Are cooked eggs good for dogs?

Can Dogs Eat Eggs?

Yes, they can. For us humans, eggs are an exceptional source of protein, essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins – the same goes for dogs.

Let’s be real, «human» food always looks pretty appetising to dogs. They’re always sniffing out whatever it is you’re eating. But when it comes to the health benefits of eggs, their doggy senses are 100% correct.

Eggs can be a delicious, healthy addition to your dog’s diet as well as your own. Essentially the entire egg (including the eggshell) can offer amazing nutritional benefits for our four-legged friends.

Remember, eggs are readily available, easily digestible and a complete food source – not to mention quick to prepare and inexpensive!

But how do you serve them up to your dog? Well, for starters, on a plate of course.

How To Feed Eggs To Your Dog

Eggs should be always be cooked before given to your dog. Cook or boil the eggs plain without oil, butter, salt, or any other additives.

We suggest making scrambled eggs, as it’s much easier for your dog to digest and can provide quick access to the protein dogs need for maintaining lean muscle and energy. But again, keep them plain.

Are Eggs Good For Dogs?

Eggs are not only a perfectly safe food source for dogs – they offer much in the way of nutritional benefits. Aside from being rich in protein, eggs are also a great source of linoleic acid, Vitamin B2 and B12 and water-soluble Vitamin A – all of which are wonderful for your dog’s skin and coat.

Can I Feed My Dog Raw Eggs?

No. We do not recommend feeding raw or undercooked eggs to your dog. The safest way to serve eggs to dogs is to ensure they are always cooked. Stick with boiled, scrambled or fried eggs.

Just like humans, dogs share the same potential risks in contracting Salmonella if consuming raw or undercooked foods.

How Many Eggs Can A Dog Eat?

It’s widely recommended that most dogs should not be given more than one full egg per day. Eggs should never be the sole source of protein for your dog, much like dog food contains other much-needed nutrients for a healthy, balanced diet. Think of them more like a treat.

To determine exactly how many eggs you can feed your dog, it’s best to consult with your local veterinarian. A safe serving size of eggs for your dog will depend on a variety of factors, including:

Age
Size
Breed
Activity level
Existing medical conditions

Are Egg Shells Good For Dogs?

Yes, they are. In fact, a boiled egg is a great meal for a dog. Shell included. However, always be sure to break the egg up a little first to ensure it’s not a choking hazard.

Egg shells are actually filled with calcium so they can be a great source of additional nutrients for your dog. Plus, the shells are also great for dogs who have difficulty chewing bones. For safety though, always ensure the shells have been cooked/boiled first, as raw eggshells can still pose a salmonella risk.

Once boiled, simply grind up the shells up and sprinkle, or stir them through your dog’s food.

Can puppies eat eggs, nuts and dairy?

Dave is Clinical Director at Bath Vet Group and Natures Vet in Somerset.

He lives near Frome with his wife, their two children and their ginger cat, Baker.

Registered with

BSc BVMS MBA (Open) MRCVS

Since qualifying from Murdoch University in 1993, Sarah has worked as a vet in the UK since 1994. She’s a general practitioner and has specialist interests in emergency medicine, behaviour and client relations.

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You’ve just got a new puppy and want to give them a tasty treat once in a while.

Let’s take a look at some of the most-searched ‘Can my puppy eat…’ queries on the web.

This time, the focus is eggs, nuts and dairy!

Navigate this article:

Before we start… A minimum of 90% of your puppy’s diet should consist of specially designed puppy food. You should only feed your dog human snacks once in a while, and snacks should take up no more than 10% of their daily diet. That goes for the safe and harmless human snacks, of course. Many human snacks, including chocolate (milk, white and dark), grapes and xylitol (found in sugar-free treats) are poisonous to dogs. Before treating your dog to human food, make sure you do your research first to see if it’s safe.

Can puppies eat raw eggs?

No. Absolutely not.

Raw egg is a common source of Salmonella. Eating raw egg would put a puppy or dog at risk in much the same way as humans.

Can puppies eat scrambled eggs?

Yes! Puppies can eat cooked eggs, so long as they’re cooked thoroughly.

Cooked eggs are a great snack for puppies. They’re a good and efficient source of protein, linoleic acid and Vitamin A — often helping to keep dogs’ skin and coat in tip-top condition.

An average egg contains 78 calories each, and up to 6 grams of protein. Eggs also are a good source of other nutrients, including vitamin D (which aids bone health and the immune system) and choline (which helps metabolism and liver function, as well as foetal brain development). Egg yolks are also proven to reduce the risk of cataracts (blurry vision) in dogs.

When feeding cooked egg to your puppy, take care to avoid cooking your eggs with fatty oils. Boiled eggs are a way better option. Avoid weight gain by letting your puppy enjoy only a small amount of cooked egg on rare occasions.

Can puppies eat nuts?

Some nuts are toxic to dogs and can induce vomiting, depression and hyperthermia… others aren’t toxic, but it’s best to keep nuts away from your puppy at all times, just to be safe.

Nuts are high in fat — even the unsalted type. They’re also a choking hazard for our furry friends.

Nuts are a great snack for humans, what with their high protein and fibre content, but they’re best reserved for humans and humans alone.

Can puppies have peanut butter?

Puppies can eat some types of peanut butter, but not all.

Some peanut butter contains xylitol — a type of sweetener that’s found in lots of sugar-free products. Xylitol is highly toxic to puppies, so make sure you check the label thoroughly. If your peanut butter contains xylitol, it should be avoided at all times.

Peanut butter that doesn’t contain xylitol is a tasty treat for puppies indeed, but it’s high in calories and high in fat, so make sure it’s given as a rare treat only.

Can puppies eat cheese?

Some, but not others. Dogs can eat the following cheeses:

Hard (i.e. cheddar)
Squeezy
Cottage

Plain cheeses like cheddar and cottage cheese are great to use while training. Feed them in small amounts to avoid weight gain, but you should find that, especially while teaching more complex tricks like roll over, cheese can be a great motivator because your puppy LOVES the taste of it.

Avoid blue cheeses because they contain a substance known as roquefortine, which can cause vomiting and stomach upsets. Secondly, you’ll want to avoid feeding cheese altogether if your new dog is lactose intolerant, obese, overweight or suffering from stomach problems or kidney problems (leading to renal disease).

If you need more advice, get in touch with your local vet — they’ll be happy to advise further.

Can puppies have cows’ milk?

In small doses yes, but cows’ milk is not essential to a balanced diet.

If you do decide to feed your puppy milk, make sure you feed them only a small amount — a few tea-spoonfuls will be more than enough. High-fat snacks like milk and dairy should be fed as rare treats and should not substitute your puppy’s healthy, vet-approved diet.

If your puppy is lactose intolerant, you’ll want to avoid letting your dogs drink milk altogether.

If your dog responds well to dairy-based snacks, especially while training, cheddar cheese might be a better option because it’s easier to feed in small doses. Once again, just make sure your puppy doesn’t over-indulge on high-fat dairy products.

Can puppies eat ice cream?

No. If milk is a little close to the line, ice cream is one step over it. Ice cream brings all the problems associated with milk, plus added sugar — which can lead to weight gain — and the threat of chocolate or xylitol, which are highly poisonous.

Your puppy wouldn’t necessarily always be in danger from having a small amount of ice cream but because of the associated risks, this snack is best left for humans and humans alone.

If you want to treat your dog on a hot summer’s day, try giving them an ice cube. Not only is this treat simple, affordable and risk-free, your puppy will love it too!

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