Honey - Bacteria's Worst Enemy!

[Claudiusx]

Some of you might have seen the suggestion on this site every once in awhile to put some honey on an open sore, or to place it over an infection. This might sound strange, but honey truly is a great anti-bacterial. It can really come in handy in a pinch while you wait for a vet visit, or simply as a precautionary measure.

Here is a very informative and educational (don't worry it's short! :lol: ) video on the benefits of honey as a bacteria fighter!.

https://youtu.be/7FlzHiURdTs

Some key points from the video:

• The sugars in the honey are part of why it's so effective! The sugar solution of the honey is what draws moisture out of the bacteria, fungus, or mold, helping to kill it.

• There isn't enough water in honey for micro-organisms to live on, which is another reason why it's so great to use.

• Honey also has an enzyme in it called Glucose Oxidase - this enzyme converts glucose into gluconic acid, and hydrogen peroxide

• The Glucose Oxidase isn't actually active in the honey, until water is introduced to the honey. So, mixing a bit of water into the honey to make it easier to apply, also helps it be more effective!

• Manuka honey in particular - due to the flower the honey was made from is extremely effective at killing bacteria due to the honey having methylglyoxal in it. This is such an effective compound that manuka honey is used in hospitals on occasion.

All in all, it's a nice thing to have on hand, or have as part of your dragon first aid kit!
It is still always a good idea to get veterinary help if you are using this to keep a wound clean or sanitary.

A word of warning though, never leave bugs unattended in the tank while your dragon has honey on its body. Especially overnight. The sweet honey will attract the insects (crickets in particular) to the area and they will bite and gnaw at it, making the issue much worse.

• The following information comes from this site: Permaculturenews.org

Four ways to spot artificial honey

• 1. The Thumb Test — Put a drop of the honey on your thumb. If it spreads around right away or spills, it’s not pure. If it stays intact, it’s pure.[Probably the easiest method]

• 2. The Water Test — Fill a glass of water and add one tablespoon of “honey” into the water. Pure honey will lump and settle at the bottom of the glass. Adulterated and artificial honey will start dissolving in water.

• 3. The Shelf Life Test — Pure honey will crystallize over time. Imitation honey will remain looking like syrup, no matter how long it is stored.

• 4. Light a Fire — Dip the tip of a matchstick in “honey”, and then strike it to light. Natural honey will light the match easily and the flame will burn off the honey. Fake honey will not light because of the moisture it contains.

-Brandon

 

[AHBD]

Excellent info Brandon ! I've been advocating the use of honey on this site for a long time having read about it and seen it cure an eye infection in one baby dragon [ he was scratched by a sibling in the incubator ] and on another larger dragon that scratched his eyelid with his back foot + gouged a little piece that kept bleeding as he would scratch it over + over. I used raw honey + made a patch to cover his eye and it was perfectly healed in less than a week. Raw honey is super powerful for many reasons, here are a few amazing articles . WARNING, pics are a bit graphic !

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/07/23/manuka-honey.aspx

http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/06/honey-used-to-treat-wound-infections-in.html

 

[Claudiusx]

Great links! The last one is definitely a bit graphic, but goes to show how effective the honey can be when other treatments fail, or even as a method of keeping infection at bay until other arrangements can be made

-Brandon

 

[MrSpectrum]

Just to add a more scholarly perspective...
Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity

See also the Similar articles in PubMed in the right-hand column.

 

[AHBD]

Yes, honey is really amazing. I hope the second picture is not too graphic in any way, I should have asked before posting it. If anyone thinks it's not appropriate I could understand that. It's just hard to believe what types of wounds honey can heal and for this reason it's really good to have a small jar on hand. Good to put on your toast + cereal as well.
And MrSpec I've read that one as well, I have it stashed somewhere in my files . Excellent write up.

 

[Claudiusx]

Thanks,

I hadn't seen that article. Read it all, will admit I didn't totally understand the MIC % charts but I can come to assumptions on how to interpret them.

What I did find interesting, is this:

Microbial resistance to honey has never been reported[53],

Pretty cool if you ask me.

-Brandon

 

[MrSpectrum]

The big question for consumers is--and this is a CON-SUB--is honey really honey?
(Or as I once asked my DW, "Is our honey really honey, honey?") :roll:
honey is not always honey

I'm presenting this as a google search (I often do this) for a couple of reasons:

• 1. Some of the links offer differing/opposing opinions & evidence.
  
  2. This way, people can get a bigger (better?) idea/picture by reading multiple articles, whether the articles are in agreement or not. IME, few articles are truly comprehensive/examining all facets of an issue/subject.

 

[Claudiusx]

IME, few articles are truly comprehensive/examining all facets of an issue/subject.

That's just the Bias of the internet. If you try hard enough you can find some type of article about anything that agrees with you, LOL.

In my old town, we were friends with a beekeeper and he would always bring us little bears of honey. They largely went to waste, but boy I wish I still had them now.

FWIW though, the internet does have it's plus sides. If you are questioning the quality of honey at your local stores, online sources seem to be a good second stop. Amazon seems full of options.

-Brandon

 

[AHBD]

There's this, too.
https://permaculturenews.org/2014/02/08/shocking-differences-raw-honey-processed-golden-honey-found-grocery-retailers/

 

[Claudiusx]

You guys are too good today lol! That last link was very informative. That video at the end was great (minus the music.. LOL).
I think I will add that list of fake honey to the OP.

-Brandon

 

[MrSpectrum]

FWIW, ultra-filtered honey will pass all 4 artificial honey tests (I tried it).

 

[MrSpectrum]

IME, few articles are truly comprehensive/examining all facets of an issue/subject.

That's just the Bias of the internet.

IME, it often has to do with the scope/length limit (#words) of an article. They're articles--not books. :wink:

If you try hard enough you can find some type of article about anything that agrees with you, LOL.

Agreed.

 

[Claudiusx]

FWIW, ultra-filtered honey will pass all 4 artificial honey tests (I tried it).

Yeah I suppose those tests more so are to show if the honey has been watered down. Maybe I'll remove that part.

-Brandon

 

[KarrieRee]

So would honey be good for a tail rot situation? Just asking and what kind of honey we talking like Organic honey or just regular store bought honey do -- if the betadine solution and neosporin dont work ???
Karrie

 

[Claudiusx]

I doubt honey would clear the tail rot, but it should at least stop it from progressing or slow down the spread. Still the part would need to be amputated as usually the part of the tail that has rotted is dead. but it could be used pre and post amputation to keep the wound clean.

Then again, that link that shows honey cleared the gangrene from the cats paw does make you wonder...

And from my understanding, you want to find a raw unpasteurized honey. If you buy Manuka honey online from a reliable source that's probably your best bet for bacteria fighting properties.

-Brandon