Why can t dogs eat raw eggs

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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Can Dogs Eat Eggs?

Many pet parents wonder which human foods are good for their pets. A common question that I get from pet parents at my animal hospital is: Can dogs eat eggs?

Heres everything you need to know about the nutritional value of eggs for dogs.

Are Eggs Good for Dogs? Can Dogs Eat Cooked Eggs?

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.

Can Puppies Eat Eggs?

Yes, puppies can eat eggs. Eggs offer the same nutritional value for puppies as they do for adult dogs.

Are Raw Eggs Good for Dogs?

There is no nutritional benefit in feeding raw eggs to dogs.

There is, however, the risk of your dog contracting Salmonella infection from a raw egg. This bacterial infection can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

For more information on egg safety, please refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;this information on Salmonella applies to people and animals.

Can Some Dogs Be Allergic to Eggs?

Dogs tend to be allergic to proteins in food. Since eggs have protein, dogs can become allergic to eggs.

Signs that your dog is having an allergic reaction include gastrointestinal (GI) issues like vomiting and diarrhea. Sometimes they can have skin issues like itchiness around the ears, paws, and other areas.

If you see any of these signs, seek help from your local veterinarian. For more information about food allergies in dogs, please refer to Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University.

Why Are Eggs Good for Dogs? What Are the Health Benefits?

Each part of a cooked egg offers health benefits for dogs: the egg yolk, eggshell, and egg white.

Egg Yolks Contain Fatty Acids and Vitamins

Dogs need fatty acids and vitamins, and egg yolks provide both.

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are concentrated in the egg yolk.

Fatty acids are consumed as saturated and unsaturated fats in a dogs diet. A dogs body breaks down the fat, and it is absorbed through the GI tract.

Once inside, fatty acids are used to build and maintain body cells.

Fatty acids also provide a delivery system for fat-soluble vitamins. Dogs are not predisposed to heart disease like people, so we dont worry about their cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamins are consumed as water-soluble and fat-soluble nutrients in a dogs diet.

Vitamins serve as catalysts and building blocks in metabolism, immune function, growth, and development.

These vitamins are concentrated in the egg yolk:

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folic acid
Choline

Eggshells Contain Necessary Minerals

Minerals are also necessary for dogs, and theyre consumed as salts in a dogs diet.

They serve as catalysts and building blocks in metabolism, immune function, growth, and development.

These nutrients are concentrated in eggshells but also found in egg whites and yolks:

Calcium
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium
Chloride
Iron
Copper
Zinc
Manganese
Selenium
Iodine

Egg Whites Provide Amino Acids

Dogs need amino acids. Amino acids are consumed as meat and plant-based protein in a dogs diet.

A dogs body breaks down the protein, and it is absorbed through the GI tract. Once inside, the protein is used to build and maintain muscles.

These nutrients are concentrated in the egg white:

Arginine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine

How Much Egg Can a Dog Eat?

Eggs can be great as special treats for your dog.

The average egg contains 60 calories and has roughly 6 grams of protein and 4 milligrams of fat.

To figure out how much to feed your dog, you should talk with your veterinarian. The appropriate serving size of eggs as treats for your dog will depend on a variety of factors, including:

Size
Age
Activity level
Existing health issues

How to Feed Eggs to Your Dog

The safest way to feed eggs to your dog is to hard boil them and chop them up. Its safest to feed eggs to your dog immediately after cooking.

Store eggs at 40F when raw and boil eggs at 160F to properly cook them. If youre not serving them right away, it is recommended to refrigerate them at 40F until ready to serve.

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Can dogs eat raw eggs?

Eggs are highly nutritious food, providing a vast range of highly digestible protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. An egg can be a healthy treat, each one providing 60 calories, with 6g or protein and 4 mg of fat. We have to be aware of canine calorie intake as dogs need fewer calories than we do; so adding treats to a balanced, complete diet can lead to obesity. But what about raw eggs?

The controversy over the feeding of raw eggs centres in the danger of bacterial contamination as opposed to any potential nutritional benefit lost by cooking. There is no evidence of nutritional benefit from feeding raw eggs, but there may be some degradation in vitamins and mineral content. It is possible that the egg protein is more digestible when cooked, this was found in one small human study that measured digestibility ⁽¹⁾. The danger of bacterial contamination is also sparsely corroborated. Although individual dogs have suffered disease from contaminated eggs, there have been no major outbreaks in dogs. Dogs have eaten raw eggs for centuries and the majority have not succumbed to severe disease. We will look further at the risk of bacterial contamination.

Major bacteria

Salmonella is the foremost culprit in bacterial contamination of raw eggs ^(2,3). Another bacteria, E. coli, may also be involved. Both bacteria can cause gastrointestinal disease ranging from mild nausea and abdominal discomfort to profuse vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Initially, dogs may appear lethargic, lose their appetite and appear depressed. They may then develop a high temperature, vomiting and diarrhoea. Dogs with underlying conditions that suppress their immune systems, puppies and old dogs are more likely to contract severe disease if they eat a contaminated egg. Both diseases are zoonotic, so can be spread to humans through an infected dogs faeces, vomit or saliva. Immunosuppressed people will also suffer severe disease.

If you suspect your dog has contracted salmonella or E. coli infection

First, contact your vet and pay special attention to hygiene. Wash your hands after handling your dog or their excreta. Wear gloves when cleaning up after them. Handle food, water bowls and toys carefully to avoid becoming infected. Disinfect any areas which have been contaminated with vomit or diarrhoea. Severely affected dogs will need hospitalisation, intravenous fluid therapy and may need antibiotic therapy to prevent sepsis.

So what should I do?

As bacterial infection is possible, it may be safer to feed cooked egg. Perhaps chop up a recently boiled hard boiled egg or scrambled egg with no fat or spices added. If you want to feed raw eggs, then feeding one or two carefully sourced and handled eggs a week is unlikely to harm a healthy dog.

How should I store eggs?

Eggs should be stored below 20⁰C as this reduces the growth of the bacteria. This temperature also preserves the yolk membrane, so fewer bacteria transfer into the rich food source of the yolk. Temperature fluctuations encourage bacterial growth and penetration through the shell and egg membrane. Eggs should also be brought to room temperature before cooking. Cracked and dirty eggs should not be used as the bacterial load may be higher. Most large-scale commercial egg producers in the UK adhere to a strict code of practice which virtually eliminates salmonella. However, some eggs sold in the UK are imported and bought by wholesalers. These eggs may not be subject to the same controls. Sourcing your eggs from a free range, high welfare source protects the welfare of the hens and reduces the possibility of poor standards encouraging salmonella contamination.

The nutritional bits

Egg white contains avidin which inhibits the availability of a useful vitamin, biotin (B7). Egg yolks contain high levels of biotin so feeding a whole egg probably negates this effect. A single egg fed infrequently will not cause biotin deficiency (which results in poor skin and coat quality). However, you may need to monitor your dog if eggs make up a large part of their diet.

Feeding a lot of eggs can result in a particularly unpleasant side effect, flatulence. Introduce eggs carefully and slowly into a dogs diet to reduce this eye-watering effect. Egg allergy is possible in the dog but rare.

What about the shells?

Some people advocate feeding eggshell as a source of calcium for your dog. It is important for your dogs health that they receive a balanced complete food so they should not require extra calcium in their diet. Supplementing calcium during pregnancy can lead to eclampsia post-whelping which is a severe disease resulting from calcium deficiency. If a pregnant bitch is given supplementary calcium her body will not manage her own calcium levels and when the pups are born she will not be able to maintain her blood calcium levels and develop tremors, seizures and a slow heart rate, this is rapidly fatal if untreated. If you do want to feed eggshell to your dog it is best to grind it in a coffee grinder or blender so that he shards do not cause oral injury.

In conclusion

Cooked eggs are safer for dogs as any contaminating bacteria are killed. However, the risk of feeding a raw egg to a healthy dog infrequently is very small. Careful food hygiene and storage reduces the chance of contamination. Consider this more carefully if your dog is unwell, very young or old. Also, consider your health status and that of other family members and pets.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs? Vet-Reviewed Facts & Safety Guide

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Learn more

Some pet parents enjoy giving their dogs human food. However, high-quality dog food typically supplies dogs with all the nutrients that they need to stay healthy, and some human food is harmful to canines. In fact, you should never feed your dog raw eggs, primarily due to the risk of Salmonella infection that can make your dog very unwell. Although some dogs consume a raw diet, raw eggs should never be on the menu. Well discuss why you shouldnt feed your pet raw eggs and much more below.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs?

Eggs can contain a variety of bacteria that are removed during the cooking process, and the most well-known is Salmonella. For this reason, it is always better not to take the risk, and feed your dogs cooked rather than raw eggs.

Salmonella

Salmonella is a bacteria which can be present in fresh eggs, even in those with clean, uncracked shells. As with us humans, usually the first sign that appears from a foodborne illness caused by Salmonella is gastroenteritis. Signs include abdominal pain, diarrhea containing blood, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Unwell, young and old dogs are more likely to suffer from serious disease if they eat a contaminated egg.

E. Coli

coli, another bacteria, is also a potential risk. Both E coli and Salmonella are zoonotic. This means they can be spread to humans through an infected dogs feces, vomit and saliva.

Biotin Deficiency

Biotin is a water soluble B vitamin, also known as B7. It has important roles in maintaining healthy skin, supporting cell growth and metabolism.

Eating raw egg whites frequently can lead to the avidin in the egg whites binding the biotin together. When the avidin tightly binds the biotin together, it becomes unusable, leading to biotin deficiency. Biotin deficiency can cause hair loss, flaky skin, loss of appetite, a slowed rate of growth, a dull coat, lethargy, and skin lesions. However, it would take a steady diet of raw egg whites to cause biotin deficiency, which you shouldnt be feeding your dog to begin with. Cooking denatures avidin so cooked eggs do not cause the same problems.

What to do if Your Dog Has Salmonella or an E. Coli Infection

Carefully follow your vets instructions if your dog has been diagnosed with Salmonella or E. coli. Both can spread quickly and easily to both humans and other pets, so you should be very careful. Wash your hands thoroughly after every time you handle your pet. You should wear gloves when clearing up after them and when handling water bowls, toys, or anything else that comes into contact with your dogs mouth. Carefully disinfect these items and any that have come into contact with your dogs feces or vomit. Dogs that are severely affected may have to be hospitalized and undergo treatment.

Can Dogs Eat Cooked Eggs?

Dogs can eat eggs, and theyre good for them. Eggs are filled with protein, amino acids, and fatty acids, making them a healthy snack that most dogs love. They can be fed scrambled ( without any additional oil or seasonings) or hard boiled.

Feeding too many eggs can lead to health problems like obesity. In general, its best to only serve an egg once a week to prevent weight gain and rely on quality balanced dog food as the primary source of your pets nutrition.

Photo Credit: K Suwattarakul, Shutterstock

Final Thoughts

As you can see, feeding raw eggs to your canine pal is not without risks and can make them very sick. If you want to feed your dog eggs, it is safest to serve cooked eggs as an occasional treat. Eggs contain healthy protein and other nutrients, but theyre too high in fat to serve regularly to your pup. Before adding cooked eggs to your dogs diet, check with your veterinarian to ensure its okay. Dogs on special or restricted diets may not be able to eat eggs.