Last Updated: 12 months ago
Honey is nature’s nectar at its best.
When used right, it is a cauldron of goodness that can heal, nourish and contribute to a better life for both humans and pets. Yet, it is grossly underrated by pet parents who are skeptical considering the high amount of sugars present in honey.
Having made a consistent effort to use holistic healing methods for our pets whenever possible, honey has been a must-have in our medicine cabinets. We find ourselves reaching out for honey on more occasions than we reach out for pills and syrups.
And it has worked amazingly. So much so, that we thought that we’d share some of our experiences with using honey for our dogs. If you always wondered, ‘can dogs eat honey’?
The answer is yes. They can!
Giving Your Dog Honey
Raw, unfiltered honey is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, helps to cure allergies, sore throats, alleviate the discomfort caused due to stomach ulcers and can also be used topically to soothe wounds and burns.
Even though there is not enough scientific evidence to back up most of these claims, honey has been used in traditional medicine in many parts of the world for decades. More importantly, it has worked for us when used for our dogs.
When Should You Avoid Giving Your Dog Honey?
If your dog has had an allergic reaction to honey, then it is obviously off limits. But otherwise, if your dog is obese or diabetic, then you must speak to your vet before administering honey to your pet.
The amount of sugars, although natural, is quite high and if used regularly, can contribute towards unnecessary weight gain in dogs.
So, like everything else that is not considered to be a dietary staple, moderation is the key when it comes to giving dogs honey.
Also, never ever fall for the polished and clean looking bottle of honey on the supermarket aisle. Commercially available honey is known to contain everything else but pure organic honey. In some cases, the bottle can even contain corn syrup.
Always look for locally available or certified wild and organic honey or Manuka honey.
Three Unknown Benefits of Honey For Dogs
Last but not the least, we would like to share three lesser known benefits of honey for dogs.
- Anti-allergic: If our dog is feeling under the weather due to seasonal changes and is hell bent on licking their way out of it, we usually administer one to two tablespoons of honey mixed with a tablespoon of warm water. That helps alleviate the allergy symptoms.
- Topical application: This works best for burns but can even be used for cold sores and hot spots. Just apply a thick layer of honey twice or thrice a day until the pain subsides. Use an Elizabethan collar to prevent your dog from licking the honey off.
- Kennel Cough: One of two tablespoons of honey a day, depending on your dog’s bodyweight, should help ease the coughing.
That’s it folks. Do you have your own secret honey recipes that you would like to share with us?
Feel free to chime in.
