# How many eggs is too many?



## OzChi

My dogs are crazy about eggs. They would eat them everyday if they could. They practically do backflips as soon as egg hits the frying pan. At the moment they get a scrambled egg to share between the two of them about every 2nd day. I'm wondering if this is too much since eggs are high in fat? The rest of their diet is primarily made up of raw kangaroo mince which is very lean (nutritionally almost identical to venison) with a few raw chicken wings a week too. I don't want to take their treat away but I also know too much of a good thing can be no good at all - what do you nutrition experts think?


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## ~LS~

Can I ask why you cook the eggs if your pups are fed raw?
I'm not a big fan of cooked eggs for dogs, especially so often.
Have you tried giving them raw? Also imo once or max twice per
week is enough. Just my personal opinion though.


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## ~LS~

And you say you fry them, right? So you must use butter or cooking oil, which isn't healthy. 
And just adds more fat.


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## svdreamer

We would only give a raw egg once a week, I think every other day would be a little too much, but that's just me. I don't feed raw, so maybe someone that does will chime in. And you aren't adding in any organ meat? Or is that included in the kangaroo mince?


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## rokmurphy

I tried giving mine a raw egg today for the first time today. Maybe I am not doing it rite? He did not care for it. He walked away from his bowl twice. Finally he just picked out his food that was mixed in with it. Oh, and he ended up with a messy yellow beard.


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## OzChi

Mine don't care of the eggs raw either but they love them scrambled and lightly fried.
I cook them in a non stick pan so I don't add anything to them.
And yes there is organ meat in the kangaroo mince as it is a pre-made raw. It doesn't have kidney though so I will have to add that separately soon. I'm just getting them on to raw, it's only been 2 weeks and Axle has been on chicken and rice for a few days in there due to his tummy troubles from swallowing too much rawhide.
LS why are cooked eggs no good? I would have thought they weren't much different to raw as long as you didn't add too much to them?


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## Finn

Finn goes berserk when I make eggs. He gets only a very teenie bit (because everyone at my house is on a controlled eating regime)--about 1/8 teaspoon. That is a funny comment about doing backflips--nothing livens up Finn like the sound of Mom cooking eggs.


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## Brodysmom

I think eggs are fine. Lightly scrambled is fine. Maybe just cook them a little less and less until they are mostly runny. You can go to USDA data (sorry don't have the website right in front of me) and put in a raw egg versus a scrambled egg to see the differences in the nutrients.

I know people who feed eggs almost daily. Others a couple times a week. Others just one a month. It's really up to you. It's a good food and if you feed the shell as well, they are getting a nice boost of natural calcium/phosphorus. Yummm.... crunchy scrambled eggs anyone? LOL

Eggs can give some dogs loose stools so be aware of that and feed to bowel tolerance. Brody gets an egg about 1-2 times a week or whenever I forget to thaw his raw foods.

Dogs NEED fat in their diets. They dont' get clogged arteries or high cholesterol like people do. Fats are essential to them and aren't unhealthy. Fats are necessary for energy in dogs and they also help with skin/coat. Dogs do NOT do well on low fat diets.


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## jesuschick

Some here also lightly scramble eggs in coconut oil. Good for their coat and more. Provided you do not have sensitive tummy little ones since eggs and coconut oil can upset some. 

I've been too nervous to try it yet although I keep coconut oil.


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## ~LS~

OzChi said:


> ...
> LS why are cooked eggs no good? I would have thought they weren't much different to raw as long as you didn't add too much to them?



Personally I'm just against anything fried really. 
Frying takes away some nutritional value, so
prefer to feed raw. But as others mentioned,
it is a personal choice. I'm happy to hear you
don't add butter or cooking oil. Brody's mom
is right, dogs do need fats, but there is a big
difference between good fats and bad fats.


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## ~LS~

Brodysmom said:


> I think eggs are fine. Lightly scrambled is fine. Maybe just cook them a little less and less until they are mostly runny. You can go to USDA data (sorry don't have the website right in front of me) and put in a raw egg versus a scrambled egg to see the differences in the nutrients.
> 
> I know people who feed eggs almost daily. Others a couple times a week. Others just one a month. It's really up to you. It's a good food and if you feed the shell as well, they are getting a nice boost of natural calcium/phosphorus. Yummm.... crunchy scrambled eggs anyone? LOL
> 
> Eggs can give some dogs loose stools so be aware of that and feed to bowel tolerance. Brody gets an egg about 1-2 times a week or whenever I forget to thaw his raw foods.
> 
> Dogs NEED fat in their diets. They dont' get clogged arteries or high cholesterol like people do. Fats are essential to them and aren't unhealthy. Fats are necessary for energy in dogs and they also help with skin/coat. Dogs do NOT do well on low fat diets.



Absolutely, low fat diet is a no go.
I always enjoy your posts, we seem to agree on a lot. Do you agree that
there are bad and good fats? I consider butter and cooking oil bad fat.


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## Brodysmom

~LS~ said:


> Absolutely, low fat diet is a no go.
> I always enjoy your posts, we seem to agree on a lot. Do you agree that
> there are bad and good fats? I consider butter and cooking oil bad fat.


LS I like your posts too. 

Yes there are good and bad fats. I wouldn't give a dog butter for example on a regular basis. But I would let them eat the skin with a chicken breast. I would allow them to eat the marbling and fat on a steak for example as well. I wouldn't give a dog vegetable oil such as corn oil, etc. 

I prefer to stick with animal fats.... fish oil being a big one that I believe benefits most dogs. The jury is out on some of the plant oils such as flax or lecithin which is a primary ingredient in many supplements marketed to dogs. (Missing Link for example). Some people have seen some very nice improvements to coat and health with the addition of coconut oil.

Having said that, I also believe in moderation. If for example, you are trying to get a dog to eat organs on a raw diet and they are resistant, searing in a hot pan with a bit of butter would be permissible in my book. I wouldn't want to see someone give their dog butter on a daily basis, but as a small treat or extra? Yeah, it's probably fine.


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## Christabelle

Tracy - what do you think is the biggest benefit Brody receives from
Fish Oil ?


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## Brodysmom

Christabelle said:


> Tracy - what do you think is the biggest benefit Brody receives from
> Fish Oil ?


When supplementing with fish oil, you are giving the dog omega 3 fatty acids which are often missing in the diet. The benefits include healthy skin and coat with not a speck of dryness or dandruff (easy to see on a black short coat). Fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It is important for joints as well. It is essential to a healthy immune system.

Fish oil is especially beneficial for dogs with immune problems, dry skin, or allergies. But it certainly is a great supplement for a healthy dog as well.


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## doginthedesert

Our chi gets a raw egg every other day or so, our bigger dog more often. 

We also feed an omega-3 supplement for all of the reasons listed above. The idea behind supplementing with it is that corn fed meat is proportionally lower in omega 3's than pastured meat. Since most of us feed commercial meat most of the time the supplement makes up for that difference. Also for dogs with certain issues a high omega 3 diet is very beneficial.

Most of the research out there shows that flax oil is much harder for dogs (and not much easier for people) to process in their bodies, so most people's omega-3 supplement of choice is fish oil. Eating eggs that come from chickens fed a high omega 3 diet is another way to add omega 3's, but I don't think it really takes the place of a good fish oil supplement.


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## lulu'smom

I saw that Karen mentioned coconut oil. I was going to say When I feed Lulu and Gidget egg, I scramble it lightly in coconut oil. They love it and it gives them there coconut oil for the day.


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## woodard2009

Since I feed THK, I might mix a raw organic egg in with it once in a while. I know my chi wouldn't eat a raw egg by itself. I guess I'll give her one tomorrow morning with her breakfast meal.


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