Can Dogs eat Raw Eggs? Raw Eggs for Dogs

Can dogs eat raw eggs? نعم! Raw eggs are one of the most complete sources of food. They’re highly useful to dogs and make for a terrific additional source of raw food.

Eggs can be added to a dog’s raw meat diet, especially if you’re trying to find a lot more variety in her bowl. They’re also a terrific nutritional booster for kibble-fed dogs and can lure picky eaters to eat.

Tip: Raw eggs are also a good economical first introduction to raw food if you’re seeking to transition your kibble-fed pet dog to a raw meat diet.

Raw eggs for dogs – which type can they eat?

Technically dogs can eat a variety of raw eggs, ranging from chicken to duck and quail, but the most common egg on the doggie menu would probably be the chicken egg.

You can feed your pet dog regular, non-organic eggs, but my personal preference is to feed raw organic chicken eggs. That’s because they come from healthy hens that spend time outdoors (= Vitamin D from the sunshine), eat organic feed and haven’t been fed a diet rich in antibiotics.

I either get my eggs from a local organic farm, or I get the organic kind from grocery stores. I don’t mind spending a few extra dollars on a better quality as I consider it an investment in my dogs’ (and my own!) health, and I also take pleasure in supporting local farms.

Maybe you are even lucky enough that you have your own chickens laying eggs!

The picture above features my late pup Missy (on the right) and her brother Buzz with raw chicken eggs, liver and feet we gotten at a local organic farm.

The benefits or raw eggs for dogs

As pointed out above, raw eggs are one of the most nutritious, complete foods because they’re rich in:

All vital amino acids (known as the building blocks of protein)
Iron, zinc, copper
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Vitamin A & D
Phosphorus & Calcium
B vitamins Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2) & Folate (B9)
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Collagen (in the eggshell membrane)

All of these make raw eggs terrific for:

Stimulating muscle growth, regeneration and wound healing
Regulating immune function
Promoting healthy skin & coat
Supporting joint health

Raw eggs are also terrific for weight loss because of their low calorie content and can easily replace treats. A large chicken egg only consists of about 70 calories.

How to feed your pet dog raw eggs

Dogs can have raw eggs 1-4 times per week, depending on their respective size.

A smaller pet dog can have 1-2 raw eggs per week, while a larger pet dog will do fine with 3-4 raw eggs per week.

Can dogs eat eggshells?
Yes, the eggshell can be fed as well if the eggs are organic and haven’t been treated with chemical sanitizers. It’s the part of the egg that’s rich in calcium and phosphorus, and it’s where you’ll find the eggshell membrane that boosts joint health.

That being said, eggshells are actually a respectable alternative for raw meaty bones, so if your pet dog is on a raw pet dog food diet and has trouble eating raw bones, try feeding eggshells!

I would add eggs to Missy’s & Buzz’s raw meals about 3 times per week. I’d either place a whole organic raw egg in their bowl or crack it open, but always including the shell.

If your pet dog doesn’t like larger chunks of eggshell, you can break it apart into tiny pieces and mix them in with your dog’s (raw) pet dog food.

Feeding the egg whole vs. cracking the egg

If you want to challenge your pet dog a little on a mental level, offer the raw egg whole rather than cracking it open for him. He’ll have to figure out how to eat it, which is a terrific boredom buster and interesting/fun to watch!

It may be a good idea to “play” the whole raw egg game outside on a grassy area to lessen clean up on your part!

The first time I used Missy & Buzz a whole raw egg, they pawed at it and pushed it around with their muzzles for several minutes before they finally just bit into it and ate it. It was humorous to enjoy and I regret not having video footage of the scenario!

Raw pet dog food recipes with raw eggs

The first picture features an organic whole raw egg, a chicken leg quarter, canned sardines and homemade turkey bone broth.

If you’ve ever fed your pet dog raw eggs, let me know in the comments if you usually feed the egg whole or cracked.

The second picture features an organic raw egg that I cracked open along with a duck wing, a chicken foot, beef oxlip, ground green tripe, ground beef lung, a secreting organ mix, turkey gizzards and pumpkin purée:

The third picture features an organic raw egg that I cracked open along with ground duck (from Darwin’s) and an air-dried lamb ear (from one of my favorite single ingredient pet dog treat subscription brands real pet dog Box):

Adding a cracked egg over a dog’s dry food – benefits

Like I briefly pointed out earlier, you don’t have to feed your pet dog a raw pet dog food diet in buy to be able to feed him or her raw eggs. If you’re a kibble feeder, you can certainly add a cracked egg over your dog’s dry food as well.

Your pup will reap the following benefits:

Improved skin health
Shinier coat
Great for a slow introduction to fresher foods
Low calorie food
Adds variety and nutrients

What’s terrific about it FOR YOU is that you can improve your dog’s dry food with a raw egg with little to no effort. After all, it’s raw!

Fried or scrambled eggs for dogs – benefits

That being said, it requires a lot more work for you to fry or scramble eggs for your pet dog than feeding them raw. but if you’re up for it, that’s ok too, and if you’re already cooking eggs for yourself, you might as well share some with your dog.

However, your pet dog will benefit less from eating fried or scrambled eggs than from raw eggs. That’s because cooking destroys a good amount of nutrients found in raw eggs.

Also, let the cooked eggs amazing off a little to make sure that your pup won’t burn his or her mouth when eating them. You also don’t need to add any salt to your dog’s eggs, so when you’re cooking eggs for both of you, it’s a good idea to cook your dog’s eggs first before you add salt and/or other spices to the pan.

Tip: This option is also terrific for picky eaters who won’t eat raw eggs.

Will my pet dog get sick from raw eggs?

It’s highly unlikely that your pet dog will get sick from eating raw eggs.

That’s because pet dog stomachs are equipped to manage bacteria present in raw food such as salmonella. They’re a lot a lot more acidic than our human stomachs, which indicates that their digestive systems can manage raw food without causing sickness.

The only time a pet dog may get sick from eating raw eggs or raw food in general is when his immune system is compromised, for example when he has cancer.

For a lot more information on this topic, see That Mutt’s post will my pet dog get sick from salmonella in raw or dry pet dog food?

Can puppies eat raw eggs?

Yep, you probably guessed it – puppies can eat raw eggs the same way adult dogs can.

They can get introduced to raw eggs once they’re 3 weeks old. between 3 weeks and 7-8 weeks of age, puppies still drink some of their mother’s milk, but they also start getting introduced to solid foods.

Raw-fed puppies
During the 3-8 week time frame, puppies who get introduced to raw pet dog food usually get a mix of raw goat milk, some slippery elm, a little fish oil, an egg and a little yogurt in addition to their mother’s milk.

By the time they’re 8 weeks old, they start getting introduced to regular raw pet dog food and can have about 2 raw eggs per week.

Kibble-fed puppies
Just like raw-fed puppies, those who are raised on kibble can start eating some raw eggs between 3-8 weeks of age. After that, they can have raw eggs mixed in with their dry food twice per week.

Have you fed your pet dog raw eggs?

Let us know in the comments below!

Barbara Rivers writes frequently for That Mutt. She is a blogger, raw feeder and pet dog walker and maintains the blog K9s Over Coffee. 

المنشورات ذات الصلة:

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5 common mistakes when feeding your pet dog raw