 The Short Answer is:
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The answer is yes dogs can eat honey in small amounts. However overeating can trigger symptoms such as vomiting diarrhea and loss of appetite in your dog. |
In this research you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Raw Honey?“.
Dogs cannot be poisoned or poisoned by raw honey.
It is bad news though that raw honey contains 74% sugar so you should use it very sparingly on your dog since raw honey is full of calories.
Raw honey is about 15% less calorie-dense than processed honey but processed honey has about the same amount.
In the event that we were only concerned about your dogs weight my advice would be to always choose processed honey.
In fact this is the cheapest honey to buy and the stuff that is in every grocery shop.
The purpose of this research is not to talk about your dogs weight but to discuss raw honey.
How about we first find out what raw honey is?
What is raw honey?
Theres some controversy here.
Raw honey is used by some people. Other people use terms such as pure honey and raw honey.
Raw honey according to some people is honey as nature intended it to be.
Since it is taken straight from the hive and placed in jars there may be pieces of honeycomb in it.
Several sources state that raw honey is actually strained before it is placed in jars after it leaves the hive.
In the case of honey that is strained through a mesh it is not raw honey because it has been altered and processed in some way.
Pure honey isnot raw honey; instead its honey that hasnot been heated in any way such as straining it through a mesh
Regular or processed honey is typically spread on toast or mixed into green tea.
Honey that is processed undergoes far more manipulation than simply being strained.
Now that we almost know what raw honey is I want to define what processed honey is in the next section.
What is regular or processed honey?
Regular honey may have been processed in four different ways- the exact processes differ depending on the manufacturer.
The four processes are pasteurization filtration ultrafiltration and sugar addition.
In pasteurization honey is heated to kill any germs and to extend its shelf life.
Thereafter the honey will be filtered to remove any debris or air bubbles giving it the smooth and glossy appearance we all love.
This is where ultrafiltration comes in.
A process called filtration is used to get rid of ingredients and nutrients that can not necessarily be seen but are vital to our health such as pollen.
The final step in the processing of regular honey is to add sugar to it.
As if the honey had been watered down or sugared down with corn syrup or fructose syrup.
I will explain the difference in nutrition between raw honey and regular honey after I explain the differences between these two kinds of honey.
How is raw honey different from processed honey?
Raw honey may look slightly different from processed honey but raw and processed honey may have very different nutrition profiles.
You would not find this information on any food label because all it shows is that raw honey is higher in calories than processed honey but lower in sugar.
Honey that has been processed contains more minerals such as iron and potassium.
Its like performing cosmetic surgery on honey when you filter it.
Although the final product looks better some things were lost as a result of the surgery.
Raw honey and its processed cousin are distinguished by these “hidden nutrients”. Then there are pollens amino acids vitamins minerals and so on.
Isnot it important that those differences exist?
The raw honey experience has been very positive thus far- it has all been about the upsides. However I would like to find out if raw honey has a dark underbelly in the next section!
Is raw honey dangerous in any way to dogs?
You must have noticed that subtitle did not you?
My exaggeration is a little exaggerated.
Raw honey is just as dangerous as any other kind of honey.
Sugar is jam-packed with calories because it is a form of sugar.
Do not overdose your dog on it. Use sparingly and do not give it daily.
Sugar poses two dangers to dogs.
The first is obvious.
Sugar will make dogs gain weight if they eat too much of it.
Nevertheless sugar or honey can damage your dogs teeth a lesser-known side effect of sugar and honey.
As it is sticky it will remain in your dogs mouth and speed up the decaying process…
I would like to examine one of the “rock stars” of the honey world and whether it qualifies as a type of raw honey.
Is manuka honey a type of raw honey?
It is an interesting question and I want to explain briefly what Manuka honey is.
The manuka plant only grows in New Zealand and Australia so the honey is produced only in those two countries.
A large part of its appeal is its scarcity. If it can only be produced in two countries the demand will be high.
The antibacterial properties of manuka honey have been proven however.
Isnot the fact that it has these qualities proof enough that its raw honey?
The truth is they do not.
Raw honey comes directly from the hive and is placed directly into jars without being touched.
As such manuka honey can be raw honey but only for a select few who live nearby these hives in Australia and New Zealand.
The rest of us consume processed honey instead of manuka honey.
A sick dog becomes a rock star.
Here I will look at some of the bold claims made by some dog owners regarding the health benefits of raw honey.
How might raw honey be used with “sick” dogs?
Raw honey can be useful in treating the following three minor ailments:
- Diarrhea and upset stomach
2. A cough and a sore throat
3. Allergic reactions
Upset stomachs
Even though raw honey is prebiotic it is one of the natural remedies for an upset stomach that is worth considering.
Prebiotics and probiotics are types of good bacteria found in animals’ stomachs that help to keep them healthy.
The most common cause of stomach upset is when the number of bad bacteria in the stomach exceeds the number of good bacteria.
To achieve the right balance more good bacteria need to be added and raw honey can contribute to this.
What is the effect of this?
Unfortunately it isnot scientifically proven to help dogs.
Forums are just filled with anecdotes.
In this study raw honey was fed to mice and it was found to aid their digestion!
According to a study on children those who consumed raw honey recovered more quickly from diarrhea than those who did not.
Coughs and sore throat
The second benefit of raw honey for dogs is its ability to treat coughs and sore throats.
Honestly this is a bit confusing.
It has been discovered that raw honey contains antibacterial properties and kennel cough is both a viral and bacterial infection so its antibacterial properties should be helpful.
No studies have been conducted on the use of honey for dogs with coughs.
An experiment done with children found that a mixture of honey and milk was as effective as over-the-counter medications at relieving coughs pointed out earlier that many varieties of raw honey contain pollen whereas honey that has been highly processed does not.
Allergies
As I mentioned earlier many varieties of raw honey contain pollen while honey that has been highly processed does not.
What can pollen do to help allergy sufferers instead of making them worse?
Its believed that raw honey contains a very small amount of pollen which causes a dogs immune system to create antibodies against the pollen thereby reducing the impact of pollen in the air.
Even though there is much talk from the dog community about how effective local raw honey can be for treating allergies in dogs I cannot find any scientific evidence to support it.
Additionally there appears to be no evidence that eating local honey will help someone who suffers from hayfever!
If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.
