Can Chihuahua eat eggs? [5 BENEFITS]

Knowing which food is good for your Chihuahua and which food is problematic is an important thing to do. The egg receives its fair share of controversy. You’ve probably read or heard that eggs (raw ones especially) were bad for some dogs versus others who swear by the egg. Today, we look into these claims and find out if eggs are really good for your Chi. Let’s get cracking!

Can Chihuahua eat eggs?

Chihuahuas can eat eggs but only when cooked and fed moderately. Eggs will provide your Chihuahua with protein, essential fats, vitamins, and amino acids. Raw egg whites can prevent your Chihuahua from absorbing biotin in those very eggs. However, in small doses, biotin blockage is not a problem.

Chihuahuas can eat 1-2 eggs a week; it’s important not to overfeed eggs as it can lead to obesity and health complications.

Nutritional Value of eggs for Chihuahua

According to the American Egg Board (yes, AEB!), one large egg measuring 50 g (and 70 calories) contains the following nutrients:

Nutrient	% of nutrients in serving of one large egg
Fat	6
Cholesterol	62
Sodium	3
Total Carbohydrates	0
Protein	12
Vitamin D	6
Calcium	2
Iron	4
Vitamin A	8
Vitamin E	4
Riboflavin	15
Niacin	8
Vitamin B6	6
Folate	6
Vitamin B12	20
Biotin	35
Pantothenic Acid	15
Phosphorus	8
Iodine	20
Zinc	6
Selenium	25
Choline	25

Are Eggs Good for Chihuahua?

Eggs are completely safe and good for chihuahuas if fed moderately. There are a few big names in the table above. But what do they do in a chi’s body? Let’s find out.

Source of Protein for Chihuahua

Eggs are said to be the gold standard when it comes to providing protein to dogs in general. This is because the protein is easily digestible by dogs.

Chihuahuas need the amino acids found in protein. Much like in human beings, amino acids are building blocks for the proper growth of your chi.

Amino acids contribute to healthy hair and skin, muscles, and a proper repair of damaged tissues of the body.

Source of Riboflavin for Chihuahua

Riboflavin, also known as Vitamin B₂, is an important nutrient in your chi because it helps in the creation of red blood cells – those vehicles that transmit oxygen and nutrients all over your chi’s body.

Riboflavin also helps your chi to synthesize nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbs, and Vitamin B₆.

It’s important to note that riboflavin is not manufactured in your chi’s body – it can only be obtained from the diet. Hence, it is essential to include riboflavin-rich foods in your chi’s balanced diet.

Selenium

This is an essential mineral in sustaining the proper health of your chi. Experts tell us that boosts the immunity system of dogs and enables the proper functioning of the thyroid gland – which regulated metabolism.

Here are concerns that selenium is toxic in dogs and, indeed, in high doses selenium can present health problems. Hence, moderation is key when feeding eggs to your chi.

Ultimately, obtaining selenium the natural way, through food like eggs, is better than getting it from dog food.

When it comes to the eggs, you can control the amount you feed to your chi and actually feel confident that the selenium is unadulterated through processing.

Other minerals that can boost your Chihuahua’s immunity include zinc, Vitamin E, and riboflavin – and they are all contained in the egg.

Vitamin B₁₂

I’m tempted to call this one the ‘all-round-nutrient’. This is because it sustains the proper health of your chi – from the nervous system and brain functioning to the creation and growth of blood cells and even helping with proper intestinal functioning.

Really, if there was ever a medal for vitamins, Vitamin B₁₂ would absolutely get it!

Given the essential role of Vitamin B₁₂, it is important to ensure that your chi is getting enough of it through his diet.

Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency can lead to a host of problems including diarrhea, weight loss, and seizures.

Usually, you won’t need to worry about Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency since most dogs get enough of it from their balanced diet.

However, dogs with digestive issues or other health complications may not be metabolizing enough of it for their bodies.

In that case, it’s crucial to see your vet and discuss a sufficient quantity of Vitamin B₁₂ supplements for your chi.

Biotin

Last but not least, eggs contain a substantial amount of biotin. This is a B vitamin found in egg yolk that ensures good health of your chi’s coat and skin.

Also, biotin enables the chi to keep the connective tissue in its nervous system in tip-top shape.

Other sources of biotin apart from the yellowy egg yolk are fish and meats such as the liver.

TIP: Eggs are great for sick and picky-eaters because eggs are a tasty and adequate source of nutrition for Chihuahuas.

Possible side effects of feeding eggs to a Chihuahua

Biotin deficiency

Egg whites have a component known as avidin which blocks the biotin in the eggs from being digested in the chi’s bodies.

Biotin is one of those vitamins that is essential for proper growth, fatty acid metabolism, and a healthy coat for your chi.

Nonetheless, the problem of biotin deficiency seems to be an inflated issue because it takes significant amounts of an egg to lead to biotin deficiency – and you’re feeding eggs are treats.

Also, you can get biotin from other sources that do not have avidin (such as the liver).

Besides, you can cook the egg whites and that will eliminate the avidin but, as a result, your chi will lose out on some nutrients that are killed during the cooking.

Risks to digestion

Egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with your chi’s digestion, particularly if they’re young or elderly.

But here lies the dilemma – if you cook the egg whites, you lose essential nutrients in the egg whites.

Hence, to get those nutrients it’s recommended to feed the egg whites raw if you can.

In small amounts though, the enzyme inhibitors should not be a problem. Therefore, it’s important to feed eggs as treats and not the main meal.

Salmonella infection

Ingesting salmonella from raw eggs can lead to a bacterial infection known as Salmonellosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever.

Mild forms of Salmonellosis can be treated at home with sufficient hydration but severe Salmonellosis can lead to sepsis (the chi suffers from severe inflammation that may compromise essential organs).

Either way, you’ll want to see your vet as soon as you notice those symptoms.

Thankfully, you can prevent a Salmonella infection by cooking raw eggs; cooking eggs kills Salmonella.

Preparing and cooking eggs for your Chihuahua

Chihuahuas can eat eggs when they’re raw, scrambled, or boiled.

When you cook them scrambled, it’s recommended to leave out the butter, salt, and pepper. Plain scrambled egg is still tasty for Chihuahuas. Here’s the full procedure:

• Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl.
• Beat the eggs until you see the egg whites and yolk are completely mixed up.
• Pour this good mixture into the cooking pan and put on medium heat.
• Continue to cook for about 8 minutes while turning over the egg regularly until they’re fully cooked. Some recommend stopping with a runny yolk, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. Either way is fine.

Then, serve a little bit of the egg each day depending on your dog’s size. If you don’t like the idea of storing the scrambled egg for later, then you can cook for the both of you and cut out a little bit for your chi.

Again, do not feed too many eggs to your chi as it can lead to health issues. Remember that a treat should be about 10% of your chi’s daily diet at the max.

Therefore, the portion of the egg as compared to the daily diet should not exceed 10%.

Can I give my Chihuahua an egg every day?

Chihuahua can eat eggs every day when served in small portions and moderately, but ultimately eggs should be treated as a treat.

Related Questions

Are scrambled eggs good for Chihuahuas?

Yes, scrambled eggs are good for Chihuahuas. In fact, Chihuahuas need eggs because they are a good source of protein, essential fats, and amino acids. In addition, eggs can help to settle a chi’s upset tummy and they also make good treats from time to time.

What foods are bad for Chihuahua?

Foods that are bad for Chihuahuas include chocolate, raw eggs, macadamia nuts, xylitol, avocado, raisins, garlic, salt, yeast, onion, corn on the cob, and ice cream. Generally, it’s safe to keep away from human processed foods since they usually contain potentially harmful chemicals such as added sugar, salt, and other flavor substances.

How many eggs can a dog eat in a day?

Most big dogs will eat one full egg per day and that’s enough. Smaller dogs need a smaller amount though. Half an egg seems to be a safe and sufficient amount of egg for smaller dogs like Chihuahuas. Overfeeding eggs will lead to obesity and health complications.

Can Chihuahua eat boiled eggs?

Yes, Chihuahuas can eat boiled eggs. Boiled eggs are a nutrient-rich treat that is safe for Chihuahuas. An added perk of boiled eggs is that they’re less messy than scrambled eggs. And Chihuahuas can eat eggshells too. Eggshells are a good source of calcium and protein which helps to strengthen the chi’s teeth and bones. Just grind the shells into a powder to prevent them from scratching your chi’s mouth (especially puppies) and you’re good to go.

At what age can puppies eat eggs?

Puppies can eat eggs when they are about 4-6 months old. Before this age, what the puppy needs more is a puppy food. There are those who feed their puppies at 2 months but I think it’s good to wait. After all, there are good alternatives out there in the meantime.

Can dogs eat scrambled eggs?

Yes, dogs can eat scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs present rich nutritious value for dogs as well as a tasteful treat. Dogs should not overfeed on scrambled eggs though – a full egg is enough for a bid dog and smaller dogs, half an egg is enough.

Can dogs eat egg yolk?

Yes, dogs eat egg yolk. Egg yolk contains important nutrients that are needed for the good health of dogs. One example is biotin – a nutrient that is a dietary requirement for dogs since it enables dogs to keep a healthy coat and skin.

Can dogs eat raw eggs?

Yes, dogs can eat raw eggs. Raw eggs contain all the nutrients of an egg in its natural form, thereby ensuring that your dog receives the full nutritional value that eggs have to offer. Concerns about salmonella infection can be alleviated by buying your eggs at a reputable store that follows good food quality standards. In addition, the associated risk of biotin deficiency due to the avidin in the egg whites should not be a problem since you’re feeding the raw eggs in small quantities from time to time.

Conclusion

Chihuahuas love eggs. Eggs are a delicacy that also provides essential nutrients for the proper growth and the general health of your chi. Eggs are also fun to make, in my opinion, and you can easily share from your plate as long as you cook the eggs without salt, pepper, and butter. So, next time you’re searching for a good treat for your well-behaved chi, remember the egg.