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Who doesn't love eggs? Scrambled, fried, poached or deviled - they're a versatile food that can be a delicious part of every meal. They're also used in all kinds of baked goods and other recipes.
In fact, we use whole egg protein (if you're not familiar with this, it's basically just eggs in powder form) in all of our Pupsicle Mixes and Baked Biscuit Mixes. So as I'm sure you can imagine, eggs are definitely a fine ingredients to give to dogs. That said, you should always give eggs to dogs in a safe, healthy way, so read on to learn more about how to do that.
Eggs get a resounding thumbs up from us - they're a great snack for dogs with plenty of benefits! You should avoid seasoning them with anything that won't be great for your dog, like salt or that ultra-spicy hot sauce you love so much, but some egg on top of your pup's food is a great treat that's as healthy as it is delicious. Unfortunately you should probably keep the deviled eggs for yourself (or fortunately if you love deviled eggs as much as I do), no matter how sad those puppy eyes look while you're making them.
On top of that, if you read the ingredients on any number of baked dog treats, you'll find that eggs are on that list. Eggs are definitely safe in that context as well!
Protein, protein, protein! Eggs are packed with it, and it's incredibly important for every dog. Protein helps with everything from your dog's immune system to her beautiful coat.
Beyond that, eggs also have a number of essential amino acids and fatty acids. These help maintain healthy skin and also make sure that coat stays silky and lush. They also have a number of other key nutritional elements like vitamin A, vitamin B12, iron and riboflavin. These carry any number of benefits, from improving bone and joint health to providing the overall energy that dogs need to function. Iron is also critical for helping dogs' blood carry oxygen throughout her body. Suffice to say that eggs provide nutritional benefits that do all kinds of good things for dogs and their health.
This question comes up commonly, and the answer is the same for dogs as it is for humans - feeding dogs raw eggs is likely safe, but there is some risk to it due to the possibility of food borne illness. The main concern is that raw eggs may contain salmonella. Because there's really no upside to feeding your dog raw eggs (as compared to cooked), most veterinarians recommend cooking your eggs before feeding them to dogs. When cooking them, remember to do so without adding things like salt, oil or butter that will make them less healthy. Frying or scrambling eggs in a non-stick pan is great, as is boiling them.
The other concern that some experts raise is that feeding dogs raw eggs can cause a biotin deficiency. Biotin is an important B vitamin, and egg whites contain avidin, which inhibits Biotin. That said, cooking the egg substantially reduces this risk.
Scrambled is one of the best ways to feed eggs to dogs, because you don't need to add anything unhealthy to them. A dash of milk is okay, but don't channel your inner Gordon Ramsay and start whipping them with crème fraiche. You can just crack that egg right in the pan, stir it around until it's cooked and leave it on top of your dog's kibble for a healthy little change to her daily diet.
In fact, scrambled eggs can also help soothe an upset stomach. They're plain and easy on the digestive tract, so you can include them with things like boiled rice and chicken if your dog is having tummy troubles. Of course, in the event of any kind of serious digestive issues, you should always contact your vet and take her advice on the best course of action.
An astute question, dear reader! Egg shells are in fact an excellent source of calcium for dogs. You can spare yourself the effort of peeling your hard-boiled eggs and give them to your pup shell and all. You can also grind up the egg shells and sprinkle them over your pup's food (though if you're going to sprinkle some seasoning on there, let us recommend our Pupsicle Mix).
You absolutely can and should give eggs to dogs! They're a great source of protein and a whole host of other important nutrients, so they're a great addition to your pup's diet. Of course, eggs and all the other doggy snacks you give to your pooch should comprise no more than 10% of her diet, and they should be accompanied by healthy, nutritious dog food. If you're making your dog's food yourself, eggs can be a good ingredient for it, but we definitely recommend that you check with your vet before you start giving your dog homemade food.
The two main takeaways about giving eggs to dogs are that it's better to serve them cooked, as that reduces the risk of food borne illness, and that you should cook them plain. You don't need to add salt, butter, cream or anything else to make them more delicious for your pup (and of course while eggs are a great snack for your dog, eggnog is most certainly not a good choice, even on Christmas). If plain eggs aren't enough, you can always scramble in some healthy veggies while cooking them - some green beans, spinach or even carrots make for the perfect doggy omelette!
So yes, dogs can have eggs (though we recommend cooked over raw) and they can also eat egg shells! Egg rolls are unfortunately off the table. Happy snacking!
