So, can dogs eat Honey? Honey is simple and sweet. It has natural sugars that are said to have a wide range of health benefits for humans. It sometimes ends up in the mouth of your pet dog, too. But is Honey safe for dogs? Does it help their health in any way?
What Is Honey?
We know that Honey comes from hardworking bees, but that’s about all we know about it. We know that bees gather sweet nectar from flowers and turn it into Honey in their hives. But there are other interesting things to know about how bees make honey.
Honey is meant to feed bees when there aren’t any flowers around. Because of this, Honey needs to be able to last for a long time.
Bees fly around looking for places where they can get nectar. They use their tongues to get the sugary liquid from flowering plants and put it in their “crops,” which are their second stomachs. The nectar stirrs up in their crops, which mixes with enzymes, making it better for long-term storage. The bees then take this nectar back to where they live.
Once the bees get back to their hives, they give their nectar to worker bees by mouth. The worker bees then put it in the honeycomb. The worker bees fan the nectar to get rid of any water or moisture. This makes Honey, which is a thick, sticky substance. Then, to store the comb cells, they seal them with wax.
The whole process is incredible, and the end result is amazing in many ways. Let’s look at these reasons and learn more about how Honey can improve your dog’s health.
Health Benefits of Honey: Can Dogs Eat Honey?
So, can dogs eat Honey? Honey has a higher glycemic index and a lot of sugar, so the nutrients it gives are in small amounts. But those nutrients are still there. (Do you know that Honey never goes bad if it is kept in the right way?)
When we talk about Honey’s health benefits, we are talking about raw Honey. Moreover, Honey that one heats or processes can have extra ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup, that make it less effective as a medicine.
Antioxidants: Honey has powerful antioxidant properties because it contains vitamins A, C, and E, as well as phenolic acid and flavonoids. They fight against the free radicals that can damage your dog’s cells through oxidation. They also help your dog’s immune system and reduce swelling.
Antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties: Honey has enzymes that reduce swelling and pain. These enzymes can help with stomach ulcers and sore throats. Honey helps wounds, hot spots, eczema, and bug bites heal faster when a thin layer is put on the skin. Eating it helps get rid of bad bacteria in your gut that can cause diarrhea.
Anti-inflammatory properties: Honey can help older dogs with joint pain and dogs with inflammation from hot spots, wounds, or bug bites.
Seasonal Allergy Relief: Small amounts of flower pollen are found in Honey. This pollen makes your dog’s immune system work harder, which helps it make antibodies that can stop its body from reacting to the pollen on its own.
Fat-soluble minerals: Copper, magnesium, manganese, and copper are all minerals that help the body make red blood cells and collagen. They also help muscles grow, bones get stronger, and ligaments and tendons get bigger.
B-complex vitamins: These things are what make up a healthy body. They help your dog have more energy, keep his brain working, and keep his metabolism going.
Vitamin D & Vitamin E: Both are fat-soluble vitamins that help your dog’s bones stay healthy, keep his immune system in check, and help his blood clot.
Pollen also has quercetin, a polyphenol full of antihistamines that help with itchy, watery eyes because of allergies. It’s best to buy Honey from your area because it’s more likely to have this kind of pollen.
Remember, not all Honey is the same.
Bees can get to different kinds of plants. This means that the Honey they make is different.
New Zealand’s manuka bush is where manuka honey comes from. It has more antibacterial properties than any other honey and up to four times as many nutrients as regular Honey. If your dog has a cough or kennel cough, manuka honey can help soothe their throat and stop them from coughing.
So, can dogs eat honeydew? Most antioxidants are found in Honey from dandelion, meadow, heather, honeydew, jarrah, and tupelo.
Pay attention to how the Honey was made if you want to use it for its health benefits. For the best health and medicine benefits, use raw honey that comes from your area. Processed and pasteurized Honey can have ingredients or that one prepares in ways (like using heat) that hurt your dog’s health.
Related: CAN DOGS EAT HAM? HERE IS WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY!
How Much Honey Can Your Dog Safely Eat?
There is a lot of sugar in Honey. Even though it’s natural sugar, it can still be bad for dogs that are diabetic, overweight, or don’t have strong immune systems. Honey isn’t good for these dogs to eat. If you want to give some to your dog, you should talk to your vet first.
One teaspoon of Honey has 70 calories and 17 grams of sugar. Most dogs can handle and benefit from 1 teaspoon of Honey per day. Here are some rules to follow on the basis of how much your dog weighs:
- Small dogs (under 10 pounds) can have half a teaspoon per day.
- Medium-sized dogs (10–20 lbs) can have half a teaspoon per day.
- Larger dogs (20-50 lbs) can have one teaspoon a day.
- Large-breed dogs (over 50 pounds) can have 2 teaspoons per day.
Dogs can get sick if they eat too much Honey. If your dog eats too much, it may have high blood sugar, which can make it throw up, have diarrhea, or stop eating. Talk to your veterinarian if you notice any of these signs.
Problems Honey Can Cause: Can Dogs Eat Honey?
So, can dogs eat Honey? If a dog is allergic to bee stings, it may also be allergic to Honey. If you want to give them Honey, start with one drop a day and build up from there, watching for signs of an allergic reaction.
- Puppies’ immune systems are still developing. They shouldn’t eat raw Honey because it might contain spores that cause botulism. The spores could make the puppy sick to its stomach.
- Honey shouldn’t be given to diabetic dogs. Because it has a lot of sugar, it can make their blood sugar levels go too high.
- Dogs that are already overweight or obese don’t need the extra sugar that Honey has. There are a lot of other healthy snacks to choose from.
- Honey can contain botulism spores, so dogs with weak immune systems shouldn’t eat it. This group includes dogs with auto-immune diseases, cancer, lupus, or diabetes.
- Because Honey has a lot of sugar, it can cause cavities. If you brush your dog’s teeth once a week, this risk will be gone.
Ways To Offer Your Dog the Honey
A teaspoon is the easiest way to give Honey to your dog. Just give them a spoonful of Honey and let your dog eat it. Or, if you don’t want sticky fingers, try spreading them on fresh fruit or treats for your dog. Give your dog a healthy, cool snack on a hot summer day by adding a teaspoon of raw Honey to a smoothie made of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Can dogs eat honey nut cheerios? Moreover, can dogs eat honey roasted peanuts? Mix honey and peanut butter together, freeze the mixture and put it in a dog treat toy to give your dog some extra nutrition.
There are many recipes for home treats on the Internet, including raw Honey. Raw Honey is a nice way to add sweetness to a treat, but remember that heating honey destroys its medicinal properties. Try spreading it on the outside of a treat to keep those benefits.
Once you give Honey to your dog, you’ll think of all kinds of ways to use it in their daily food. Most dogs will gobble up a teaspoon of Honey with their food.
Is Honey Safe for Dogs? Can Dogs Eat Honey?
So, by now, you know, can dogs eat Honey? Small amounts of Honey are safe for pet dogs to eat. It has natural sugars and some vitamins and minerals in small amounts. It is also present in many foods and drinks to add sweetness.
But that sweetness costs something. Honey has a lot of sugar, which can make dogs fat if their owners give them too much Honey and don’t give them enough exercise. Sugars can also cause tooth decay, so if you give your dog honey, you might want to brush its teeth.
Raw Honey could have botulism spores in it, which is why it shouldn’t be given to puppies or dogs with weak immune systems. Honey shouldn’t be given to dogs who have diabetes or are overweight.
Are There Honey Health Benefits For Dogs?
So, can dog eat Honey? Honey is said to kill germs and fungi, reduce inflammation, heal stomach ulcers and sore throats, and get rid of allergies in both people and dogs. But there haven’t been many scientific studies that prove these claims are true. Many of these claims have on single incidents.
People often say that Honey can help with allergies during certain times of the year. Even though there isn’t much scientific evidence, there are some reasons to think that raw Honey could help reduce allergic reactions to flower pollen, as long as your pet dog has allergy issues to pollen present in the Honey. Even though there isn’t enough research to say for sure, giving your dog a small amount of Honey probably won’t hurt them.
Honey has a use to soothe sore throats and stomachs in people. If your pet dog suffers from a sore throat and you’ve already gone to the vet to find out what’s wrong and done what they tell you to do to treat it, giving them a little honey might help with any inflammation that’s still there. At the very least, your dog will have something tasty to eat.
How Much Honey Can Your Dog Eat?
Talk to your vet about how much Honey you can give your dog if you want to feed it, Honey. Less is usually more when you talk about dog treats, especially for smaller breeds. If your dog has a health problem, like diabetes, talk to your vet about whether or not Honey is safe for your dog to eat. Instead, try giving your dog a treat that has less sugar, like a cucumber. Find out what dogs can and can’t eat when it comes to common fruits and vegetables.
Talk to your vet to find out more about what you can and can’t feed your dog and how to treat illnesses at home.
FAQs: Can Dogs Eat Honey?
How Much Honey Can You Give A Dog?
Most dogs can handle and benefit from 1 teaspoon of Honey per day.
How Much Honey Is Toxic To Dogs? Can Dogs Eat Honey?
Honey isn’t dangerous for dogs and has some vitamins and nutrients they need, but you shouldn’t give them more than a teaspoonful a day.
What Kind Of Honey Can Dogs Have?
Raw Honey is safe for dogs to eat. If you want to give Honey to your dog, stick with raw Honey from your area or Manuka honey. Don’t buy Honey from a store that has been heated or that has low-quality ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.
Will Honey Settle A Dog’s Stomach?
Honey can help calm and soothe your dog’s GI tract if he has an upset stomach or diarrhea. This could be because of something as simple as your dog eating fresh grass.
Parvaiz Yousuf is a senior SEO writer and editor with an experience of over 6 years, who also doubles up as a researcher. With an MSc zoology degree under his belt and possessing complete Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge, he works as a science journalist for a US-based website and Asian Scientist (A Singapore-based magazine). He also works as Director of Wetland Research Centre, Wildlife Conservation Fund YPJK since 2018. Besides, he has several publications to his name on cancer biology and biochemistry in some reputed journals such as Nature & International Journal of Molecular Sciences, & magazines such as Science Reporter, BUCEROS BNHS, and has an abiding interest in ornithology. He also worked as a Research Associate for JK Policy Institute.