The answer is yes, cooked eggs are good for dogs! 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.
Essentially the entire egg, including the eggshell, can be nutritious for dogs.
Are Eggs Good for Dogs?
Eggs can be a great source of nutrition for dogs. They are high in protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and fatty acids that help support your dog, inside and out.
Remember that eggs are only as good as the chicken they come from. Try to feed your dog eggs that are from free-range farm hens fed an organic diet.
If you can get them from a trusted source, that is ideal. Just like us, chickens are as healthy as what they eat, and healthier chickens lay healthier, more nutritious eggs.
Before feeding your dog eggs, talk to your vet. Some dogs with medical conditions shouldn’t eat eggs, so always check first. Consuming too many eggs can also lead to health problems like obesity, so talk to your vet about the appropriate amount of eggs to feed your dog.
With that said, sometimes eggs can be used to help settle upset stomachs. Also, it’s not a good idea to use eggs as your dog’s main meal. But when served cooked, eggs can be a great occasional treat.
How Many Eggs Can A Dog Eat?
Since eggs are packed with essential doggy nutrients, you might be wondering if eating eggs is something your dog should be doing every day.
The answer is no, according to Dr. Kong. Eggs should be treated as supplemental to your dog’s diet. In other words, eggs should be offered only as an occasional treat—and not as a replacement for your dog’s regular food.
That’s because eggs’ high protein content can become problematic for some dogs, particularly ones with certain pre-existing conditions (e.g., kidney disease).
Likewise, eggs’ cholesterol content, while not an issue for most healthy dogs, may present challenges for pups dealing with pancreatitis or hyperlipidemia, Dr. Dench points out.
And in the interest of avoiding unwanted weight gain, eggs should be consumed by dogs in moderation. What stands as moderation for any given dog will depend upon their size, weight, and activity level, in addition to their health status and any pre-existing conditions.
Accordingly, the most cautious approach is to check with your vet before incorporating eggs into your dog’s diet. In the meantime, use these guidelines from Maria Baker, DVM, a veterinarian with Pet-How, as a starting point:
- Medium-size dogs and larger: 1 egg per day
- Small to medium-sized dogs: 1/2 egg per day
- Toy-size dogs: 1/4 egg per day
Can Dogs Eat Eggs Every Day?
Now that you’ve seen that cooked eggs can be a great addition to your dog’s meal plan, you might wonder if you should include them every day. While there are many benefits when prepared the right way, you should stick to feeding your furry friend eggs a few days a week.
Every day can be a lot, and the extra protein can cause your dog to become overweight if you’re not considering the extra calories the eggs add to your dog’s daily food. Talk to your vet about the right amount of egg to add to your dog’s diet.
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 12 minutes, depending on the size of the egg. Drain, then place the eggs in cold water for just a few minutes.
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 the 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.
How Often Can I Give My Dog Scrambled Eggs?
When it comes to how often dogs can eat scrambled eggs, this will really vary from dog to dog. Ideally, most dogs should only get a small serving of scrambled eggs a few times a week at most.
However, if your dog seems to tolerate it well without any gastrointestinal upset, there is nothing wrong with offering them eggs more often.
Just be sure that you are only offering them an amount that does not exceed 10% of their daily calorie intake, as offering more could lead to eventual weight gain.
Do Eggs Have Any Risks for Dogs?
Although eggs offer plenty of rewards, they can also pose risks. For instance, the yolk is high in fat, Dr. Shepherd says, so dogs who are sensitive to dietary fat like those with a history of pancreatitis shouldn’t eat egg yolks.
The yolk also has plenty of vitamin D, so you may want to avoid feeding yolks to dogs who have a history of calcium oxalate urinary stones or hypercalcemia (elevated calcium in the blood), Dr. Shepherd says. “This is because vitamin D positively influences dietary calcium absorption.”
It’s also important to consider how eggs factor into your dog’s recommended calorie intake. According to Dr. Shepherd, eggs shouldn’t exceed 10% of your dog’s daily calories. She adds that too many calories can lead to obesity and health issues like heart disease.
“If you’re thinking of incorporating eggs into your dog’s diet regularly, you might need to reduce the amount of treats or food they get to ensure they don’t have too many calories a day,” adds Dr. Scales-Theobald.
Aside from the extra calories and potential obesity risk, other health concerns related to eating eggs might include:
- Digestive upset: Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and gas, says Dr. Scales-Theobald. “Research has shown even two eggs at once can cause stomach upsets for a small dog and five can cause stomach upsets for a large breed dog.”
- Nutritional deficiencies: Eating too many eggs can contribute to an imbalanced diet. Dr. Scales-Theobald says this can lead to weight loss and nutritional deficiencies, which may have long-term health consequences.
