As a dog owner, only you’re responsible for your dog’s diet. A conscious and caring approach can save your dog from human-friendly foods that can be toxic for him. So, if you see your dog’s drooling face next time when you’re enjoying fried eggs, then before tossing him a piece, you should know can dogs eat fried eggs?
The answer to this question is YES, but with some limitations too. A fried egg itself won’t cause any harm to your dog as it’s a protein-rich food that provides many essential amino acids. Eggs are helpful for dogs, but a fried egg is fried in butter and oil and thus accumulates some extra fats that can negatively impact your dog’s health.
Therefore, you should feed your dog cooked eggs, but it will be better to avoid fried eggs. If he occasionally eats fried eggs, that’s okay, but eating an egg regularly isn’t a healthy option for your dog.
To find out more about giving eggs to your dog, continue reading.
How Many Eggs Can Dogs Eat In A Day?
According to vets, you can give one egg each day to your dog. The important thing that should be kept in mind always is the 10% treat rule. It means that if your dog requires 100% proteins and calories to stay healthy and fit, then only 10% should come from eggs. The rest of the energy requirement should be fulfilled from other foods such as apples, broccoli, etc.
By following this rule, you’ll also notice a fast metabolism in your dog because he’ll get all the nutrients from the most suitable foods. If your dog doesn’t eat eggs, it’s better not to follow the 10% rule in the beginning.
Instead, start giving him a few eggs per week and see if your dog shows any symptoms or not. If he doesn’t suffer any stomach ache, you can easily increase the number up to the safe supplies.
But even if your dog doesn’t show any symptoms negative impacts of eating eggs, whole eggs are rich sources of carbohydrates and many other nutrients. The high amount of nutrients can cause an increase in weight, which can be problematic for your dog.
Is Cholesterol In Eggs Good Or Bad For Dogs?
You should never forget that you can’t apply the human codes to your dog. Humans and dogs are different creatures and thus respond differently to different things. Cholesterol is bad for humans but not for dogs. Unlike humans, dogs don’t develop any cholesterol-related disease by eating eggs.
Therefore, there is no need to feed your dog the egg white only. Your dog can eat egg yolk, even if it contains cholesterol.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Eggs?
No, according to experts, you can’t feed your dog raw eggs. Although many dog owners give raw eggs to their dogs, there are a few risks associated with that. Some of these include:
Salmonella
It’s a bacterium that is often linked with raw eggs. Dog owners who give their dogs raw eggs put them at the risk of contracting Salmonella that causes Salmonellosis. The symptoms of this bacterial infection include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, etc.
Biotin Deficiency
Raw eggs cause biotin deficiency due to the presence of an enzyme, avidin. This enzyme stops the absorption of biotin in your dog’s body. Biotin is an essential vitamin for your dog’s overall health as it supports healthy skin, cells, metabolism, and digestion. When eggs are cooked, the enzyme becomes denatured when exposed to high temperatures. So, in that case, it won’t interfere with the biotin absorption mechanism.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats Raw Eggs?
Either your dog has eaten a raw egg accidentally, or you’re planning to give him; in both cases, you should rush to a vet. Speak to him about the symptoms to ensure your dog’s safety. The symptoms, including the symptoms of Salmonellosis, are easy to observe if you’re careful enough.
Benefits Of Giving Eggs To Your Dog
Eggs, including fried eggs, are a good option to add to your dog’s diet due to the following reasons:
1. Plenty of protein
Like humans, proteins serve as the structural molecules in dogs. Eggs are rich sources of proteins that help to improve your dog’s health and stamina.
2. Biotin sources
Biotin or Vitamin B7 is essential for healthy skin and coat development in dogs. Egg yolk is a great source of biotin for your dog.
3. Rich in Vitamin D
For healthy bones and teeth, like humans, your dog also needs vitamin D. It’s a vital vitamin present in abundant amounts in the eggs.
4. Other important compounds
In addition to the nutrients mentioned above, eggs contain the following compounds that benefit your pup:
Pantothenic acid: creates energy at cellular levels
Riboflavin: turns fats into energy as well as improves your dog’s skin and coat’s health
Pyridoxine: useful for different metabolic processes
Vitamin B12: helps in the production of red blood cells
Side Effects Of Eggs For Your Dog
Everything with benefits has some side effects too. In the case of eggs, these include:
• Weight gain due to a high number of fats.
• Biotin deficiency due to raw eggs.
• Gas issues due to regular feeding of eggs.
• Stomach upset and allergic reactions (in some dogs).
Summary
When it comes to your dog’s food choices, don’t hesitate to think even thrice to make the right choice. If you’re lately thinking that can dogs eat fried eggs, then yes, you can give your dog fried eggs.
But not very often and if he shows the symptoms of the infection or allergies. Eggs aren’t suitable for all dogs, so if your dog becomes sick after eating eggs, take him to the vet immediately. You can give your dog 10% of the calories and proteins required daily in the form of eggs.
But make sure that your dog stays away from raw eggs, as they can cause a bacterial infection, Salmonellosis, and biotin deficiency. Apart from this, there are many benefits too, of feeding eggs to your dog.
Keeping those in mind, you can talk to your vet about the safe number of eggs for your dog and how to handle the side effects if any appear.