Can Dogs Eat Eggs?

Can dogs eat eggs? The ASPCA advises against raw eggs, which can carry Salmonella and hold a protein that can interfere with vitamin absorption. Merck's manual notes cooking destroys that protein. Plain, fully cooked egg can be a small extra for most healthy dogs.

Serve it with nothing added: no shell, no butter, no seasoning. If your dog has a diagnosed food allergy or eats a vet-prescribed diet, ask your vet first.

Eggs are one of the more useful foods you can share. The sections below explain why cooking matters so much, how much is sensible, and what to leave off the plate.

Are eggs good for dogs?

Eggs are a high-quality protein. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that egg has been given the highest biologic value of any protein, a measure of how well the body can use it. Meat and organ proteins come next, ahead of plant proteins.

A review in the journal Nutrients puts the protein at about 12.5 g per 100 g of whole egg. Egg yolk is also a good source of biotin, one of the B vitamins, according to Merck.

That doesn't mean your dog needs eggs. Merck notes that mineral deficiency is rare in dogs on well-balanced diets, so a complete and balanced food is doing the main work. Egg is an optional extra.

Can dogs eat raw eggs?

This is the part most worth getting right. The ASPCA advises against raw eggs for two reasons: bacteria, and a protein in the white that interferes with a vitamin.

The Salmonella question

The ASPCA warns that raw eggs can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can harm pets and people alike. The FDA notes that even fresh eggs with clean, uncracked shells may contain Salmonella.

Merck adds a detail worth knowing. Dogs are usually carriers of Salmonella without showing signs. Illness in dogs happens infrequently, but a dog can still shed the bacteria.

Merck also notes that shedding by pets has been linked to illness in people living in the same household. So raw egg in the dog bowl can be a risk for the people in your home as well as your dog.

The biotin question

Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin. Merck explains that it binds biotin and prevents it from being absorbed. Over time, the ASPCA says, this can lead to skin and coat problems.

Here's a remarkable detail. The Nutrients review describes the bond between avidin and biotin as the strongest known in nature between a protein and the molecule it holds onto.

The good news: Merck notes that cooking destroys avidin. That is the reason behind the advice to cook the white before it goes in the bowl.

How should I cook eggs for my dog?

The FDA's advice for eggs is to cook them until both the yolk and the white are firm. The same standard can apply to your dog's egg, since cooking is what deals with both raw-egg risks above.

• Hard-boiled and peeled, with nothing added.
• Scrambled, with no butter, oil, milk, salt or seasoning.

The ASPCA's advice for sharing cooked meats and vegetables is to keep them free of seasoning.

The WSAVA also lists onions, garlic, chives, leeks and shallots among food ingredients that are toxic to dogs, and they can turn up in omelets and other egg dishes. Our guide on can dogs eat garlic explains why.

The FDA says hard-cooked eggs keep in the fridge for up to a week, and advises washing your hands after handling raw egg.

What about eggshells?

Ask your vet before offering eggshell. The WSAVA advises avoiding hard items and items with sharp edges for dogs to chew, and raw shell carries the Salmonella question above.

If your vet thinks your dog needs extra calcium, they can recommend a measured source.

How much egg can a dog have?

Treat egg like any extra. The WSAVA says treats and extras should make up less than 10% of a dog's daily calories. The ASPCA sets a stricter target of 5% for snacks. Either way, the portion is small.

Eggs carry about 140 calories per 100 g, according to the Nutrients review, and a typical egg weighs around 60 g in the shell. Worked from those two figures, our estimate is roughly 70 to 80 calories for one whole egg.

The table below is also our estimate. It is worked from the daily energy formula in Merck's veterinary manual for a typical neutered adult dog, and shows the whole 10% allowance next to that egg estimate:

Dog's weight	Calories a day (estimate)	10% allowance (estimate)	Roughly equal to
10 lb (4.5 kg)	about 350	about 35	half an egg
22 lb (10 kg)	about 630	about 63	a little under one egg
50 lb (23 kg)	about 1,160	about 115	one and a half eggs
80 lb (36 kg)	about 1,660	about 165	two eggs

That allowance covers every extra in the day, not just egg, so the table is a ceiling, not a serving size. A formula is only a starting point. Your vet can tell you your own dog's calorie needs.

Can dogs be allergic to eggs?

A review in BMC Veterinary Research pooled food challenge results from 297 dogs with confirmed food allergies. Egg was the trigger in 11 of them, about 4%. So dogs can be allergic to egg, though it was not a common trigger.

Beef, dairy and chicken were the most common culprits in that review. Our guide on can dogs eat cheese covers the dairy side.

If your dog has a diagnosed food allergy or eats a vet-prescribed diet, ask your vet before adding egg, and ask how they would like a new food introduced.

Call your vet promptly if your dog:

• has diarrhea after eating raw egg, which Merck lists as a sign of Salmonella illness in dogs
• ate eggs cooked with onion, garlic, chives or leeks
• ate a baked good or dessert made with egg that also contained chocolate, xylitol or raisins, all on the WSAVA's toxic list

Questions new dog parents ask

Can dogs eat scrambled eggs?

The ASPCA's advice for cooked foods is to leave out the seasoning. Plain scrambled egg, cooked until firm with no butter, oil, milk or salt, can be a small extra for most healthy dogs.

Can dogs eat eggs every day?

The WSAVA keeps all extras under 10% of daily calories, and egg counts toward that. By our estimate from Merck's formula, the whole allowance for a 10 lb dog is about half an egg. Ask your vet whether a daily egg suits your dog.

Can puppies eat eggs?

Ask your vet first. Puppies need a complete and balanced diet for growth, and any extra counts toward the WSAVA's 10% limit.

Are eggs or fruit a better snack?

Both can work in small amounts, and both count toward the 10% allowance. Our guide to what fruits can dogs eat covers which fruits can be shared and which to avoid.

Sources

• Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Salmonellosis in Animals
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
• ASPCA: Sharing Is Caring: Foods You Can Safely Share with Your Pet
• FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg Safety
• WSAVA: Feeding Treats to Your Dog
• Réhault-Godbert S, Guyot N, Nys Y. The Golden Egg: Nutritional Value, Bioactivities, and Emerging Benefits for Human Health. Nutrients, 2019
• Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P. Common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research, 2016

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own dog — they know the animal in front of them.

Choolip products are food supplements, not medicine. They are not intended to diagnose or manage any medical condition. If your dog has been diagnosed with a condition, their diet should be set by your vet.