There are some common queries in the mind of dog owners – Can dogs eat eggs? Can dogs eat raw eggs? Can dogs eat boiled eggs? and so on… This article will address such queries and get you insights into whether eggs for dogs are a good idea or not.
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Can Dogs Eat Eggs?
Yes, dogs can eat eggs. They retain protein content and are good for dogs. In addition, apart from the protein they also contain other useful vitamins and nutrient elements. In fact, cooked eggs are even better for dogs from a health perspective.
Following are the Vitamins and Minerals included in the eggs:
- Vitamin A
- Folate
- Riboflavin
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin
- Fatty acids
- Selenium
But, there is a concern over the raw eggs. Dog lovers worry about the potential effects of dogs eating raw eggs. So, let’s have a closer look at this concern and find out if raw eggs for dogs are healthy or not.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs?
Dogs can eat raw eggs. However, they carry the risk of salmonella, and this is one of the reasons why dog owners find it difficult to serve them raw eggs. In addition, the frequent diet of raw eggs can also lead to biotin deficiency in dogs.
So, it seems like even though dogs can eat raw eggs they stand the risk of facing health issues. Let’s get a detailed view of this issue.
Salmonella Risk
Dogs have short, simple digestive tracts and high levels of hydrochloric acid in their stomach. They can handle salmonella and other bacteria in raw foods. The risk of infection is there, but, chances are slim. Chances of salmonella infection rise when you continuously keep feeding your dog raw eggs.
Further, it’s also important to pick eggs from healthy chickens. You don’t want your dogs eating eggs laid by unhealthy chickens.
Biotin Deficiency
Biotin is crucial for your dog. It helps in cellular growth, fatty acid metabolism, and maintaining healthy skin. Feeding your dog raw eggs frequently can cause, biotin deficiency. The egg white contains avidin which suppresses the biotin However, this scenario is likely to occur. The dog must have eaten an excessive amount of raw eggs to have a biotin deficiency.
Further, egg yolks retain a high level of biotin so, feeding the entire egg is not a bad option. In fact, cooking the egg reduces its nutritional value. Still, it’s a better option in comparison to feeding raw eggs, as it reduces the risks.
Enzyme inhibitor
Raw egg whites have enzyme inhibitors. And many dog lovers have a question about whether to serve them as they can interfere with digestion, especially in very young and old dogs.
While this is true, it only means that raw eggs must not become the only diet of your dog. If you’re feeding a well-balanced fresh diet there won’t be such risks. Most dogs can eat several raw eggs a week with no problem. But if you’re worried, initiate with just one egg. If your dog doesn’t get any digestive upset, there is nothing to get worried about.
You can also cook the egg white to tackle this issue. However, in the process, you’ll lose some nutrition, so it’s best to feed raw eggs in intervals to your dogs if you can.
Benefits Of Raw Eggs For Dogs
After looking at possible risks you may have thought of this- are raw eggs good for dogs? Well, if you handle the proportion and how often you offer an egg treat, then yes! raw eggs are worth it. Let us show you the benefits justifying the answer:
- They are excellent sources of protein, and vitamins, and offer nutrition elements such as linoleic acid, riboflavin, folate, iron, selenium etc.
- Fatty acids in raw eggs serve as a crucial building block for cell membranes and help the dog in absorbing the vitamins A, K and E.
- Along with the protein, eggshells retain calcium and phosphorus. Both elements assist in the growth of your canine friend.
- Raw eggs are not cooked so, the amino acids remain intact with other nutritional elements.
Till now, we saw some of the benefits of raw eggs and also some specific reasons why feeding raw eggs is not preferable. Let’s see whether cooked or boiled eggs are any better.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Eggs?
Dogs can eat cooked eggs. The risk of serving raw eggs makes a strong case for cooked ones. While cooking eggs may slightly reduce some nutritional value, but, they also kill dangerous bacteria.
Further, cooked eggs are often referred to as scrambled eggs. Many owners think if they are safe or not. The answer is – Yes, they are safe! You can easily prepare scrambled eggs for your canine friend.
Scramble the eggs in a non-stick pan and mix them with your dog’s food. Make sure you don’t add butter, oil or any additives to the mix. Heat up the mix for some time and it’s ready to serve.
Benefits of cooked/scrambled eggs for dogs
- They taste good
- Helps in muscle development
- Digestion is good
- Bones get stronger
- Elevates immune system
- Maintains healthy skin and coat of the dog
Can dogs eat boiled eggs?
Boiled egg for dogs is not a bad idea. The majority of the dogs adore the taste of boiled eggs. In fact, serving hard-boiled eggs is one of the safest options while feeding eggs to the dog. Preparing hard-boiled eggs is easy.
Making hard-boiled eggs for dogs
- In a pot, put your eggs and cover them with roughly an inch of cold water
- Boil the water at medium heat
- Place the eggs into the heated water for roughly 10 minutes
- Drain the water
- Place the eggs into the ice, afterwards, peel the eggs and remove the shells
Benefits of hard-boiled eggs
- Minimizes risk of salmonella or E-coli infection
- Repairs damaged tissues
- Facilitates healthy muscle development
- Helps deal with upset stomachs in dogs
Raw eggs, cooked/scrambled eggs, or boiled eggs, all have their respective benefits. But, what about eggshells?
Can Dogs Eat Eggshells?
Dogs can surely eat eggshells. They’re a great source of calcium. In fact, an entire egg, with shell and membrane, is almost a complete food source for your dog. Also, the presence of phosphorus and calcium elements, support your dog to grow powerful bones and teeth.
Further, an egg comprises almost all of the amino acids your dog requires to remain healthy. Additionally, if your dog is suffering from the joint pain the membrane lining in the eggshell contains some useful elements such as – Collagen, Chondroitin, Hyaluronic acid, and Glucosamine.
Furthermore, a study from 2016 shows that eggshell membrane lessens joint pain in dogs. So, if you can peel the membrane off the eggshell, you can directly feed that.
Are eggshells a bone substitute?
If your dog is having time to chew on bones, you can feed eggshells for calcium. However, remember eggshells don’t contain phosphorus, magnesium, or other important minerals in bone and bonemeal, so your dog will require this from other sources. So, how to give dogs eggshells? Let’s have a look:
- Firstly, dry the eggshells
- Grind the dry eggshells into the powder form
- For increasing calcium intake, use half a spoon of eggshell powder
- Mix the powder with the food and serve it to the dog
Mix the eggshell powder with a small amount of marmite for dogs to make it more palatable when adding it to your dog’s food
Preparing The Dog To Eat Eggs
You have the information on the type of eggs but, it’s also important to know how to prepare your dog for eating any of those eggs. For instance, if you feed your dogs raw eggs for the first time they are likely to experience vomiting or diarrhoea. This happens because their digestive system isn’t familiar with the contents.
So here are some ways you can prepare your dog for eating eggs:
#1 Vet Consultation
Before you start feeding eggs to your dog, consult a Vet to avoid any complications. The vet will outline a diet plan including eggs to ensure your dogs’ safety.
#2 Start small
Start with just one egg, and make sure you cut them into small pieces. Look for any signs suggesting gastrointestinal distress like diarrhoea or vomiting. As long as your dog doesn’t show any digestive discomfort or other behavioural issues, there is no trouble offering them eggs.
#3 Increase the quantity
Once your dog is used to the egg treat, start offering some more. Increase the quantity by some amount but make sure it’s less than enough to cause any health issues. In case you are just feeding raw eggs, increasing quantity is fine but you’ll have to reduce the frequency of treat i.e. just offer them once or twice a week.
#3 No additives
Often dog owners use additives such as salt, oil or butter to improve the taste of their dog food. But, these additives can cause severe health issues for dogs. While salt is known for water retention, which can cause issues for dogs with heart disease, oil and butter can put the dog at risk of obesity.
#4 Feed as per dogs size
If your dog is small, cut the egg into tiny pieces, and if it’s big then you can cut them into big chunks. Also, observe their behaviour after offering them different egg treats, meaning, raw egg treats, scrambled and boiled. This will help you find which treat they prefer.
Following these simple steps will get your dog to eat eggs without any hassle.
FAQs
Can I feed my dog raw egg?
Yes, you can feed your dog raw eggs. However, they shouldn’t eat more than one egg per day. Also, make sure you get your eggs from an organic farmer so they haven’t been chemically treated. Consider feeding raw eggs to dogs as an occasional treat.
Can puppies eat eggs?
Sure! puppies can also eat eggs, as long as they are cooked properly. In fact, cooked eggs can turn out to be a nice treat for them as they retain protein, beneficial vitamins and elements such as linoleic acid. The presence of such elements helps in maintaining their coat and skin in top-notch condition.
What are the signs and symptoms of egg allergy?
Following are the signs and symptoms of egg allergies in a dog :
1. Skin inflammation or hives (common egg allergy reaction).
2. Nasal congestion, runny nose & sneezing (allergic rhinitis)
3. Digestive symptoms, such as vomiting, cramps, and nausea.
4. Asthma signs and symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or chest tightness
Can dogs eat egg yolks?
A cooked entire egg or yolk is good for your dog. However, if your pet has a pre-existing health condition such as acute pancreatitis or diabetes then it may lead to severe health issues.
Is it OK to put raw eggs in dog food?
Raw eggs are nutritious and adding them to dog food is OK. But, it also exposes your dog to salmonella. The infection caused because of exposure to the bacteria can also harm the family members of the dog owners. So, it’s okay to add them in moderation, but, it’s better if you cook the eggs and put them in your dog’s food.
Final Comment On Can dogs Eat Raw Eggs?
In general, the more organic the egg the better. So, raw eggs are definitely healthy but, you have to manage the quantity and how often you plan to offer them to your dog. To avoid any issues, get your vet’s opinion on the inclusion of raw eggs in your dog’s diet.
However, the safest bet is offering a boiled egg treat to your dog. Yes, the nutrients will not remain the same as raw eggs but, they will also reduce the risk of any infection.
While eggs can be a healthy treat, never add seasonings like bisto gravy, as many seasonings can be dangerous for dogs to ingest. For more information on bisto gravy, see our article “can dogs eat bisto gravy“
