Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Super Foods for Dogs (2024)

If you’ve ever looked into increasing the protein in your diet, you’ve probably been told to consult the common chicken egg. Even if you didn’t delight in doing so, you might have gotten some level of satisfaction in knowing you were giving your body something it needed (even if you had to smother it in hot sauce and hold your nose while the slimy thing went down).

Or maybe you just really enjoy a plateful of eggs in the morning. Does your dog get the same benefit from that food choice as you do? If you, say, gave your dog the last few bites of your eggs after a big Saturday breakfast, is that cool?

Health Benefits of Eggs

The short answer: Yes, dogs can eat eggs, but with some important things to note. In fact, the egg is a powerhouse of nutrition (including the shell!). Eggs contain all the essential amino acids and are a highly digestible source of protein with a high nutritional value. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals, too. Plus, eggs are a perfect source of protein.

Ideally, you want to choose eggs from free-range or pastured chickens or organic, omega-3 enriched eggs, which come from hens who were fed flax. These eggs contain the essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic (ALA), plus two other omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA). When giving your dog eggs, introduce them slowly to ensure they do not cause an upset stomach.

How to Cook Eggs for Dogs

There are so many ways to feed eggs to your dog. Ready to add eggs to your dog’s food bowl? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Cook them (simply).

You can give your dog hardboiled, scrambled, fried, poached...the sky’s the limit! Just make sure you serve them plain.You might be able to take all that salt, pepper, and chili sauce, but your dog should keep it simple.

Steam hard-boiled eggs.

Hard-boiled eggs for dogs are quick and easy and steaming is the best, most foolproof way to cook eggs. Place cold eggs on a rack in a pot with 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and cook for 10 to twelve minutes, depending on the size of the egg. Drain, then place the eggs in cold water for just a few minutes.

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Make an omelet or frittata.

Just don’t add ingredients that can harm your dog (such as onions, chives and garlic), and go light on the salt and pepper.

Turn them into a topping.

You can chop up cooked eggs and use them as a topper to enhance your dog’s usual meal. (Make sure you take into account the calories in an egg before supplementing your dog’s food.)

Grind up the shells.

This is a great and very affordable source of calcium for your dog because eggshells are made of 94 percent calcium carbonate. Prepping eggshells to make calcium carbonate is easy. Rinse the cooked eggshells or boil raw shells for five minutes (to kill any bacteria). To dry them out, spread them on a baking sheet and place them in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes. Cool the shells, then grind them to a very fine consistency in a coffee grinder or a blender. Store them in a glass jar in the refrigerator. One eggshell contains 380-400 mg of calcium per gram. Half a teaspoon of eggshell powder is roughly 800 mg of calcium.

Consult with your veterinarian on how much calcium supplement is suitable for your dog. Soon, you’ll be packing in those nutrients together.

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Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Super Foods for Dogs (2024)

FAQs

Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Super Foods for Dogs? ›

Eggs can be a delicious, healthy addition to your dog's diet as well as your own. Essentially the entire egg (including the eggshell) can offer amazing nutritional benefits for our four-legged friends.

Can I feed my dog an egg every day? ›

Yes, dogs can eat eggs. Although it is not recommended to feed your dog eggs every day, they should not cause harm as the occasional treat. While eggs are full of nutrients, these are not necessary for your pet's diet as they will get everything they need from a high quality, complete dog food.

Are scrambled eggs ok for dogs? ›

Eggs are nutritious for both people and dogs. They can be tasty treats or a hearty breakfast, whether they're hard-boiled, poached, scrambled, or over easy. A cooked entire egg or yolk can be good for your dog, unless your pet has a pre-existing health condition like acute pancreatitis or diabetes.

Is it okay to put raw eggs in dog food? ›

Yes, eggs are healthy for dogs both raw and cooked. In fact, they are rich in nutrients and can promote healthy skin and strong bones. Unlike some human foods, eggs are a great way to promote your dog's health as long as you don't feed too many eggs.

What eggs can dogs not eat? ›

Dogs can eat hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. The main objective is that the eggs need to be cooked. Do not feed raw eggs to dogs. Eggs are good for dogs as they provide an excellent source of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Is it better to give dogs raw or cooked eggs? ›

Eggs should be cooked before being given to a dog. Cook or boil eggs plain, without oil, butter, salt, seasoning, spices, or other additives. It doesn't matter how your dog likes their eggs — sunny side up, scrambled, or hard-boiled — as long as they are fully cooked.

Do eggs help dogs itchy skin? ›

Yes, eggs can help alleviate itchy skin in dogs.

However, some dogs can have an intolerance to eggs so it's important to make sure that you start off by feeding them a small amount of egg and monitor their reaction.

Is cheese good for dogs? ›

While cheese can be safe to feed to your dog, there are some things to remember. Cheese is high in fat, and feeding too much to your dog regularly can cause weight gain and lead to obesity. Even more problematic, it could lead to pancreatitis, a serious and potentially fatal illness in dogs.

Are bananas good for dogs? ›

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

Is Tuna good for dogs? ›

Tuna is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins – all important nutrients for a dog's health and wellbeing. It also contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are good for the health of the skin, coat and cardiovascular system. This means that tuna is useful in some dog foods as a source of various nutrients.

Is peanut butter good for dogs? ›

' The good news is that regular peanut butter is safe to give your dog as a treat. Just make sure to avoid peanut butter with Xylitol, a sugar substitute found in lower or sugar-free products. Xylitol is the only ingredient in peanut butter that's bad for dogs.

Do vets recommend raw eggs for dogs? ›

Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs? Although cooked eggs can be a nutritious treat for your dog, raw eggs are dangerous. As with humans, raw eggs can expose dogs to harmful salmonella, which can then spread back to their pet parents (especially those with a compromised immune system).

Are eggshells good for dogs? ›

Egg shells are actually filled with calcium so they can be a great source of additional nutrients for your dog. Plus, the shells are also great for dogs who have difficulty chewing bones. For safety though, always ensure the shells have been cooked/boiled first, as raw eggshells can still pose a salmonella risk.

Can eggs hurt dogs stomach? ›

Boiled: You can safely feed your dog eggs soft or hard-boiled eggs. Scrambled: These are also safe, but avoid adding salt, butter, or milk during cooking. Too much salt can put dogs at increased risk of dehydration, while dairy products can lead to an upset stomach since dogs can't digest them easily.

Can eggs upset a dogs stomach? ›

Some dogs may have an upset stomach after ingesting eggs, especially if your dog's digestive system isn't used to it. Food allergies can also cause diarrhea in dogs.

Why are eggs bad for dogs? ›

If your dog eats any raw food, they risk contracting a salmonella infection, which may cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. Your dog may also acquire a biotin deficiency if they consume raw eggs regularly. Raw egg whites contain the protein avidin, which obstructs the absorption of biotin, according to Purina.

Is 1 egg a day too much for a dog? ›

How Many Eggs Can A Dog Eat? It's widely recommended that most dogs should not be given more than one full egg per day. Eggs should never be the sole source of protein for your dog, much like dog food contains other much-needed nutrients for a healthy, balanced diet. Think of them more like a treat.

How many times a week can a dog eat eggs? ›

How Many Eggs Should I Feed My Dog?
Breed sizeMax. eggs per dayMax. eggs per week
Toy (up to 6 kg)¼½-1
Small (6 kg-10 kg)½1
Medium (11 kg-25 kg)11-2
Large (26 kg-45 kg)12-3
1 more row
Aug 10, 2023

How many times a week should dogs eat eggs? ›

Large dogs can safely consume up to one whole egg in a day while smaller dogs should be limited to one small egg per week, and no more than ¼ of an egg per day. Make sure to factor in the extra calories you're feeding—remember one egg is about 70 calories—and don't exceed your dog's daily caloric allowance.

What happens if a dog eats too many eggs? ›

The two concerns from ingesting so many eggs would be the risk of developing an E. Coli or Salmonella infection because the eggs were not cooked and a possible digestive disturbance from eating such as large amount of eggs that her stomach and intestines are not used to digesting at one time.

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