How to Cook Eggs for Dogs: 3 Vet-Approved Recipes & Safety Guide
By Misty Layne
Updated on
Many people love having eggs as part of their breakfast (or lunch or dinner). Eggs are delicious and nutritious, so they’re a great addition to any meal. But can they be a healthy addition to your dog’s diet? Yes, they can!
But to safely feed eggs to your favorite canine companion, you need to know how to properly prepare eggs for them. Otherwise, your pup could become ill. So, how do you cook eggs for a dog? Here are a few ways to do just that, along with all the information you need to know about eggs and dogs!
The 3 Simple Recipes to Cook Eggs for Dogs
Now that you have more information on safely feeding eggs to dogs, it’s time to learn how to cook those eggs! In truth, it doesn’t really matter how eggs are cooked for your pet, so long as they are cooked and not given raw. You’ll also want to avoid using any seasonings (oil, ketchup, salt, etc.). But below, you’ll find three ways to cook eggs for your pup.
1. Fried Eggs
You can quickly fry up an egg for your dog in minutes, but how do you do that with no butter or oil? By following these steps!
- Grab a non-stick pan and heat it on low or medium heat.
- Grab an egg, and crack it, then place it in the pan.
- Cook for 1–3 minutes (or until the egg’s edges have begun to look white).
- Turn the heat lower, then cover the pan.
- Continue cooking until the egg is entirely cooked.
- Once cooked, allow the egg to cool.
- Once cool, let your four-legged friend have it!
2. Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are a classic for a reason! Plus, cooking eggs for your dog this way is the easiest way since you can simply mix the eggs into your pet’s food or feed it to them as is. Here’s how to scramble some eggs for your pup.
- Crack eggs and whisk them.
- Put just a few drops of water into a non-stick pan.
- Pour your eggs into the pan.
- Cook eggs on medium heat.
- While the eggs cook, stir them so they are broken into pieces.
- Let the eggs cook thoroughly, then allow them to cool.
- Feed the eggs to your pup!
3. Boiled Eggs
Finally, you can boil eggs for your dog. This method is also excellent since you can easily mash them into your pet’s food or break the eggs into pieces for your dog. But boiled eggs take more time to cook than fried or scrambled.
- Place eggs into a medium-sized pot.
- Cover the eggs with water.
- Bring the pot to a boil.
- Once it boils, immediately turn off the heat.
- Put a lid on the pot, then wait 10–12 minutes for the eggs to cook.
- Once cooked, drain the water, then place the eggs into a bowl of ice water. Let sit for approximately 14 minutes.
- When the eggs have cooled, peel them and let your dog enjoy it!
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Can Canines Eat Raw Eggs?
First things first, you should know that it’s highly inadvisable to give your pup raw eggs. Why are raw eggs so bad for them? Well, they pose a potential danger for a handful of reasons that include the following:
- Raw eggs could have bacteria, resulting in an ill dog.
- Raw eggs have an enzyme called avidin; avidin can lead to malabsorption of Vitamin B or biotin deficiencies, and these can cause your pup to have problems with their skin and coat.
So, the number one thing to know when it comes to feeding your dog eggs is that eggs must always be cooked and never raw!
How Many Eggs Can I Give My Dog?
Eggs do offer your dog nutritional benefits, so it would make sense that they could have eggs often, right? However, you actually don’t want to give your pup too many eggs. Eggs have 70 calories apiece, which isn’t a lot for us, but dogs need far fewer calories than we do in their diets. So, if you give your pet too many eggs (particularly those pups that are small or medium breeds), the calories add up!
Instead of feeding your pup eggs indiscriminately, aim to replace 10% of your dog’s usual caloric intake with this food. So, when adding eggs to your pet’s diet, you’ll want to feed them less dog food; that way, your pet’s caloric intake will be balanced.
A Word of Caution
This word of caution won’t apply to all canines, but some dogs might be allergic to eggs. If you don’t know whether your pet has an egg allergy, you’ll want to start by giving your pup a small bite of egg. Wait for a period of time and check for signs of an allergic reaction (coughing, trouble breathing, sneezing, hives, lethargy). If there are none, feel free to give your pet more!
Conclusion
Eggs can make a delicious and nutritious addition to your dog’s diet and will probably be a food they love. Just keep in mind that you need to reduce the amount of dog food you give to your pet when you feed them eggs so their caloric intake is balanced. And remember to always cook eggs thoroughly before feeding them to your pup. It doesn’t matter how you cook the eggs, so long as you don’t use anything bad for your pet (such as oil or seasonings) when cooking them. But scrambling, frying, and boiling are probably the easiest methods of egg cooking.
Featured Image Credit: beernc29, Shutterstock
