More and more studies have been done about treating specific ailments in humans, and nearly all of it is translating to treating dogs.
Raw honey has been used for ages by farmers and holistic veterinarians to treat skin conditions, wounds and severe burns.
Since honey is a natural humectant (meaning it attracts moisture) and has a high viscosity (meaning it’s very thick), it creates a very strong barrier for wounds that helps protect against bacteria. This helps minimize the chance of infection, decreases healing time, and increases circulation.
Several recent studies are now backing up this ancient remedy.
In the retrospective study, "Honey Dressing Versus Silver Sulfadiazene Dressing for Wound Healing in Burn Patients" scientists evaluated the effect of a raw honey wound dressing in comparison to a silver sulfadiazine dressing (SSD) to see which one is most effective. Let's take a look at the results.
Comparing SSD and Raw Honey Dressings in Burn Patients
The doctors reviewed the records of 108 human patients (14-68 years of age) with first and second degrees burns over less than 50% of their body, over a five-year period of time. They focused their study on:
- Time elapsed since burn
- Burn site
- Percentage, degree and depth of burns
- Culture sensitivity results at a variety of time intervals
- Duration of healing
- Scarring
The conclusions were quite impressive:
| Raw Honey | SSD | |
| Healing Time | 18.16 days | 32.68 days |
|
Sterility of wound (in 7 days) |
100% | None |
|
Sterility of wound (in 21 days) |
100% | 36.5% |
While the study was completed on human patients, we do know that animals receive the same types of benefits as we do. This was shown in another study completed on dogs. While this other study is a bit disturbing in that they induced burns in dogs, the results are fascinating and applicable. Read the full report and how they arrived at these conclusions.
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Sources:
- Gupta, S. S., Singh, O., Bhagel, P. S., Moses, S., Shukla, S., & Mathur, R. K. (2011). Honey Dressing Versus Silver Sulfadiazene Dressing for Wound Healing in Burn Patients: A Retrospective Study. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 4(3), 183–187. http://doi.org/10.4103/0974-2077.91249