Eggs are a nutritious (and tasty) part of our breakfasts, so you might wonder if they can be a nutritious part of your dog’s diet, too. And the answer is yes, they can! However, you need to purchase pasteurized in-shell eggs or know how to cook eggs properly for your pup so they don’t get sick from them.
But what sorts of egg recipes can you whip up for your pet? Here are a few recipes, along with everything else you need to know about cooking eggs for your dog, all in one handy guide!
Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs?
Before you begin, you should be aware that unless you purchase pasteurized in-shell eggs, it is highly advised not to feed your dog raw eggs. Why is that? Raw eggs could be potentially dangerous for your pet for a few reasons.
- A raw egg could have Salmonella, which would then infect your pup.
- Raw eggs contain avidin, which is an enzyme that can lead to biotin deficiencies or malabsorption of vitamin B, resulting in issues with your dog’s skin and coat.
- Expired eggs might contain bacteria that will make your dog sick.
So, the most important thing to know about feeding eggs to your pup is that you should purchase pasteurized in-shell eggs or for safety, cook them!
How Much Egg Can My Dog Eat?
While eggs are nutritious and will benefit your dog’s diet, you don’t want to overfeed them to your pet. Eggs only have 70 calories, which isn’t much for us, but because canines require fewer calories, too many eggs given to your dog (especially small and medium breeds) could really add some calories to their diet! A good rule of thumb for feeding your pet eggs is that eggs can replace up to 10% of their normal caloric intake; so, if you do feed your dog eggs, give them less regular dog food to balance things out.
Eggs & Allergies
This won’t be the case for all pups, but some canines could be allergic to eggs. If you’ve never fed your dog eggs before, start with a small bite and check for any allergic reactions before giving them more.
Common signs of food allergies in dogs include digestive disturbances, such as vomit or diarrhea, and itchy skin, paws, or ears. Signs of a specific food causing anaphylaxis reaction include lethargy, swelling, hives, coughing, sneezing, and trouble breathing.
3 Egg Recipes for Dogs
Essentially, when cooking eggs for your pet, the method in which you cook them doesn’t matter so much as whether they are cooked well and done plain (so, no oils, seasonings, ketchup, etc.). Here are three ways you can make eggs for your dog, though.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambling some eggs up for your dog is the best and easiest method of cooking eggs because you can feed them straight to your pet or mix them in with their regular food. Here’s how to cook eggs in this way.
- Whisk eggs.
- Sprinkle a touch of water in a pan, then pour in the eggs.
- Cook on medium heat.
- As the eggs cook, stir and break them into pieces.
- Once cooked thoroughly, let the eggs cool before giving them to your dog.
Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are also excellent because you can either break them into pieces to feed to your pet or mash them into your dog’s food. They do require a bit more time to make, though.
- Put eggs into a medium pot, then completely cover them with cold water.
- Bring water to a boil.
- As soon as the water is boiling, turn off the stove eye.
- Cover the pot, then let eggs sit for 10–12 minutes to fully cook.
- When the eggs are cooked, drain them and put in a bowl with ice water for around 14 minutes.
- Peel the eggs and feed them to your dog!
Fried Egg
Finally, you can fry an egg up for your pet (but you’ll have to do it without oil or butter). Here’s how to fry an egg without the bad-for-your-pup stuff.
- Heat a non-stick pan on low to medium heat.
- Crack an egg into the pan.
- Cook the egg for 1–3 minutes until the edges of the egg turn white.
- Cover the pan and turn the heat down a bit.
- Cook until the egg (including the yolk) is cooked through.
Conclusion
Eggs can be an excellent (occasional) addition to your dog’s diet as they’re very nutritious.
However, you need to guarantee that any eggs that you cook for your pup are either pasteurized in-shell or cooked to avoid Salmonella or other bacterial issues. Three great ways to cook eggs for your dog are to either scramble them, boil them, or fry them up—just keep in mind you shouldn’t use any seasonings, butter, or oil! Any way you decide to cook eggs, though, will be a way your dog will enjoy it!
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Featured Image Credit: akirEVarga, Pixabay
