What breeders say
Most of the breeders I have spoken to recommend honey during the early stages of development . Some breeders wean their puppies later , at 5 – 6 weeks if the mother is happy to continue , and move them on to a dry complete food once they are a little bigger .
The breeders explained that they monitor their puppies ’ energy levels closely , detailing how much they have eaten and at what time , and also noting times of activity and sleep . Breeders will feed small , regular meals throughout the day and find that moments of hypoglycaemia are typically seen first thing in the morning when the animal has been without food all night . The breeder will then give a small amount of shop-bought honey , orally . The honey provides a potent input of energy , faster than a normal meal could provide . Improved mentation has been seen within 5 minutes of administration .
I am also told that hypoglycaemia has commonly been seen in puppies that have recently been taken away from their mother and placed in a new home . This could be caused by stress . This is the reason for the breeder giving the new owner a jar of honey and a care sheet on collection day .
Breeders give half a teaspoon either once daily , or as and when they feel it is required . One breeder stated that she only gives honey when one or more clinical signs are apparent ( Figure 1 ). She also uses the honey sparingly , as she has noted that diarrhoea has occurred post-administration .
Clinical signs of hypoglycaemia Lethargy Weakness in limbs and head carriage Altered mentation Poor appetite Tremors Twitching Seizures
Collapse Figure 1 . Possible clinical signs identified by a breeder .
According to one breeder , most of the puppies requiring hand rearing ( Figure 2 ) needed honey supplementation at some point during their time with them . When I questioned this , I was told it is common for the mother to reject weaker pups to focus on the stronger ones – a simple but sad truth in nature , where the mother diverts her resources ( warmth and milk ) when she senses a puppy may be too weak to survive . The rejected pup is commonly smaller than normal , requires extra close attention and would be more susceptible to hypoglycaemia than the average toy-breed puppy .
When I investigated this further , it made sense that hypoglycaemia would prove more frequent , as handreared puppies are highly vulnerable to infection and are more susceptible to diarrhoea and constipation ( PDSA , 2021 ). Toy-breed puppies are already at higher risk of hypoglycaemia and hand rearing will push those boundaries further , without the natural care of the mother .
Shop-bought honey is often too thick for puppies to ingest , so breeders will add water , give smaller amounts , or simply add it to the drinking water .
Figure 2 . Hand-reared puppy .
Feedback suggests that the use of honey at home has saved many puppies ’ lives , having been found completely flat and apparently lifeless and been turned around efficiently by honey supplementation . The breeders felt that the puppy may otherwise have died due to the delay that would have resulted from travelling to a veterinary practice before giving the
42 Veterinary Nursing Journal