As a Yorkie owner, it is your responsibility to feed your dog a healthy diet.
You determine whether your pet is happy and healthy, or unhealthy and constantly suffering.
For that reason, you should feed you dog primarily healthy, natural commercial dog food or a homemade meat based diet.
That said, we all love giving our dogs treats.
And our dogs love them too!
But you need to be careful with what you feed them. Always make sure something is healthy, before feeding it to your Yorkie.
Which brings us to eggs. Can Yorkies eat eggs? And are eggs good for them?
Keep reading to learn if eggs are good for Yorkies, what type of eggs you can give them, and how many eggs they can have. Plus everything else you need to know about feeding eggs to your pup.
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Can Yorkies Eat Eggs?
Yes, Yorkies can safely eat eggs. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for dogs.
Naturally, eggs should not be the only source of nutrition for your pet. You should only feed eggs to your Yorkie as a supplement to high-quality commercial dog food or a balanced meat-based diet of homemade Yorkie food.
It is also important not to add anything to the eggs. They should be plain, without any seasonings. If you want to add cheese, that is fine. Anything else, it is best to consult with your vet first.
Now that we know Yorkies can eat eggs, the next question is if they should. Are eggs actually good for them? It is also important to clarify the type of eggs they can eat, plus how many eggs and how often they can have them.
Are Eggs Good For Yorkies?
Yes, eggs, in moderation, are great for your Yorkie. There are several health benefits of eggs for Yorkies. Let’s take a look at the main ones.
Rich Source Of Protein
Dogs are carnivores and they need protein every day to maintain their muscle mass. Protein is essential for your Yorkie to maintain healthy skin and coat, repair injuries, and prevent wear and tear of the muscles.
Eggs provide your dog with vital amino acids and proteins. In fact, eggs are the gold standard in protein and contain almost 100% protein. This makes them a great food to feed your Yorkie to gain weight.
Contain Many Vitamins And Minerals
Your Yorkie will also benefit from the vitamin and mineral content of eggs. Eggs contain several vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, linoleic acid, selenium, riboflavin, vitamin E, folate, and iron. All these are necessary for your pet to thrive.
The egg yolk, especially, has a lot of nutrients. A major one is biotin. Biotin promotes the development of a healthy coat of hair, a healthy reproductive tract, and proper digestion.
Eggs also contain vitamin D, which Yorkies need for the proper development of teeth and bones. With insufficient vitamin D in their diet, Yorkies are more prone to suffer from bone disorders like osteomalacia and rickets.
There is also research that has showed that dogs lacking vitamin D have an increased risk of developing cancer and of suffering congestive heart failure.
Can Yorkies Eat Scrambled Eggs?
Feeding scrambled eggs (in moderation) is safe for your Yorkie. It is important to be mindful of how you prepare the scrambled eggs: do not add any seasoning or spices. Plain scrambled eggs are the best. You can scramble the egg in a bit of olive oil or butter.
Add the scrambled egg over your pet’s kibble or canned food to enhance its taste. You can also feed bits of scrambled eggs to your Yorkie as a between-meal treat or a training snack. It is also okay to share a bit of non-seasoned scrambled egg from your plate with your furry friend.
Can Yorkies Eat Omelets?
Omelets may or may not be good for your Yorkie depending on how they are prepared. If the omelet is liberally seasoned with spices, flavorings, chilis, salt, sugar, tomatoes, or onions, then it is best not to feed it to your Yorkie.
You can, however, feed a plain unseasoned spinach omelet to your pup. This will provide it with plenty of nutrients. Make sure the omelet is well cooked. Cool it slightly and crumble it over your pet’s kibble or feed small pieces of it to your pet as a treat.
Can Yorkies Eat Raw Eggs?
This is a highly debated topic. Some experts believe that raw feeding is highly beneficial to dogs. After all, wolves, the ancestors of dogs, consume raw meat and bird eggs in the wild.
Therefore, it makes sense to feed our domesticated dogs a diet similar to that of their ancestors.
However, other experts believe that raw eggs and meat could be harmful to dogs. This is mainly due to the fear of bacterial contamination from raw meat and raw eggs.
Microbes like e.coli and salmonella present in raw meat and eggs could cause deadly infections in dogs. Salmonella infection can cause severe symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy in dogs. Cooking the eggs kills these microbes making them safer for consumption.
Moreover, raw eggs also hinder the absorption of biotin which is an essential vitamin for a healthy coat in dogs. In general, cooked eggs are a lot safer and also become more digestible after being cooked.
If in doubt, it is best to seek your vet’s opinion on whether raw or cooked eggs are better for your Yorkie.
How Many Eggs Can A Yorkie Eat?
Your Yorkie can safely eat one egg every day. It is best to limit your pet’s intake to this quantity. Eggs are high in calories and Yorkies are prone to weight gain.
It is worth repeating that eggs should not be your dog’s main food. Your pet should get its nutrition from high-quality kibble or canned dog food. Only feed eggs as a treat and in moderation.
Can Yorkies Eat Eggs Every Day?
Yes, your Yorkie can eat an egg every day. However, eggs should not be the only thing your pet eats. It needs well-rounded and balanced nutrition that eggs alone cannot provide.
Certainly, eggs are good as treats for dogs. And you should remember the 10% rule of feeding treats to dogs: treats should not comprise more than 10% of a Yorkie’s total daily caloric intake.
The rest of its nutrition should come from a balanced commercial dry/wet dog food or a meat-based homemade diet.
Eggs are certainly not a meal replacement for your Yorkie. Don’t forget the fact that eggs contain nearly 70 calories per unit. Your Yorkie puppy needs around 200 calories per day while an active adult Yorkie needs around 150 calories. Senior Yorkies need even less.
Too many eggs in a single day could exceed this recommended daily caloric intake. Since Yorkies are prone to weight gain, you must watch your pet’s caloric intake carefully.
Can Yorkies Eat Eggshells?
Eggshells contain calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals beneficial for dogs. However, most dogs do not like eggshells. Eggshells are not as tasty as egg whites and yolk, so don’t be surprised if your Yorkie turns up its nose against it. I mean, do you eat the shells?
Eggshell pieces can also be sharp and could irritate or hurt your pet’s throat and mouth. Some Yorkies are even allergic to eggshells.
There are other better ways to provide your Yorkie with the nutrition found in egg shells.
As always, it is best to seek your vet’s advice in this matter. Never feed raw eggshells to your pet. They could contain microbes that could be dangerous for your Yorkie.
Can Yorkies Have Eggs: Conclusion
Yorkies can eat eggs without any issues, but only in moderation and as a treat, not as the primary source of nutrition. Eggs are good for Yorkies, but they do not contain all of the nutrients they need.
You can feed your Yorkie scrambled eggs, omelets, fried eggs, boiled eggs, or poached eggs. Basically, any form of eggs are fine. Whether raw eggs are fine depends on who you ask. The risk is bacteria. Apart from that, raw eggs are fine too.
The one thing to be aware of is that the eggs should be plain, or served with additions that are also fine for dogs, like cheese. Do not add any seasonings to the eggs you feed your Yorkshire terrier.
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