Can Dogs Eat Egg Shells? Unpacking Canine Nutrition

Believe it or not, eggshells could be the surprising addition that you add to your dog’s wellness routine. After all, eggshells are good for dogs, as they are a great source of calcium, which is important for healthy teeth and bones.

However, it’s important to make sure that you clean, boil, and grind the eggshells into a fine powder before you give them to your dog. You should also talk to your vet to make sure that you’re giving your dog the right amount so that they don’t get hypercalcemia.

To learn more, we’ll take a look at a number of veterinary studies, nutritional analyses, and expert perspectives to get a complete picture of how eggshells impact a dog’s health.

We’ll investigate how eggshells should be prepared to be safe to eat, what their exact nutritional value is for dogs, whether or not there are any risks, and how much you should give your dog. By looking at this wide range of information, we hope to give you the tools you need to decide whether or not you want to feed your dog eggshells.

Cracking the Shell: The Nutritional Powerhouse for Pups

Eggshells are often thrown away as trash, but they are actually a rich source of nutrients. A study posted on ResearchGate explains that an eggshell is made up of calcium carbonate, which makes up 95% of the shell’s dry weight. This means that each shell contains a whopping 5.5 grams of calcium, as well as other important minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, and trace amounts of sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, and iron.

These minerals are important for keeping bones and joints healthy, which is especially important for dogs.

The bioavailability of eggshells depends on a few things, including the presence of vitamin D and the dog’s diet as a whole. The biggest difference between organic and non-organic eggshells is the exposure to chemicals. According to Primal Pooch, non-organic eggshells can have pesticide residues, but this can be solved by washing and boiling them—a process that not only removes the risk of chemicals but also the risk of bacteria like Salmonella.

It’s important to make sure that you are choosing high-quality eggshells and preparing them in a way that ensures that your dog gets the benefits of the eggshells without the risks of exposure to dangerous chemicals. As we explore the benefits of eggshells, it’s also important to know how to prepare them in a way that makes them safe for our pets to eat.

How to Safely Add Eggshells to Your Dog’s Diet

If you do it right, a little eggshell powder can be a safe and healthy addition to your dog’s diet. Of course, the health and safety of your dog is the most important thing to consider when you’re preparing to add eggshells to their diet.

A study published in PMC notes that salmonella is the biggest concern when it comes to raw eggshells, but it can be easily avoided by cleaning and cooking the shells properly.

Start by rinsing the eggshells in warm water to remove any bacteria. Then, boil the shells for at least 10 minutes to kill any remaining bacteria. Once the shells have cooled, grind them in a coffee grinder until they become a fine powder. DogTipper notes that the powder can be stored in an airtight container and will stay fresh for up to two months.

It’s also important to know how much to give your dog. This Mess is Ours recommends starting with about ⅛ teaspoon of powdered eggshell per 10 pounds of body weight, which will provide around 250 mg of calcium.

Add the supplement to your dog’s food and increase the amount over time, making sure to watch for any negative side effects.

It’s also important to make sure you’re using high-quality, preferably organic, eggs to minimize your dog’s exposure to toxins and get the most benefits from this natural supplement.

Realizing the Benefits: Eggshells in Dog Health

By harnessing the nutritional power of eggshells, it’s possible to help support and strengthen a dog’s bones and joints. In particular, Dogs Naturally points to a study that showed the eggshell membrane is a rich source of a number of compounds, including glucosamine, collagen, and chondroitin.

These compounds are all important for maintaining joint health and mobility, which could make eggshells a natural solution for dogs suffering from arthritis. The study also found that dogs with joint problems saw a decrease in pain, showing that eggshells can be used to help manage the symptoms of arthritis.

The calcium in eggshells may also help prevent conditions like osteoporosis, which can impact dogs and humans alike. As vets told The Dodo, eggshell powder is a great way to give dogs who have dietary restrictions or are on a raw diet a natural, concentrated source of calcium that can be added to their meals, especially if the commercial dog food they eat doesn’t offer the nutrients they need.

Unlike artificial supplements, natural sources of calcium like eggshells can provide a more well-rounded approach to nutrition. Adding eggshells to a dog’s diet can help improve their health overall and may even help them live longer when they’re used in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Given these benefits, it’s clear that properly prepared eggshells can be more than just a snack; they can be a smart addition to a dog’s diet.

The Other Side: Risks of Feeding Eggshells to Dogs

While eggshells can be a helpful addition to your dog’s diet, it’s important to use them in moderation to avoid potential risks, such as hypercalcemia, which can result from too much calcium. Hypercalcemia is a condition characterized by higher-than-normal levels of calcium in the blood, which can lead to serious health problems, including kidney stones and weak, brittle bones.

Symptoms of a calcium overdose include lethargy, increased thirst and urination, and loss of appetite. If you notice these signs, it’s important to get your dog to the vet right away.

There are some dogs that should not be given eggshells at all. According to Almost Home Rescue, dogs with kidney problems and those that are prone to bladder stones are at a higher risk of problems when they are on a high-calcium diet.

Also, if you don’t prepare eggshells properly, they can be a choking hazard or cause an intestinal blockage. To ensure that eggshells are safe for your dog, you should clean, boil, and grind them into a fine powder before adding them to your dog’s food.

The Fi Team stresses the importance of talking to your vet before giving your dog eggshells. A vet can help you determine the right dosage based on your dog’s health history and provide personalized recommendations. This will help ensure that your dog stays healthy, that you don’t overdo it on the supplements, and that you can take a more holistic approach to your dog’s diet.

The Building Block of Dog Health: Why Calcium Is Important in Your Dog’s Diet

The importance of calcium in a dog’s diet cannot be overstated. It plays a role in everything from muscle movement to blood clotting to maintaining the integrity of the skeleton. According to The Merck Veterinary Manual, the body regulates calcium levels very tightly, and the skeleton is a major storage site for the mineral.

A number of hormones, including parathyroid hormone and calcitriol, work together to regulate the absorption and metabolism of calcium to maintain balance, especially in the intestinal and renal systems.

Eggshells are a great source of calcium, and they are especially high in the mineral. However, they are not the only source. Other sources of calcium include dairy products, bones, and commercial supplements, and the bioavailability of each source can vary. For example, a study in Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice found that bony raw materials are high in calcium, while grains may contain phosphorus that is less bioavailable due to factors like phytate.

Moreover, a study published on PubMed notes that the nutritional requirements for calcium can vary by dog breed and life stage. For example, large and giant breeds have different requirements than small breeds. In addition, puppies need more calcium for bone growth, while adult dogs need it to maintain bone mass.

To make sure your dog is getting everything they need for optimal health, it’s important to feed them a diet that includes a variety of sources of calcium. This will help account for differences in absorption between individual dogs and reduce the risk of nutritional imbalances that could lead to health issues.

By making sure your dog has a variety of sources of calcium in their diet, you can help ensure that they start out on the right foot and maintain their health and well-being throughout their life.

So, Can Dogs Eat Eggshells?

After considering the many factors that go into a dog’s diet, it seems like adding eggshells to your dog’s diet can be a good idea, but it’s also a bit complicated.

Eggshells are a great source of calcium and other important minerals, and they can help your dog maintain healthy bones and an overall healthy lifestyle if they’re added to your dog’s diet properly.

However, as Dr. Adedapo Adisa, DVM, says, it’s important to make sure you’re not giving your dog too much calcium, which can lead to an upset stomach or even hypercalcemia, especially if your dog has certain health issues.

It’s also important to make sure you’re preparing the eggshells properly. Cooking the eggshells can help you avoid salmonella, and grinding the eggshells can help make sure your dog can absorb the calcium and other nutrients in them.

That’s why it’s important to work with your vet to make sure you’re adding the right amount of eggshells to your dog’s diet in a way that works for them.

Especially since the study on calcium absorption in dogs that was published in the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition found that the amount of calcium a dog can absorb can vary based on their individual needs.

In other words, it seems like adding eggshells to your dog’s diet can be a good idea, but it’s also a bit complicated. However, if you work with your vet to make sure you’re adding eggshells to your dog’s diet in a way that works for them, you can help ensure that they get the nutrients they need from a natural source that’s safe and healthy.

After all, every dog is different, and that means that their diet should be different too if you want to help them live a long, healthy life.