Can Dogs Eat Egg Shells? What If Your Dog Ate Eggshells?

First Was the Egg: Are Eggs Good for Dogs?

People have been cooking and eating eggs in various forms for thousands of years – in fact, they’re probably one of the most versatile foods mother nature has to offer. Before we even go on to discuss the possibility of feeding eggshells to dogs, we must ask this first: are eggs good for dogs at all? The short answer is yes.

Eggs can be a great source of many indispensable nutrients, including:

• protein;
• calcium;
• vitamin D;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• selenium.

As such, they can be a part of a balanced diet for dogs. But can dogs eat egg shells? Read on to find out!

Raw Eggs Can Be Bad for Dogs

As good of an ingredient as eggs can be in your dog’s diet, you definitely want to make sure that the egg is appropriately prepared before serving it to your dog. Beware of feeding your dog raw eggs, as they can have bacteria and pose a high risk of food poisoning in your pooch.

Safe ways you can serve eggs to your dog include:

• Hard-boiled: The most common method is to cut hard-boiled eggs into digestible pieces and feed the pieces directly to your dog.
• Scrambled: You can mix them together with dog food for an easy, protein-loaded meal.
• Omelet: These can be tricky, as most omelet recipes contain a bunch of additional ingredients like sugar, spices, mushrooms etc. Just make sure you limit yourself to eggs only, and you’re good!

Cooking eggs thoroughly will get rid of bacteria like salmonella, making them safe for your dog to consume. Whichever of those processed versions you choose, make a point of ensuring that they don’t contain added salt or fats.

Can Dogs Eat Egg Shells, in General?

You now know that eggs themselves are safe, but can dogs eat egg shells? Eggshells seem to be the ultimate eco-friendly gadget everyone has in their kitchen. They prove to have multiple uses in the household, with some people recycling them into mulch or plant fertilizer. Just like the egg itself, the shell is a potent source of calcium and all the other good stuff that can be found in the other parts of the egg.

It’s natural that you may wonder if you can make use of it by adding eggshells to your furry friend’s diet. Can dogs eat egg shells at all? Yes, dogs can eat eggshells, BUT if served in the wrong way, they can actually be life-threatening. Read on to find out more!

Eggcellent Source of Calcium, Protein and More

Here are some benefits of adding eggshells to a canine’s diet:

• Not only do eggshells provide calcium, which can strengthen your dog’s teeth and bones, but they also contain protein in their lining.
• Eggshells can help to absorb liquids, which results in firmer stools.
• They can even serve as a mild appetite stimulant for dogs who suffer from reduced food intake due to dental diseases or other factors.
• Eggshells act as a natural breath freshener by removing bad odors from the mouth.

So what’s the issue with feeding them to your dog? There are two problems, actually.

Don’t Serve Raw Egg Whites or Shells!

Here’s the thing – eggshells can contain salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. If a dog ingests raw eggshells, they can become very sick. So how to kill any bacteria that may be present on the shells? Simply peel them from boiled eggs and grind them into a fine powder.

Don’t Serve Whole Egg Shells!

The other issue is that eggshells are made of hard minerals such as calcium carbonate. Too much of it can cause your dog’s stomach to produce excess acid. This can lead to a range of health problems, such as diarrhea and bloody stool.

Can dogs eat egg shells? Yes, but only as an addition to their normal dog food. They shouldn’t be served whole or in pieces. They’re sharp and have the potential to harm your dog’s digestive system, so make sure you grind them into a fine powder before serving.

Safe Ways to Feed Your Dog Eggshells

There are a few ways you can give your dog eggshells, with varying degrees of difficulty.

• One way is to simply crush the eggshell into small pieces using a mortar and pestle. The eggshell can then be added to the food bowl and fed as a “topping” to the dog’s meal.
• Another way eggshells can be given is by grinding them up using an egg beater or a mixer. This also helps to produce eggshell powder that can easily be mixed into the food.
• Eggshells should not be ground using a coffee grinder since these tend to get clogged very easily and will not work as effectively. Coffee grinders were designed for grinding beans, which are smaller and more solid than eggshells, so eggshell powder will be hard to produce.
• There are also commercial eggshell products which are produced specifically for dogs. These eggshell supplements can be added directly to the dog’s food bowl, and they are already ground up into a fine powder, making them easy to digest.

Let’s Sum It Up: Can Dogs Eat Eggshells?

Dogs can eat eggshells, but should do so in moderation. Eggshells are full of necessary nutrients and are usually safe for dogs that don’t have egg protein allergies or sensitivities, but they can cause serious stomach upset if not properly ground up.

Pros and Cons of Eggshells for Dogs

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