Eggs, Education, Evidence, and Raw Feeding

by | Apr 6, 2017 | A to Z Raw Dog Food, Raw Food Diet for Dogs

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Raw Feeding from A to Z – E

When I Feed Raw Eggs to My Dogs

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Feeding Raw Eggs to Dogs

When I first started feeding a raw diet, people were shocked that I was adding raw eggs to my dogs' meals.  Eggs will cause a biotin deficiency, eggs have salmonella, eggs will increase my dog's cholesterol levels.

Nope. Nope. NOPE!!!!

Eggs are GREAT for dogs.  I feed them raw because cooking destroys all of the nutrients in eggs.  Think about it, an egg is an incubator for a new life so the egg has a ton of vitamins and nutrients to grow the new life.  I want my dogs to gain all that yumminess in their diet.

Although I do add a vitamin and nutrient blend from WellyTails to my dogs' meals, I first reach for natural sources of vitamins when I can.  Raw eggs add vitamins A, B2, B9, and B12, iron, selenium, and fatty acids to my dogs' raw diet.

  • Vitamin A – eye sight, bone growth, and immune system
  • Vitamin B2 – helps to convert food into fuel
  • Vitamin B9 – formation of red blood cells, protein metabolism
  • Vitamin B12 – nerve functions
  • Iron – blood production and energy
  • Selenium – behaves as an antioxidant in the body
  • Fatty Acids – brain functions, skin and coat health, joints, and immune system

Egg Whites Only:  I don't feed my dogs egg whites only; I think that's the source of the belief that dogs will develop a biotin deficiency.  Some well-meaning dog lover probably fed their dogs egg whites only, because it's healthy for humans.  I could totally see myself doing this too, but now I know better.  Different species.

Feeding Raw Eggs to Dogs:  I crack open the egg and add it to my dog's dish.  I do count the weight of the egg when I'm measuring meals.  I don't add the shell; three of my dogs won't eat it.  I crack the yolk and mix it into the food for Sydney; the other three dogs like to lick the egg so I leave it on top.

Feeding Raw Egg Shells:  Instead of adding the shell to my dogs' meals, I dry them out (or bake them for 10 minutes on low heat), grind them in my Nutri-Bullet, and sprinkle the egg dust over raw meals that don't contain bone.  This is a great option for dogs that can't eat raw bone.  Note: I only save the shells from eggs I get from friends (who have chickens) or local farms.  Grocery store eggs have been rinsed with a chemical compound to make the eggs clean and pretty, so I don't feed my dogs those shells – better safe than sorry.

 

Educational Resources to Help Dog Parents Learn About Raw Feeding

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Educating Ourselves About Raw Feeding

Many of us are learning how to feed our dogs a raw diet via the Internet and it's not easy.  There is a lot of conflicting information out there and if you ask the wrong question, people grab the torches and troll you for days.  There has got to be a better way, right?

  • Join a raw feeding group – you will have to join a few to test them out and find the one that is right for you.
  • Follow leaders in the Community – Dr. Karen Becker, Rodney Habib, Marty Becker, Susan Thixton, and many more people are sharing content daily about dog health and nutrition.
  • Connect with local raw feeders – you can find them in groups, forums, and local raw food co-ops.  Things began to click with me when I was able to sit down with someone to discuss raw feeding.

And, of course, there are a lot of books to read and a few blogs to follow. When you're searching Amazon, read the synopsis and the reviews to get an idea if it's the right book for you.  The reviews on Amazon have saved me a lot of time and money.

My favorite books are:

My favorite magazines are:

 

 

And, finally, Dogs Naturally Magazine has an educational program.  I passed the Pet Food Nutrition Specialist certification in December 2016.  I've signed up for the Raw Pet Food certification for the spring.

Evidence that Raw Feeding is Beneficial for Dogs

One of the critiques we always get is that there is only anecdotal evidence that raw feeding is good for dogs.  If we dismissed anecdotal evidence, we wouldn't have many of the advances we enjoy today.  But for folks who need “proof” beyond the word of raw feeders around the globe, there are studies that show that fresh food is superior to processed foods.

Plus, there are many veterinarians – also scientists – who support raw feeding.  To find one, visit the AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association).

Ewegurt: A Sheep's Milk Yogurt Based Treats with Emu for Dogs

Thank you to Ewegurt for being a generous sponsor of Keep the Tail Wagging®.  Ewegurt is an all natural supplement made with sheep's milk and other natural, healthy ingredients that help to ease anxiety in dogs.  I add it to my dogs' meals as a food topper or I feed it to them as a treat before thunderstorms, windstorms, when there will be fireworks, and before they are exposed to a situation that increases their anxiety.  It works great for my dogs and has no side effects.

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