Table of Contents
Although it’s commonly believed that dogs are primarily carnivorous and prefer to eat meat, these furry creatures also exhibit significant omnivorous traits, being able to consume and digest food derived from plants and animals.
While it is true that your dog does require animal meat as a source of high-quality nutrients, dogs cannot survive solely on meat. They require additional nutrients like carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that meat alone cannot provide.
Fortunately, eggs are one of the many foods loaded with tons of essential nutrients that can meet your dog’s nutritional needs. While some concerns have been raised about eggs as a safe diet for dogs, here’s what you need to know before including it in your dog’s healthy meal pack!
Is It Safe For Dogs to Eat Eggs?
Short answer, yes, and here’s why.
Because eggs contain all the essential nutrients a baby chick needs to grow inside the egg, this superfood provides an excellent source of nutritional value to your dog.
Essentially, every part of the egg contains nutrients for your dog’s health. The eggshell, the yolk, the white. Everything. In addition to being a fantastic source of protein, this superfood also has fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that all contribute to your dog’s overall health.
Are Raw Eggs Harmful To Dogs?
Although eggs are a fantastic source of nourishment for your dog, is it okay to feed dogs raw eggs?
So far, there hasn’t been any correct or incorrect answer to this question. While some pet owners feed raw eggs to their dogs without noting any adverse reactions, others aren’t so lucky.
Either way, one thing’s for sure, feeding your dogs raw eggs puts them at risk of the following:
1. Salmonella
Salmonella infection is a group of bacteria commonly found in raw food that can be prevented by thorough cooking. Your dog is more likely to develop this infection from eating raw eggs if it already has a weak immune system, a seriously unhealthy digestive system, or is elderly.
2. Improper Nutrition
According to research, giving dogs raw eggs has little to no nutritional value, and this can result in malnutrition and other health issues. Smaller dogs, in particular, are more vulnerable to nutritional imbalance if fed raw eggs on a daily basis.
How Many Eggs Can A Dog Eat?
Even though eggs contain much-needed nutrients, feeding them to dogs should not be done daily. The amount of eggs you can feed a dog depends on a couple of factors: age, size, health status, and activity level. Therefore, it is only natural that bigger and healthier dogs get larger servings compared to smaller dogs or dogs with existing health issues.
While larger dogs can consume two to three eggs per week, smaller dogs should only have one egg per week. However, dogs generally shouldn’t consume more than one egg per day. To clear any doubts you might have, it would help to consult your vet about the proper quantity of eggs to feed your beloved pooch.
Egg-cellent Ways to Feed Your Dog Eggs
Dogs need fun tweaks to their meals just like humans do to spice things up once in a while. For your dog, it makes the routine less boring, more exciting, and impossible to resist.
Try these simple methods for cooking your egg to see which one will get your dog rushing to the food bowl.
1. Poached Eggs
If you’ve ever wondered whether poached eggs are safe for your dog, they are! Simply remove the shells, then place the sack in a pot of boiling water. To ensure the yoke is firm, it typically takes about four minutes. If cartoons have taught us anything, it’s that dogs love this method of cooking eggs.
2. Fried or Scrambled Eggs
Since seasonings and butter can harm your dog, scrambled eggs should be prepared plainly without them. To make the process easier, it should be cooked in a non-stick pan.
3. Hard-boiled Eggs
This approach to preparing eggs for your dog is the whole shebang. It would be best to mash, cut the hard-boiled egg into bite-sized pieces, or even better, incorporate it into your dog’s kibble in order to give him the full hard-boiled egg experience. The best part is that you can safely keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
The Bottom Line
Because they make wholesome treats and dietary supplements for dogs, eggs are a healthy addition to your dog’s diet. The fact that they are relatively affordable and widely accessible is a bonus.
So go ahead and make your dog’s tail wag happily by treating it to an egg-infused cuisine!