What is the real deal with giving your dog a raw egg? I've read that it's good for their coat, so we have been giving ours a raw egg 1-2 times a week. Then I read that it's bad for them, depleting them of vit B and not good for their coat. What to believe?

Fresh whole eggs are the most expensive ingredient in top of the line Pet Food....

Many people who feed eggs grind down the shells....and feed...with the egg..without the shell it is out of balance....nutritionally...but an occasional egg fed without the shell is OK...one or two eggs a week is most likely OK...just toss it by your Vet....because it looks like you dog is still a pup...and his immune system may not be fully developed until a yr. old...

You may want to post this question for the RAW feeders in the Natural section of the forum.

i give a raw egg and the shell. they grind them by themselves.

I give raw egg and shell to the dogs whenever I feed raw.

I feed cooked eggs to my dog at times, usually soft or hard boiled. I would be afraid of bacteria getting the dogs sick. In fact, I don't feed anything raw to the dogs. Even their marrow bones are cooked in the microwave until the red portions of the meat are brown, again bacteria. They also get chicken, the meat taken off the bone after it has been thoroughly cooked. During the holidays, they will eat turkey with us, cooked of course.

The problem is, I can never be sure of the source of these foods and what, if any, bacteria the meat has come in contact with. I feel my dogs get most of their nutrition from their kibble, the cooked meat is a treat for them and not their main source of nutrition.

I feed cooked eggs to my dog at times, usually soft or hard boiled. I would be afraid of bacteria getting the dogs sick. In fact, I don't feed anything raw to the dogs. Even their marrow bones are cooked in the microwave until the red portions of the meat are brown, again bacteria. They also get chicken, the meat taken off the bone after it has been thoroughly cooked. During the holidays, they will eat turkey with us, cooked of course.

The problem is, I can never be sure of the source of these foods and what, if any, bacteria the meat has come in contact with. I feel my dogs get most of their nutrition from their kibble, the cooked meat is a treat for them and not their main source of nutrition.

Cooked bones are dangerous because they can splinter. Raw bones are safer. So if you're giving cooked stuff, make sure that all bones are removed.

I have heard that it is good for their coats as well. Never done it, but have talked with owners who have.

Maxwell is a fan of raw eggs... shells and all. I give him one or two a week. I do not worry about bacteria in raw foods.. he is a dog built to handle raw meat, bones and eggs.

Chunk doesn't care for eggs, but he's on 100% raw.

I give them to Palomar when I have them. Princess Palomar requires that they be cracked and the shell crushed in order for him to eat them. I dont care for eggs myself so unless I need them for a recipe we dont usually have them. Now with Aspens skin/coat issues the kids will probably get them on a regular basis.

Cooked bones are dangerous because they can splinter. Raw bones are safer. So if you're giving cooked stuff, make sure that all bones are removed.

That may be true for certain bones. I microwave their marrow bones for about 6 minutes each until the red and the marrow turn brown (cooked). Never had either dog splinter the bone.
I can see this happening with chicken bones and thin beef bones, but not the thick marrow bones.

Maybe if you boil a marrow bone for 1/2 an hour or more you may soften it up enough for it to splinter, don't really know.

bones shouldnt be cooked. they can and do splinter, even marrow bones.

bones shouldnt be cooked. they can and do splinter, even marrow bones.

Absolutely right.

I have had raw marrow ones splinter on occassion so they definately can and do when cooked.

As for eggs and vit. B defficiency. That is biotin defficiency and only if you don't feed the yolk and the white together (feeding just whites can cause Biotin defficiency). It is also true that feeding the shell makes the egg a whole protein source.

Cool. We'll continue to give an egg or two a week.

Cooked bones are dangerous because they can splinter. Raw bones are safer. So if you're giving cooked stuff, make sure that all bones are removed.

Yup on the cooked meat and removing the bones. We had some leftover chicken legs and wings the other night. I picked all the meat off the bones and fed it to the dogs, of course they went crazy for the chicken. We do this also with steak, any meat left on the bones I cut off as much as I can.

As far as marrow bones, I never boil them. I microwave them till the red meat turns brown. Actually what I am doing is sterilizing the bone. Each bone is microwaved for about 6 minutes each. Like I said, never had a marrow splinter and Bear, my lab, is a real chewer.

Boiling or cooking bones for an extended time will cause them to splinter.

Raw eggs CAN interfere with the absorption of Vit. B but only when feed in massive amounts on a regular basis. My dogs eat all the raw eggs they want. They go into the cope and get an egg if they want one. I have seen Marisol eat four eggs in one day but she does not do this everyday. My dogs are very healthy and I get complements on their shinny, healthy looking coats every time they are out in public.

both of mine get 1-2 raw eggs with shells a week at my in-laws', we seldom ever have eggs at our place, so that's why they get them there...
they have very healthy, nice looking coats...