With all the hype about raw food diets for dogs, pet parents are wondering exactly what can dogs not eat? When researching, we learn that our dogs need a great deal of protein as well as other nutrients in order to be healthy, and, eggs provide a high amount of protein.
Many pet parents are learning that commercial dog foods are not what they seem. For many years, we picked up a dry dog food—typically from a trusted brand—and fed this diet to our canine companions. Over the years, we have seen recalls of certain dog foods, again, from trusted brands. This has made many of us apprehensive as to what we feed our beloved fur babies.
As pet parents began to research what actually goes into most commercial dog foods, we felt like the only way to ensure our dogs received healthy food was to prepare it ourselves. This has led to immense popularity in a raw dog food diet. However, some pet parents are still more inclined to cook “human” food for our pets.
So, no matter how you prepare it, eggs are a consideration for our canine companions’ diet. Can dogs eat eggs? The short answer is yes! Any way you can prepare an egg is safe for our dogs to eat.
Article Summary
Can dogs have eggs?
In short, yes. Experts say that eggs can be a good source of protein for dogs. In addition, eggs not only provide protein, but they are a good source of healthy fats, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Eggs have a positive impact on your dog’s coat and skin.
Can dogs eat eggshells as a source of calcium?
If you believe your dog has a calcium deficiency, it is best to leave the eggshells out of the equation. For dogs, a calcium deficiency is a serious issue that can have detrimental health effects [1], and you should refrain from crushing eggshells for your dog. Experts say that a calcium deficiency is typically only seen in nursing dogs, so, if you suspect Fido isn’t getting enough calcium, there are other methods you can use to give your dog this important mineral without crushing eggshells.
In fact, no matter how well you crush the eggshells, your dog could experience health issues. It is possible that a sharp edge of an eggshell could get stuck in your dog’s throat or in her esophagus, which could cause serious injury. The edge of an eggshell could cut your dog’s mouth and curb her appetite as well.
It is best to let your vet do some bloodwork so that Fido’s calcium levels are monitored correctly. Your vet has some safer solutions to providing the right amount of calcium for your dog as opposed to crushed eggshells.
Should dogs eat eggs in order to get a higher amount of protein in their diet?
If you are still providing commercial dog food to your dog, you probably don’t need to add eggs to her diet. The best dog food today are properly formulated and should provide all the nutrients and minerals your pup needs.
Let’s talk about your commercial dog food for a moment. There ARE some healthy commercial dog foods on the market. You just have to know how to read labels and spot any bad ingredients. Your dog’s food should provide real meat as one of the first ingredients. You should avoid dog foods that contain any type of by-product or meal (as in bone meal). Avoid dog foods that contain artificial colors (red-40, for instance). Look for chemically-sounding names, too (BHT, phthalates, sodium Laureth sulfate, etc.)
Many commercial dog foods will claim to be “made from natural products,” but the chemicals listed in the ingredients tell the real tale of how the food is made. Avoid these foods, as well as foods that contain gluten, corn, and flour.
Now, for those who are providing healthy commercial dog food, you may be wondering if you should supplement your dog’s diet with an occasional egg or two. It is fine to offer an egg every once in a while. However, it is best to cook the egg rather than just feeding raw eggs to dogs over a commercial food. This is because some eggs can contain salmonella, which can cause a lot of issues for your dog.
Speaking of raw eggs . . .
Can dogs eat raw eggs? Most of the time, a raw egg will be safe for your dog. However, salmonella is a potential issue with uncooked eggs [2]. Before you feed eggs to dogs, they should either be pasteurized or cooked. (You CAN find pasteurized eggs in the organic area of your grocery store.)
It’s important to note that even if your dog doesn’t show outward signs of a salmonella infection, it’s possible for your dog to shed the infection in his feces. This could infect other dogs or cats in the household, and it’s possible it could pass between your dog and any other people in the house. So, it’s best to prepare the eggs or choose pasteurized eggs to prevent salmonella infection.
How can I feed my dog eggs safely?
Your dog can eat eggs in a number of ways. Scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs—however you want to cook it. You can provide cooked egg yolks or cooked egg whites. You can also cook them sunny side up. If you do choose sunny side up, be sure to leave off the oil or butter that you’d use if preparing that type of egg for yourself.
It’s also a good idea to avoid cooking eggs in grease (some people fry eggs in bacon grease). It’s also a good idea to only add a dash of salt when cooking and avoid adding pepper for Fido. Cooking an egg with grease can lead to pancreatitis, and cooking an egg with lots of salt is never a good idea. Leave off onions, oil, cheese, etc. as well.
It’s also a good idea to make sure your dog doesn’t have any kidney problems when providing him with eggs.
Introducing the egg into Fido’s diet
Eggs are considered non-toxic to dogs, and, if you’ve ever accidentally given an egg to your dog (perhaps you dropped a raw egg while putting groceries away or Fido got into the garbage without your knowledge), then you know that your dog ate the egg safely. However, if your dog has never had eggs, you should exercise a little caution in how you introduce eggs to her diet.
In fact, most pet parents make the mistake of introducing a human food or a raw food diet without slowly weaning your dog from commercial dog food. So, let’s look at doing that.
Unless the commercial food you’ve been giving your dog is under recall, it is best to slowly wean your dog off commercial food, wet or dry. You’ll want to slowly add “human” food to your dog’s diet so that she doesn’t experience stomach upset and possibly diarrhea.
Start by slowly decreasing the amount of dry food you give your dog each day and replacing it with increased “human” food. Decrease the commercial food slowly so as not to upset Fido’s tummy.
FAQs
1. How do you cook eggs for dogs?
You can boil, scramble, fry, or prepare an egg sunny side up for your dog.
2. How much egg can a dog eat?
That depends on how much protein is already in his diet. An egg or two once or twice a week should be safe unless your dog has some kidney problems.
3. Can dog eat egg yolks?
Yes. They should always be cooked, but dogs can eat egg yolks.
4. Do eggs give dogs diarrhea?
Yes, if they are raw and salmonella is present, they can give dogs diarrhea.
