Has anyone used manuka honey as a supplement, whether short-term or long-term? If so, how much did you dose, for how long, what brands have you used, and what (if any) affects have you noticed?
I am interested because manuka honey has a pronounced antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action. Further, *raw* honey has anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties. Could it potentially have benefit in preventing (or complementing the traditional treatment) of e. cuniculi? What about some of the other parasite/protozoa that target bunnies?
I am already convinced that it is, by a significant margin, the best topical medication for rabbits because it is more effective than older creams (such as neomycin or bacitracin zinc), and less toxic should some of the topical be consumed (which is almost a certainty.) Unlike older generations of topicals, honey is capable of treating more serious infections, such as second degree burns and bedsores/pressure ulcers. It maintains a stable pH, is able to keep a woundbed moist without petrol additives, tends to rapidly kill the pathogens that can cause secondary infections, and has a debridement action that helps remove necrotic tissue - the outcome is that wounds treated with this honey become sterile much more rapidly, healing times are frequently much shorter, and complications are usually less. Not too long ago, the general consensus was that these claims were ludicrous. But they aren't.
Certainly the higher sugar content is a consideration given too much sugar can cause GI upsets, but raw honey has benefits that other types of sugars (including processed honey) lack, which makes the consideration of manuka honey a different one from standard refined sugars. I also assume that, in the wild, rabbits regularly eat plants that have nectar in them, so they have to have some degree of sugar tolerance. Obviously the quantity of honey would be relatively small, but the benefit still has to outweigh the risks. So could usage of manuka honey have benefit for rabbits as occasional, frequent, or continuous use as a supplement?
I am interested because manuka honey has a pronounced antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action. Further, *raw* honey has anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties. Could it potentially have benefit in preventing (or complementing the traditional treatment) of e. cuniculi? What about some of the other parasite/protozoa that target bunnies?
I am already convinced that it is, by a significant margin, the best topical medication for rabbits because it is more effective than older creams (such as neomycin or bacitracin zinc), and less toxic should some of the topical be consumed (which is almost a certainty.) Unlike older generations of topicals, honey is capable of treating more serious infections, such as second degree burns and bedsores/pressure ulcers. It maintains a stable pH, is able to keep a woundbed moist without petrol additives, tends to rapidly kill the pathogens that can cause secondary infections, and has a debridement action that helps remove necrotic tissue - the outcome is that wounds treated with this honey become sterile much more rapidly, healing times are frequently much shorter, and complications are usually less. Not too long ago, the general consensus was that these claims were ludicrous. But they aren't.
Certainly the higher sugar content is a consideration given too much sugar can cause GI upsets, but raw honey has benefits that other types of sugars (including processed honey) lack, which makes the consideration of manuka honey a different one from standard refined sugars. I also assume that, in the wild, rabbits regularly eat plants that have nectar in them, so they have to have some degree of sugar tolerance. Obviously the quantity of honey would be relatively small, but the benefit still has to outweigh the risks. So could usage of manuka honey have benefit for rabbits as occasional, frequent, or continuous use as a supplement?
