Are Egg Shells Good for a Dog's Coat?

While egg shells are good for your pup, they will not improve his coat. They do help strengthen teeth and bones, though. A whole egg offers a near-complete meal for your pup, but too much of this good thing can be bad for him. Limit eggs to one per day, unless your vet recommends otherwise.

  1. Significance

    • The whole egg contains a wealth of nutrients for your dog. However, too much of the protein in egg whites can interfere with biotin functioning in the body. Biotin is responsible for, among other things, fat metabolism and cell growth. Keeping eggs to one per day will help keep your dog happy and healthy.

    Eggshell Benefits

    • Since eggshells are full of calcium and protein, they can strengthen your canine companion's teeth and bones, repair muscle and tissue and strengthen your pet's hair. To create an eggshell powder, wash the shells and let them air dry. Bake dry shells at 300 degrees for five to seven minutes, then allow the shells to cool. Grind the cooled shells to a fine powder using your coffee grinder or spice grinder. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of eggshell powder on your dog's food once a day to protect his bones. When stored in an airtight container, eggshell powder will keep for two months.

    Coat Supplements

    • The omega fatty acids in egg yolk will soften and strengthen your pet's coat, so there is a connection between eggs and coat health -- just not eggshells. Offer the egg yolk in cooked form to make his coat shiny. As an alternative, give your dog a seed oil -- such as hemp seed or flax seed -- or a fish oil pill to realize the same omega benefits without having to cook for your canine.

    Considerations

    • While eggs do have health benefits for your dog, raw eggs pose a salmonella risk. No widespread health scares from domesticated animals consuming raw eggs have been reported, but it is still better to be safe than sorry. Cook eggs before feeding them to your dog by hard boiling, frying or scrambling the eggs.