Yes, eggs are a healthy and nutritious addition to your dog’s diet. But, it is important to remember that they are high in calories and may lead to weight gain if eaten too frequently.
To prevent salmonella and food poisoning, always cook/boil your eggs before feeding them to your dog. Also, be sure to grind up egg shells before feeding as they are filled with calcium and great for dogs that can’t chew bones.
Protein
While dogs can digest raw eggs, it’s generally recommended that they be cooked. That’s because raw eggs can carry bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, which can make your dog sick. To reduce the risk, you’ll want to feed your dog only eggs that come from healthy hens and are stored correctly. Additionally, eating too many raw eggs can cause a deficiency in biotin, which is necessary for cellular growth, fat metabolism and healthy skin and coat. read more
Boiled eggs are a safe and delicious addition to any dog’s diet, and it’s not just chicken eggs that can provide nutrition for your pet; duck and quail eggs are also packed with nutrients. Just be sure to break up any egg shells before feeding them to your pup because they can be a choking hazard. To prevent overfeeding, it’s generally recommended that you offer your dog one egg per week (or a smaller amount at each meal for small dogs). It’s also important to consider your dog’s caloric needs when adding new foods to their diet, so be sure to monitor the amount of eggs they consume.
Vitamins
While eggs are great protein sources, they also provide a number of vitamins. Egg whites contain B vitamins that aid nervous system function, red blood cell production and energy metabolism. The yolk provides vitamin D, which promotes bone and skin health, and selenium, which supports thyroid function. Finally, the fatty acids in egg yolks — specifically omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — can help improve cardiovascular disease risk.
While raw eggs can carry bacteria that can cause illness in humans and pets, they’re safe to eat cooked. High-quality eggs from free-range chickens and proper storage minimize the risks.
Eggs make a nutritious addition to a well-balanced diet, especially for older and active dogs. However, be aware that eggs are high in calories and should not account for more than 10% of a dog’s daily caloric intake without guidance from your veterinarian. For smaller dogs, a whole egg can be too many calories to handle at one meal; consider splitting it over a few meals or adjusting your pet’s regular food to allow for the extra calories from eggs.
Minerals
In addition to protein, eggs are rich in minerals including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and iron. This means that they can be a useful supplement for dogs who have trouble chewing bones or if they just need more calcium in their diet. (However, it is best to grind up the shells and sprinkle or stir them into the dog food, as raw eggshells can pose a salmonella risk).
A well-cooked egg also provides dogs with biotin, which aids in cell growth, metabolism and healthy skin and coat. But raw eggs can also contain a protein called avidin, which can bind with biotin and reduce its absorption.
So while a boiled egg is great for dogs, it should not be a dog’s main source of protein as it may cause allergies and other health issues if over-fed. It should be added to a quality dog food in moderation and ideally as a snack for those with sensitive stomachs.
Fat
For dogs, it is important that their food has healthy fats like omegas 3 and 6, which help maintain immunity, reduce inflammation (which contributes to arthritis, heart disease and other issues), and support skin health. Eggs provide these beneficial fats, as well as vitamins and minerals.
Eggs are also a source of biotin, which is one of the B vitamins and important for cellular growth, fatty acid metabolism and healthy skin and coat. It is possible for dogs to develop a biotin deficiency when eating only egg whites because the whites contain avidin, which inhibits biotin absorption. However, when eggs are cooked and fed in small quantities to dogs on a complete fresh diet, they are unlikely to cause a deficiency.
While boiled, scrambled or baked eggs are great for your dog, be sure to avoid seasoned eggs or those made with additives like salt, which may aggravate gastric issues. In addition, fried or poached eggs can be high in calories and fat and should be avoided as they can lead to weight gain and related health problems.