Is Boiled Egg Good For Dogs?

The Short Answer is:

The short answer: Yes. Boiled eggs contain a significant amount of protein, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They contain hardly any carbohydrates. Hard-boiled eggs are rich in riboflavin and vitamin B12, and also contain small amounts of vitamin D and vitamin B6. Concentrating on the minerals, hard-boiled eggs provide a good amount of iron, phosphorus, and selenium, as well as lots of zinc.

The purpose of this article is to explain “Is Boiled Egg Good For Dogs?“.

Do you remember the police dog that was part of President Trumps security detail on a recent trip to India?

Nicky is a labrador trained for sniffer work. 

It seems that boiled eggs are a key part of her diet along with mutton vegetables bread and milk!

You’re not kidding me. 

What is it about boiled eggs that makes them such a great addition to a dogs diet?

Is it possible most of us got it wrong and our dogs should not be allowed near boiled eggs?

More information can be found in the rest of the article. 

The problem with using nutrition data with dogs

Throughout this article I will be using a lot of nutrition data about boiled eggs and other types of eggs.

These facts are extremely useful to us because they inform us about all of the vitamins and minerals that boiled eggs can provide for our dogs.

A dog owners biggest concern with the data is that it has been designed to meet the needs of an adult human.

When we examine all of these issues we need to take that into account. 

Nutrition of a boiled egg

Boiling an egg will mostly contain water in a 100g serving. 

In fact there were just over 75 g of it.

The label on the right-hand side provides additional information about a hard-boiled egg. 

Boiled eggs contain a significant amount of protein fat cholesterol and sodium. They contain hardly any carbohydrates.

Hard-boiled eggs are rich in riboflavin and vitamin B12 and also contain small amounts of vitamin D and vitamin B6.

Concentrating on the minerals hard-boiled eggs provide a good amount of iron phosphorus and selenium as well as lots of zinc.

All of that means nothing until we analyze how each of these nutrients helps to keep our dogs healthy.

In the meantime I will ignore protein fat and carbohydrates because I will look at them in greater detail later. 

How do the vitamins and minerals in a boiled egg keep our dog healthy?

This section will discuss the main minerals and vitamins that are found in a hard-boiled egg and their function within the body of a dog. 

Riboflavin

Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin. The vitamin plays an important role in several bodily functions. 

As well as converting food into energy they also help the body grow. 

Vitamin B12

B12 is a vitamin essential for nerve and blood cell health. In addition it plays a role in DNA formation. 

Vitamin B6

A key role of vitamin B6 is in the creation and maintenance of healthy red blood cells in the body.

A dogs body cannot store this vitamin since it is water-soluble.

As a result their bodies need a supply every day. 

Vitamin D

Maintaining the health of our bones and teeth is largely dependent on vitamin D.

Basically it regulates how much calcium and phosphate your dog has in his body.

What role do minerals play in our dogs health?

Iron

A bodys red blood cells are made and maintained by iron just as vitamin B6 is. 

These are the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body!

Phosphorous

In my explanation of vitamin D I described the importance of this mineral. 

Selenium

Your dogs body does not need much of this mineral but it plays a crucial role in making sure that the thyroid functions properly and in boosting a dogs immune system. 

Zinc

The body also uses zinc to make proteins and DNA. Zinc is important in enhancing the dogs immune system. 

After describing the main minerals and vitamins within a hard-boiled egg that help keep our dog healthy I’ll compare if the nutrients in other types of eggs are the same or different. 

Boiled egg vs scrambled eggs vs fried egg- which is better for your dog?

In the chart below we list the main nutrients that are in a boiled scrambled and fried egg. 

Values are based on a serving size of 100 grams. 

To be honest they do not have many significant differences.

The nutritional values of scrambled eggs and boiled eggs are similar.

The cholesterol sodium and iron in a boiled egg are higher than those in a scrambled egg.

However scrambled eggs contain more carbohydrates and calcium. 

In terms of nutrition there is little difference.

What would be the best option for your dog considering this?

It might have something to do with how much effort it takes to boil an egg as opposed to scrambling one?

Whats faster simpler or requires less cleaning up?

My personal preference is a boiled egg. 

The process is quick and easy and it leaves very little mess behind. 

Taking the shell off is the most difficult part. 

An egg that has been fried is slightly different from an egg that has been boiled or scrambled.

Most of this has to do with the fat content and the increased amount of calories. A fried egg is higher in calories fat cholesterol and iron than a boiled or scrambled egg.  

As a comparison I included a fried egg in the chart rather than because I think people feed their dogs fried eggs.

Are you sure you do not?

How many boiled eggs should I feed my dog every day?

I wrote a whole post covering this topic because it is a very popular question.

You can read my post about boiled eggs here though it covers a lot more than boiled eggs. 

But to summarize the post the number of eggs your dog can eat every day depends on the size of the dog.

In addition I gave some recommendations based on the size of the dog.

I once had a Golden Retriever named Sylvie who ate a large egg a day.

A French Bulldog should probably eat only one small egg per day if it is a smaller dog.

An adult Great Dane would be able to eat up to two eggs per day.

As I explain in my post I used an online calculator to figure all this out.

However if you are interested click here. 

Will a boiled egg help my sick dog with diarrhea?

It is true that some people believe that boiled eggs will cure your dogs diarrhea but I need to tell you that there are better foods to use. 

As a dog owner your best bet is to make sure that your dog has access to plenty of freshwaters (because diarrhea can lead to dehydration).

Some people recommend fasting the dog for 12 or 24 hours as long as the dog drinks plenty of water.

In this way the stomach will be allowed to sort itself out without having to digest anything.

Instead of a boiled egg (and I include myself in this group) try some boiled white rice or cooked oatmeal if you do not want to do that.

Simple and bland these two foods are easy for a dogs digestive system to digest- even one that may be feeling rather delicate!

How will a boiled egg help my pregnant dog?

Boiled eggs are sometimes recommended for pregnant dogs.

It is because eggs are a great source of protein which is an essential nutrient for pregnant dogs. 

Eggs are also great because they are inexpensive and easy to prepare.

You can boil an egg perfectly in 10 minutes if its on a rolling boil.

However when you look at the nutrition data a hard-boiled egg does not contain a large amount of protein.

A 100-gram serving of this food would provide your pregnant dog with 13 grams of protein.

In comparison 100 grams of chicken breast would provide 28 grams of protein. 

I understand what you are saying.

The breast of chicken costs more and takes longer to prepare which is true.

However it provides twice as much protein.

Imagine how much more your pregnant dog would love you if you chose chicken?

Can a boiled egg help a dog with kidney disease?

Those of you who own dogs with kidney disease know that the condition requires limiting the dogs diet.

Your veterinarian should be kept closely informed of the situation due to its gravity.

The dog food you’re feeding him should be kidney-friendly.

Your dog does not need to eat anything else because those diets are complete.

Nevertheless if you want to sneak in a treat or two then hard boiling an egg is the way to go.

The yoke must be “dumped” before the dog can eat it.

Egg whites are the only thing gentle enough to not harm their kidneys.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.