Did you know that June 3 is National Egg Day? And an honor of this egg-cellent holiday, we are looking at different aspects of eggs in our dog’s diet.
And while this may seem like a very odd question, we wanted to know whether or not our dogs can eat egg shells safely. One of the reasons that this came up, is that we have absolutely seen our dog go to town on things that they should not. A torn up bag of garbage has happened more than once, usually featuring egg shells.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), it is technically safe for our dogs to eat the shell of eggs. However, they do recommend speaking to your veterinarian first, and of course they do point out that there are some issues with these shells.
So what exactly did they say about adding these shells to our dog’s diet?
Can dogs safely eat egg shells?
First, let’s talk about one of the positives of adding the shells to your dogs diet. “Egg shells contain calcium, which some dogs need supplemented in their diets.” Obviously, there are other ways that we could add calcium into our dogs diet. We do not need to use egg shells to do this. However, it is an option. And your veterinarian will tell you if the shells are the way to go or if you should be doing something else.
However, it’s not just about calcium. Here is what else we learned about egg shells being added to a dog’s diet.
"Egg shells can help older arthritic dogs. Egg shell membranes significantly reduced joint pain and improved joint function in 51 dogs experiencing a range of joint problems, according to a 2016 study."
While the addition of calcium to our dogs, diet is not the best reason to add eggshells into their every day routine, the idea of helping an arthritic, older dog with their joint problems is definitely something we would consider. Obviously, we would speak to our veterinarian first, but it is good to know that this is something that could be beneficial for our older dogs.
Honestly, we just wanted to know if it was safe for dogs to eat eggshells. There are times, when our dog gets to them without us even attempting to give them those shells. So knowing that not only is it technically safe for them to eat, but in some cases it can be beneficial, is very important.
That being said, we should also point out that egg shells can be sharp. This is something to think about if you are going to be intentionally adding that to your dogs diet.
As with anything related to our dog’s diet and health, we highly recommend speaking to your veterinarian first. They are your go-to source of what is safe and smart for your dog.