DoctorPup Complimentary Service

Raw Honey

Q: I let my 5 month old puppy lick raw honey a few times. She ingested less than a teaspoon. Should I be worried? I read that raw honey can have botulism spores.

A: Any unprocessed food that does not contain any preservations can harbor bacterial growth, particularly is it is not handled properly.  With a new jar contamination is less likely but always possible, for these reasons I do not like raw food especially for young puppies whose immune responses are not fully developed.