Thursday, April 30, 2015

Bee Pollen Supplement For Dogs

For the last couple weeks, I have written about two products Honey Bees produce: Honey and Royal Jelly. This week, I will write about: 


Bee pollen is the plant pollens collected by worker bees that is combined with plant nectar and bee saliva. It is then packed into pellets in the hive and used as a food source for male drone bees. Historically, it has been touted as a complete food source. It is composed of about 40% protein , free amino acids, a multitude of vitamins, minerals, folic acid, enzymes, co-enzymes, antioxidants, Quercetin, carotenoids and rutin. Once ingested, it is rapidly and easily absorbed into the body. Within just two hours of ingestion, it can be found in the blood, cerebral spinal fluid and urine.

Throughout history, Bee Pollen has been used for a multitude of medical problems as well as to correct an unbalanced diet. It should be noted, that not much research has been done on the actual validity of the health claims other than case studies by individuals. Therefore, there is a lot of contradicting evidence. Also, most of the historical data is for humans, not canines. Bee Pollen is a modern canine supplement. But, none the less, has had rave reviews by dog owners. Here are some of the claims that it helps with:


Since bee pollen can be highly allergenic, especially for dogs (or humans) that already suffer from seasonal allergies, it is recommended that the initial dosage should be just one pellet of bee pollen. Owners should then monitor their dog for any signs of allergic reaction. If there is no reaction, the next dose should be two pellets the next day. Owners should go VERY slowly and gradually increase the dosage up to 1tsp for every 30 lbs of body weight per day.

Again, I would always consult with your veterinarian before beginning a new supplement. If you would like to read more about Bee Pollen, here are some links that I have found:

The Effects of Bee Pollen  on Energy and Weight Loss, Collins, Kendra: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/beepollen.htm

About Bee Pollen, Schecter, Steve N.D.: http://beepollen.info/

Bee Pollen, WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-78-bee+pollen.aspx?activeingredientid=78&activeingredientname=bee+pollen

Health Benefits of Bee Pollen for Cats and Dogs, Raw To The Bones:http://www.rawtothebones.com/health-benefits-bee-pollen-cats-dogs/

Bee Pollen, Wong, Kathy N.D.: http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsa1/a/Bee_Pollen.htm

Bee Products Have a Special Meaning to Dogs, The Whole Dog Journal: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_9/features/Bee-Honey-Products-Help-Canines_15967-1.html?pg=3

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Royal Jelly for Canines

Before I start in on the benefits of Royal Jelly, I would first like to make a BIG announcement!!! After 2 years of planning and changing things, Bark City is pleased to announce that we will be EXPANDING!!!!! 2015 will be a very big year for us as we will be doubling our square footage!! We will be staying open during the whole process and it won't interfere with the dogs having fun. With the expansion we will also be adding NEW SERVICES!! I am SO excited about what is to come. It has been a dream of mine to have a facility like this and to have the dream come true is such a blessing. I would like to Thank all of you for helping this dream become a reality. I would also like to Thank my wonderful employees (past and present) for working so hard to make sure all the dogs are taken care of I really couldn't have done it without them.

And now onto Royal Jelly:


Royal jelly (RJ) is a milky white substance produced by worker bees in a colony and is used in the nutrition of larvae and adult queen bees. It is made up of digested pollen, raw honey and a chemical secreted from the pharyngeal gland of the worker bee. To appreciate the nutritional value of RJ, you must think about the queen bee. She is significantly larger than the other bees in the colony and she lives WAY longer. The average bee lives about 4 weeks, whereas a queen bee lives approximately 6 years. This disparity is from royal jelly. Queen bees eat it, worker bees don't. Which is why people have been studying the nutritional benefits of  this substance. Like honey, more and more people are using royal jelly as a nutritional supplement for canines.

Royal jelly has been used throughout history for the treatment of a variety of ailments, to thwart the aging process and increase energy. Here are some of the many examples of the benefits of RJ: 




This substance is PACKED with nutrition:



... and it's POTENT. A little bit goes a long way is regards to dosage. For humans, the recommended dosage is 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon a day! For dogs, it is even smaller! Example: a 60-80 lb dog would get half of the human dosage. The taste is also awful. Most dogs will not like it and owners will have to find creative ways to hide the taste. The most popular way is to sneak it in with a daily dose of honey. 

There are also a few warnings: Since royal jelly is so potent, it can be extremely allergenic for dogs that already have seasonal allergies or are allergic to bees. It is best to try just a TINY bit at first to see if there is a reaction. It is also NOT recommended for puppies. It is also highly perishable and requires refrigeration.

As always, consult a nutritional expert (which I am not) before supplementing your dog... and do your own research! Knowledge is power! Here are a few helpful links on Royal Jelly:





Saturday, April 11, 2015

Honey For Dogs




Bees are one of nature's little miracles. Everything from their little stings to the honey they produce have been praised for their human health benefits. Currently, experts are finding that honey may also help your dog's health. Over these next few weeks, I will talk about a few of the products honeybees create and how they can be used to enhance your dog's health. This week, I am going to talk about the most obvious product- honey.

In this post, when I talk about honey, I am referring to raw honey. Raw honey is not heated, pasteurized or processed which can destroy the nutrients.... and nature has packed A LOT of nutrients into this syrup...






Isn't that amazing? Honey contains glucose and fructose which are simple sugars (monosaccharides) and are more easily absorbed than disaccharides and polysaccharides which are found in table sugar and starchy vegetables. Honey also contains live enzymes, such as amylase. Amylase facilitates proper digestion of carbohydrates. The daily dosage you should give your dog, varies by who you talk to or what you read. But, I found the average to be about 1 Tablespoon/ day for large dogs and 1 teaspoon/ day for small. Large consumption of honey could lead to diarrhea and obesity. If your dog is diabetic, you would want to check with your vet before supplementing with honey.

Honey is used for a variety of health concerns or to upkeep general health.  The live enzymes found in it are antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal. It is used as an internal supplement as well as a topical:




And respiratory problems!!



I forgot to add to the list that it can also be used to help treat respiratory problems! It should be noted-- and this is very important!-- that raw honey should NOT be given to puppies or other baby animals. Because it is raw and unfiltered, it could contain botulism spores. Puppies do not have a developed immune system like adult dogs, so these botulism spores could become potentially dangerous for a young pup. As always, please do your own research when wanting to supplement your dog and consult a vet! Knowledge is power!!

REFERENCES

Bee Products Have a Special Meaning for Dogs, The Whole Dog Journal: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_9/features/Bee-Honey-Products-Help-Canines_15967-1.html

The Benefits of Raw Honey, K9 Instinct: http://www.k9instinct.com/blog/the-health-benefits-of-raw-honey-for-dogs-environmental-allergies-in-dogs

Raw Honey: A Sweet Food For the Health of your Pet,  Dr. Jean Dodd's Pet Health Resource Blog: http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/58633442872/raw-honey-pets#.VSlguZNRKRI