to one teaspoon or less daily. For smaller dogs, a teaspoonful of honey might also be too much. Therefore, ensure to ask your veterinarian about the ideal serving size specific for your dog. If your smaller dog infrequently eats a teaspoon of honey, this should not be detrimental. However, you should avoid giving your pup too many calories or sugar in a single serving. You can give honey to your dog directly with a spoon or smear it out in the dog’s treat.
Bottom Line
That’s it! Feeding your dog small quantities of raw honey is beneficial for most dogs. It is a sweet treat full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to give your dog an energy boost, provide relief from skin issues and allergies, as well as other useful benefits as outlined. Therefore, try to add honey to your dog’s diet as a treat or in the dog’s food to boost their overall health.