Can dogs eat egg shells?

Many dog owners ask can dogs eat egg shells? The short answer is Yes, but before you let your pup eat them, there are some things you should know!

Dogs in the wild eat whole eggs that they raid from nests, and also eat prey animals’ bones. Many dogs don’t get to eat bones, even though they are an important part of their diet cause they are rich in calcium and phosphorus, so eggshells help balance that.

Eggshells are perfectly safe for dogs. Actually they are a great source of calcium, which is essential for healthy strong bones and teeth. (It’s important to incorporate calcium in your dog’s diet). So if your dog ate an eggshell, it’s fine and you don’t have to worry about it.

But! the thing to remember about egg shells is that dogs do not digest the eggshell, you might see white flecks in their stool.. That is why in order to properly feed eggshells to your dog you must grind it to a very fine consistent powder (e.g in a coffee grinder), and mix it with your dog’s food, so he can benefit from its nutrients. Also it’s better to roast those shells before grinding to minimize contamination chances.

However, If you’re extra paranoid, you can buy the Animal Essentials Seaweed Calcium which is totally safe for dogs, check it on Amazon here. Also, we recommend the best seller Multivitamin Supplement for dogs 4 in 1  For not only the calcium but also some Vitamins, Omegas 3, 6, and 9, minerals, glucosamine and chondroitin.

How many eggshells to give your dog?

Don’t give him too much eggshells as they can lead to diarrhea. One egg a day should be fine. 

One teaspoon of ground egg shell which is about one egg shell, will give approximately 2000 milligrams of calcium.

Can dogs eat raw eggs?

There are many dog owners thinking and stating that feeding dogs raw eggs is dangerous and can cause many health problems. But when talking pet or dog nutrition, it’s always helpful to see what other dogs do in the wild. Wild dogs known to eat raw eggs, which is a natural feeding behavior. So can dogs eat raw eggs? Yes absolutely!

Some other myths and misconceptions about feeding dogs raw eggs, such as health ranging from high cholesterol levels to the risk of bacterial infections, salmonella for example.

In fact, the only possible risk from feeding your dog raw eggs is that a compound called avidin (which is found in raw egg white) can cause a biotin deficiency in dogs (vitamin B7), which can cause skin problems, including dry, flaky skin, excessive shedding, and intense scratching or biting at the skin leading to bald areas. Inhibited cell growth and inhibited fatty acid metabolism are other symptoms of the biotin deficiency.

But this can only happens if you are feeding you dog about 7 to 10 raw eggs per day what can’t be possible! Plus the egg yolk actually contain high levels of biotin, so if you’re feeding raw eggs, the yolk should cover and balance the effect of the avidin in the egg white!

How much raw eggs to feed my dog?

You can likely serve your dog a raw egg from time to time without any problems, 2 or 3 raw eggs per week should be fine.

Eggs are full of protein, plus they’ve all the amino acids that dogs need for their health, eggs are also high in iron, vitamins (vitamin A, B2 and B12). But cooking destroys a lot of nutrition that’s in eggs. It’s also perfectly safe to feed cooked eggs, but if you want to deliver maximum nutritional benefit, it’s better to serve them raw eggs! and while a raw egg may sound unpalatable to you, dogs love them!

And of course, if you notice your dog having any digestive issues when feeding raw eggs to him, stop feeding the eggs and consult your vet.

What about bones? Are they safe for dogs to eat?

Sometimes a bone can be very dangerous, but if you’re well informed and you follow some simple rules, bones can be safe and even good for your doggy.

Bones are a good source of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, vitamins and other nutrients. They help satisfy your dog’s appetite. Also chewing stimulates saliva enzymes and helps prevent gum disease and plaque buildup on teeth.

Cooked bones should always be off limits. They become fragile and easily break into sharp shards that can cause choking and a lot of damage when they pass through your dog’s mouth, throat and gastrointestinal tract. That’s why never feed your dog cooked bones.

Raw bones are generally safer than cooked bones, cause as we said cooking causes bones to soften and increases the risk of bones splintering when chewed, and cooking also removes the nutrition contained in bones, so raw bones are rich of minerals and vitamins than cooked ones.

We recommend picking a raw thick bone rather than small or narrow bones! A bone that is bigger than your dog’s mouth. Bones of this size will allow your dog to gnaw while helping to reduce the chances that your dog will break off and swallow a chunk of bone that can be harmful to him.

Don’t feed small narrow bones that can be swallowed whole or pose a choking risk, or bones that have been cut, such as a leg bone. Cut bones are more likely to break.

Are Chicken Bones, Turkey Bones and Pork Bones safe?

Can dogs eat chicken turkey pork bones? NO, all these bones are small, this can cause your dog to choke from bones getting caught in his throat. Especially when cooked, they are easy to break and splinter.

Severe cases, the sharp splintered bones can injure your dog’s gastrointestinal tract, which not only can cause extreme pain and infection but can also lead to death if not treated immediately.

Are beef bones safe for dogs?

Many dog owners ask can dogs eat beef rib bones and steak bones? Yes, as long as they’re big and large. Beef and steak bones are naturally harder than most other types of animal bones, making them more difficult for dogs to break down.

Finally, always keep an eye on your dogs when they are chewing on bones, even if they are chewing a raw bone, cause you never know!

Here are a few other hand picked articles for you to read next:
Can dogs eat cloves?
Can I give my dog yogurt everyday?