Adult dogs can eat honey only in small quantities. Honey is rich in enzymes, high in antioxidants and it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. It is important to use honey only in moderation, due to the high sugar content. Most of the dogs will enjoy the sweetness of the honey and its rich flavor.
“Can dogs eat honey?” This question popped up in my mind when I was preparing tea. I usually sweeten my tea with some honey and my Siberian huskies were staring at me curiously. So, I started researching if my dogs can eat honey and if so, what are its beneficial effects. I hope you’ll find this article informative and it may help you to get your answers. My cute huskies can’t eat honey yet. They are puppies, so no honey for them. However, I will share my fruits with them. You can read here about what fruits are good for your huskies puppies.
Puppies and dogs with the compromised immune system shouldn’t eat honey
You shouldn’t feed honey to puppies under one year or dogs with a compromised immune system. Dogs that have diabetes or obese dogs should not eat honey. Avoid feeding honey to pups under one year old due to the possibility of botulism poisoning. Botulism poison is a rare but serious disease in dogs. Once your puppy ingests the honey, botulism spores can start to germinate. When the spores germinate the toxin is released within the body. You can see the sign of botulism in puppies, after 12-36 hours after they were exposed to toxins. Look after signs such as difficulty swallowing, generalized weakness or facial nerve paralysis. Healthy dogs are usually resistant to the toxin, and that’s why botulism at dogs is rare.
The Benefits of Honey for Dogs
Honey can help dogs with allergies
If your dog is allergic to pollen you should try to give him some local raw honey.
Why local honey? The honey has to be from local hives so that it contains small amounts of the local pollen that are causing your dog’s allergies.
Improve your buddy digestion with some honey
Honey contains enzymes, it acts as a probiotic and it reduces the bad bacteria. This is way honey will help your dog’s digestive system.
While we’re talking about probiotics, have you read my article on yogurt for dogs?
Use honey for small wounds
Honey can act as a wound dressing for minor burns or any minor wounds. Also, it fights bacterial infection and reduces inflammation. Put some honey on the small wound. If your dog can reach the spot, you should put a bandage on top. This way he wouldn’t lick the honey. You can use honey as a wound dressing but only for minor wounds.
If the wound is bigger or deep, you have to go with your puppy at the vet.
Kennel Cough and Manuka Honey
Manuka Honey has antibacterial properties that can combat infection and soothe the throat.
Energy boost and mobility improvement for your senior dog
The natural sugars found in honey can increase healthy levels of energy, and the anti-inflammatory qualities can help senior dogs to move around more easily. Honey is usually given to senior dogs that don’t have diabetes or weight problems. You should ask your vet if your senior dog can eat honey.
How much honey can I feed my dog?
As I specified before, healthy and adult dogs can eat honey. You can let your dog taste honey if he is older than 1 year. It’s safe to feed your dog from one-half teaspoon to 1 spoon – depending on the breed, size, and age. You shouldn’t use honey as a daily treat. From now and then, or when your dog has a sore throat or other problems where honey can help, it’s ok to feed him this sweetness.
Below, you have a table with the approximate amount of honey that a dog can consume depending on the conditions he has.
| Use honey for | Honey Type | Large Dogs | Medium Dogs | Small Dogs |
| Seasonal allergies (pollen) | Raw local honey | 1 tablespoon per day | 1/2 tablespoon per day | 1/2 teapoon per day |
| Dog’s digestion | Manuka honey | 1 tablespoon per day | 1 teaspoon per day | 1/2 teaspoon per day |
| Kennel cough | Manuka honey | 1/2 teaspoon x 4 times per day | 1/2 teaspoon x 3 times per day | 1/2 teaspoon x 2 times per day |
| Boost energy | Manuka honey | 1 tablespoon per day | 1 teaspoon per day | 1/2 teaspoon per day |
Use this table and data as a guide and adjust according to the size, age, and level of exercise of your dog. Use honey just until your dog will feel better. After that, don’t feed him honey on a daily basis.
Final thought
From now and then, it’s ok to feed some honey to your dog. Just don’t exaggerate. You can sweeten his homemade treats if you’re cooking tasty homemade treats with some honey. Yet, no need to go overboard with it. Even if your dog enjoys the sweet taste.
Like the consumption of honey by humans, the quantity must be small and limited for dogs too. Too much honey can result in tooth decay, diabetes and in extra calories that lead to obesity. It’s advised to brush your dog’s teeth after he eats honey.
I hope you like this article. Don’t forget to spread the word about honey. You might help some other dog owners.
