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Let me be the first to welcome you, dear readers, to the inaugural installment of a monthly series we’re doing here on the Keep Doggie Safe blog about…<insert drum roll here> FOOD! Specifically, we’re going to be taking a look at different foods, the ingredients in certain foods, and how those ingredients affect your dog.
This time we’re starting with something basic, the humble egg. Can dogs eat eggs? The short answer to that question is: emphatically, YES!
Let me explain. Eggs are a great source of nutrition for your dog. There are three BIG reasons for this answer. They are:
1) PROTEIN: Eggs are packed with vital protein that you must include in your dog’s diet. Protein is important because it aids in the formation of hair, nails, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage and so much more!
2.) VITAMINS AND MINERALS: Eggs are loaded with vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Folate, Iron, Riboflavin, and Selenium. These nutrients are all essential for healthy skin, and a healthy coat of fur.
3.) OTHER NUTRIENTS: Eggs also contain linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an Omega-6 fatty acid that is necessary for ALL animals, not just dogs. Animals who are deficient in this essential nutrient can have a lot of problems, including but not limited to, abnormal growth in younger animals and weakened immune systems.
When cooking eggs to feed your dog, you should cook them plain. Make sure not to include oil, butter, salt, seasonings, or extra spices you might add to your eggs when you make them for yourself. There’s not an approved method of cooking your eggs in terms of doneness, just make sure they are not raw when your dog eats them. You should never feed your dog raw eggs. This is because of the risk of Salmonella. Aside from Salmonella, other harmful bacteria can form on eggs, which could make your dog sick.
You can technically also feed egg shells to your dog, because they are a great source of calcium - however, there are much easier ways to get calcium into your dog’s diet without grinding egg shells down to a powder.
Dogs shouldn’t eat eggs ALL the time however, because eggs do contain about 70 calories each. A dog that eats eggs too often, in addition to their normal diet, could suffer from major weight gain which can lead to other health problems. Eggs can also cause uncomfortable (and smelly) gas in some dogs.
So, yes, dogs can eat eggs. Eggs are a nearly complete source of protein for your dog. While this is true, you should also exercise caution when feeding your dog eggs.
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