Honey is a sweetener that is old as time. Long before people have discovered different sources of sweeteners to make their food and drinks taste better, they have used honey. Most of our history books mentioned honey as a food item that ancient people and royalties used. Honey is a witness to man’s rise to power.
As the years go by, we are longer using honey to make food taste sweet. It is also used to make us beautiful by adding a few drops of honey to beauty products. The nutrients that are found in honey are also beneficial to our skin. People that lovemaking themselves more beautiful sought-after products that contain an infusion of honey.
Can dogs eat honey? If molasses are okay for dogs, honey would also be because molasses is a by-product of making sugar, while they took honey from nature, and bees made them with no artificial ingredients. Would that argument suffice to that question? Can dogs eat honey? Let us find out if we can let our dogs lick some honey and color their world.
Can dogs eat honey?
Nobody dislikes sweet. Both human and canine, when tasted something sweet, would almost dig more of it. Nobody tires of eating honey as it is always a treat. You can eat it straight from the honeycomb or put it into a spoon and eat a jar of it if you do not have diabetes. Can dogs eat honey? How much is safe for them?
Honey is safe for dogs when introduced or given in small amounts. The natural sugar and nutrients like vitamins and minerals present in it can provide your dog some health benefits to keep them fit and full of energy. The sweet taste of honey comes with a price, and uncontrolled consumption of it often leads to dogs getting obese.
If you plan on giving your dog some honey treats, do not forget to provide them with a few routines of exercises to curb down the calories that honey contains. Sugar causes tooth decay in dogs and humans, so please get your dog a few brushes when you feed them with a sweet honey treat.
We do not advise a dog with a compromised immune system to be given raw honey. The possibility of botulism spores present on raw honey may aggravate dogs’ already-compromised immune system. We must not give dogs who have obesity and dogs that have diabetes honey even in small amounts.
What are the benefits of dog consuming a bit of honey?
Many googles search would give you the result that honey is beneficial to a dog’s health. Honey’s antimicrobial and antifungal properties help the dog cope up with inflammation, help soothe their stomach ulcers and assist them in relieving sore throats and, to some extent, help them cure their allergies.
Although conclusive scientific research and study have yet to make a definitive statement on the veracity of the claims, the benefits of honey are hard to discredit. They based most of their findings on anecdotal, but many dog owners agree that a moderate and controlled amount of honey helps them relieve their dogs with inconveniences.
Using honey in addressing some of our dog’s health issues has yielded a few encouraging results. It is safe, affordable, and easy to use. Many statements on the healing power of honey in addressing health problems like allergic reactions to both humans and dogs have encouraged dog owners to try a dose of honey to boost their dog’s health.
But the lack of conclusive research on the effects of honey on dogs and humans does not stop many owners from giving honey to their dogs. Many owners feed their dogs with a small amount of honey to cure some of their dog allergies. It is not a guaranteed fix for your dog’s ailments, but not hurting the dog in the process justifies using honey in some treatments.
How much honey is safe for dogs?
The best thing to do before giving anything to your dogs is to talk to your vet first. Even if something is safe for dog consumption, a few pep talks with your vet help you get enlightened with many different things. It is sometimes hard to give a definitive answer because what is okay for one dog would not be OK with the other one.
It is always a case-to-case basis in giving something good for dogs. But in most cases, larger dogs need a more significant dose compared with a smaller one. The same also applies if there is a negative effect, as larger dogs would recover faster compared to smaller dogs.
For example, if a bigger breed would require one tablespoon as its dosage, you cannot give that dose to a smaller dog. With all probability, you will need a much smaller quantity for a much smaller-sized dog even if both dogs are suffering from the same illness.
Just remember, if a dog has a compromised health status, restrain yourself from giving sweet treats. A treat with less sugar content would be more advisable, like few slices of apples, cucumbers, or few pieces of beet treats instead. Do not just give right away certain food items, especially those that have high sugar contents.
Here are the number of honey you should give to dogs depending on their size and weight. As we frequently advise, always start with small amounts. There are just dogs that are pretty picky with some foods that you are going to give them.
- For dogs weighing 10 pounds or lesser – 1/4 teaspoon everyday,
- For dogs that weigh between 10 – 20 lbs – 1/2 teaspoon everyday
- For dogs that weigh between 20 – 50 lbs – 1 teaspoon everyday
- For dogs that weigh 50 pounds and above – 2 teaspoons everyday
Giving a drop of honey to your dog’s treat a bit until you see him get used to the smell and its taste. When you notice he develops a liking for it, you can add a bit more until you give him the recommended amount based on his size and weight. It would be best if you watched out for any changes in behavior and bowel movements.
If he’s okay, then it’s ago.
Why give dogs honey?
- Honey helps dogs in fighting off allergies – Dogs that suffer from seasonal allergies benefits from honey consumption. The traces of flower pollen on honey helps dog to be more tolerant of it when small amounts of pollen introduced to your dog’s system slowly and gradually. When your dog develops antibodies that resulted from pollen introduction, come warm weather, your dog is ready to tackle airborne pollen that might come its way. Some vets recommend a consumption of raw, unfiltered honey in strengthening dog’s immune system.
- Honey helps dog with skin problems – Dogs suffering from hot spots, eczema, insect bites, scratches or wounds, a topical honey solution is a great way in soothing and healing those ailments. Unpasteurized raw honey contains antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties that help your dog deal with some itch problems. Raw and unpasteurized honey has low moisture content that bacteria cannot thrive on it. Honey also has some hydrogen peroxide that sanitizes their wounds without harming some of their healing tissues. Most of your dog’s inflammation and pain reduces with honey application. The enzymes present in honey helps stimulate skin growth.
- Honey heps soothe dogs’ throat from coughing and irritation – Raw honey is wonderful in providing comfort if your dog suffers from coughing or itchy throat. When you notice your dog has throat and breathing irritations, give him honey and it will provide him with relief.
- Honey aids your dog with indigestion – When your dog has indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea, a small dose of honey as part of their daily intake can help them ease some of these stomach upsets. Honey has probiotics that aids them in having a healthy digestion. If your dog has a healthy digestion, you can safely help your dog manage his weight.
- Honey is effective for managing your dog’s weight – Allowing your dog to consume a bit of honey can help them slow down their hunger response. Although it is sweet, just like a regular table sugar, but the way honey breaks down is different with a regular table sugar. Honey uses less insulin in absorption, slowing down digestion and glucose conversion in the bloodstream. If your dog easily puts down a few pounds, a regular dose of honey intake can help him curb down his weight.
A few words of caution:
You need to be careful in giving a dose of honey to dogs if they have diabetes. Although ongoing research suggests that honey has anti-diabetic properties that can help control the effects of type 2 diabetes. Still, dogs usually suffer from type 1 diabetes, so their pancreas doesn’t use insulin properly. If you would like to try giving your dog a few doses of honey, please monitor the dog’s blood glucose carefully or ask first your vet to provide you with a much clearer picture of how to provide them with a safe amount. It is always better to ask first the experts. It always pays to ask.
