What’s the deal with raw eggs?

Like most people I have given my dog cooked eggs as a fun food topper but lately I’ve noticed that not everyone cooks their eggs before giving it to their dog which had me wondering if it mattered whether an egg were raw or cooked…

Author’s Note

I am not a certified animal nutritionist, just someone who is curious and researching for their own love for nutrition. For the most accurate nutrition advice consult with your vet!

How often does salmonella occur in eggs?

It is estimated that 1 in 20,000 eggs contain salmonella (depending on country and farming method) either on the shell or inside the egg depending on bacteria in the gut of the hen during egg development. Regultated egg farms take many precautions to prevent salmonella from being on/in eggs but incidences can still occur.

Studies show that salmonella contamination can also happen at home due to improper egg storage, and food preparation.

Absorption issues

Most problems with eggs occur in the egg white. Egg whites contain avidin and tripsin inhibitors.

Avidin binds strongly to biotin in the intestines and prevents absorption, luckily the egg yolk typically has enough biotin to combat this occurence if you prefer feeding eggs raw.

While tripsin inhibitors reduce digestibility of proteins which can cause loose stools or diarrhea when given as much as 2 eggs a day.

Heat up the skillet!

To avoid possible salmonella contamination, tripsin inhibitors, and avidin it is recomended to cook eggs to break apart the proteins so they won’t have a negative impact on your dogs digestive system.