Although honeycomb is a tasty treat for humans, some dogs seem to have a hard time digesting the treat. Is this true? And does honeycomb actually make dogs sick? This article will give you the answer to these questions and more!
Can Dogs Eat Honeycomb?
The answer is yes, dogs can eat honeycomb but only in very small quantities. If they are given very small amounts of honeycomb, their bodies may be able to grasp the nutrients of honey and safely digest it. However, even these small portions should not be fed regularly because of the side effects which can prove fatal for your dog.
Also, check out “Can dogs eat honey buns?”
What Is Honeycomb Actually?
Honeycomb is made of wax inside a network of hollow cells. The cells are filled with liquid and there are air bubbles inside too. When the bee comes into contact with this material, it takes in the liquid and the air molecules from the air bubbles are released from their cages during digestion. These molecules become food for the bee larvae as they hatch out of their eggs in about a week’s time. The bees will eat the honeycomb once the larvae have flown out of it.
What You Need to Know!
Honeycomb has become a popular snack for dogs as well and is often given to them by their owners as a treat. But, even though dogs love it, they should not be given any more than a couple of pieces per day, due to its high sugar content which can be bad for their health if ingested in great quantities.
Regular consumption of honeycomb may cause diarrhea and vomiting to your dog because they can’t tolerate the high amounts of sugar it contains. They may also experience a large amount of gas because their stomach can’t process it.
Raw honeycomb may also contain an enzyme called diastase which is used by bees to make honey from fruits and plant nectar. This enzyme kills germs but unlike dogs, bees are able to tolerate it because they have an enzyme that can break it down in their body before it kills them. Dogs, on the other hand, lack this protection, and they cannot tolerate the enzyme present in raw honeycomb.
What Happens If Your Dog Eats Honeycomb In Large Quantities?
If your dog has eaten honeycomb and is trying very hard not to vomit, then there is something you can do to help her—feed her a small portion of carrots or apples. These fruits are rich in fiber which will help soothe her stomach and relieve the gas she is experiencing.
If your dog has become sick or ill after eating it, refrain them from eating it for at least twenty-four hours. If her symptoms don’t disappear after this time period, then you must take her to the vet. She may require a laxative to ensure that the gas in his stomach is eliminated as well as any residue left behind from the honeycomb.
Conclusion
Dogs can eat honeycomb but it is only recommended in small quantities. Honeycomb has a high-fat content for dogs that may not be able to metabolize it efficiently. A dog’s system also cannot process as much sugar at one time as a human system would be able to, so, moderation is key.
Have you ever given or fed your dog honeycomb? If not, you’re missing out on major nutritional benefits. Find out all about it in honey for dogs.
Does your dog like the taste of honey? Have you ever given them honeycomb? How did they react? We would love to hear from you. Please share with us by leaving a comment below!
Dogs don’t require any additional sugar in their diet, so I wouldn’t recommend feeding honey or any sweets to your pooch, but once every while should be fine. Let your dog lick a little bit of that honeycomb to let them know that they did a good job. I’d say once a week would be alright!
I’d say don’t risk it at all!
No dog should ever be given honeycomn in purpose!
My dog Skittle would disagree. She loves chewing on small pieces of honeycomb. And it’s been going on for a long time now without any health complications. It gives her energy and something to focus on, so it’s a pretty good pastime for her and I can just lounge around when she’s chewing on the comb. Other times, she just does zoomies all around the house, so I need to keep running after her all the time. So, the time when she’s chewing the comb is actually quiet peaceful and let’s me lay back a little.
I wish the article had given more specific information about how much honeycomb is too much for a dog to eat. I’m still not sure how cautious I need to be.
Start with a small portion over the week, maybe 10 grams? If your pooch doesn’t show any averse reaction, you can increase the portion size a little more, but I’d say to keep the frequency the same. Once a week is the lucky charm!
I’ve never given my dog honeycomb, but now I’m curious to see how she would react to it!
Trust me when I say it’s not worth it feeding honey to your pooch. My dog Roover had severe runs of diarrhea and vomiting after just eating a teaspoon of honey. You can bet I’m never letting any honey near Roover!
I don’t even know what I’m doing here, lol. My dog is allergic to honey and any honey-products.
How’d you find out your dog was allergic to honey?
Found out after getting a RAST test done. Cost me about $300.
My friend’s Chihuahua once ate a rather large piece of honeycomb. It’s amazing how she was able to gobble it up without choking on it. The problem occurred afterwards though. She was vomitinf everywhere and her running stool, ugh! We had to visit a vet clinic where the vet made her throw up every last piece of honeycomb. Quite a dreadful and expensive experience if you ask me.
Omg! Is the little girl fine now?
Yes. The little devil is fit as a fiddle now! She loves the zoomies and the shoe-biting. She’s such a handful, but she means the world to my friend and I love the little baby just as much!
I have to admit, I’m a bit skeptical about the nutritional benefits of honeycomb for dogs. While I understand that honey is a natural sweetener, I’m not convinced that the high-fat content in honeycomb is good for dogs. I think I’ll stick to giving my dog other types of treats that are better suited to his dietary needs.
I can’t believe some people give their dogs honeycomb regularly as a treat. That’s so irresponsible!
I wonder if other types of honey are safe for dogs to eat. I’ll have to do some more research on this.