Mary Allen
You can even read contradicting statements on this website about whether dogs are allowed to eat eggs.
And we got a few questions from readers. Therefore, you will find an overview on this page, which should serve as a reference in the future.
To get straight to the point: dogs are allowed to eat eggs. Raw, cooked, and including the eggshell. You should only be careful if you use too much raw egg white.
Eggs are full of valuable nutrients
Eggs play a rather subordinate role in dog nutrition. Eggs are rarely mentioned in the composition of dog food, although they have a lot to offer.
Eggs contain high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids. They are also rich in vitamins, trace elements, and high-quality protein.
Everything is very healthy for our dogs and therefore the four-legged friends are generally allowed to eat eggs. But with this food, in particular, both the preparation and the quantity are important.
Are boiled eggs harmful to dogs?
The dog can eat boiled eggs in any case, if your pet wants it at all. The yolk is mostly popular. He is preferred by most animals.
Nevertheless, you should not feed boiled eggs carelessly.
There is a lot of cholesterol in the egg yolk. For this reason, eggs even had a reputation for increasing the risk of heart attacks in humans.
Cholesterol is an important component of nerve cells, the cell membrane, and hormones.
However, too much of it represents an excess supply of fat. This particularly affects small dogs. Cholesterol is difficult to break down and metabolic disorders can occur.
You are therefore welcome to feed boiled egg yolk in small quantities. Dogs can eat egg whites more often if they like it. Because not every four-legged friend wants the egg white.
Are egg yolks good for dogs?
The situation is quite different with raw eggs. Again and again, one hears or reads that a raw egg yolk would be very healthy for the dog’s coat.
That is correct. The contained fatty acids have a very positive effect on the skin and coat. With raw egg yolk, however, you must always ensure that it is fresh.
You can easily recognize a fresh egg by placing the raw egg in a glass of water.
If the egg is fresh, it immediately sinks to the bottom and stays there. The older the egg, the sooner it begins to swim.
Another good test is to crack the egg open on a flat plate.
- A fresh egg remains beautifully defined and is gelatinous.
- An older egg spreads flat on the plate.
If eggs are poorly stored or older, there is a risk of salmonella. You should therefore always exercise great care when handling raw eggs.
Avoid feeding egg whites
Raw protein, on the other hand, is taboo for dogs.
To understand this, let’s backtrack a bit. Egg white contains the substance avidin. And this substance prevents the absorption of biotin.
However, for dogs, biotin is an extremely important vitamin, also known as vitamin H or vitamin B7.
If there is a deficiency, a disturbed metabolism is a result. A biotin deficiency is usually first visible on the coat. The coating structure deteriorates. The fur becomes shaggy and dull.
Itching and reddening of the skin occur. If the biotin deficiency persists, this can lead to serious illnesses.
Take the egg shells and grind them up in a mortar or a food processor, sprinkling a little over the food now and then.
However, always make sure the bowls are clean. Because bowls that are soiled by soil or feces can contain numerous bacteria. This becomes dangerous for both humans and animals. It is best to use the shells of boiled eggs.
Breakfast egg for dogs
Feel free to add a little variety to your favorite’s menu.
For many people, an egg is part of an enjoyable and hearty breakfast. It can be soft or hard-boiled, served as a fried or scrambled egg, or baked with cheese, spinach, or ham.
The popular breakfast egg not only tastes delicious, but it also contains a lot of important nutrients that are very healthy for the human body.
We explained above what this looks like for your dog. Can our four-legged friend also eat a breakfast egg? A raw egg yolk now and then is very healthy. The whole egg is cooked safely, it doesn’t have to be your breakfast egg.
