Eggs
By Pat McKay (as posted to the Wellpet List)

Hi, This is Pat McKay.

Eggs are an excellent source of complete protein and are easily digested. They contain all the essential amino acids and the following nutrients: vitamins A, B2, D and E, niacin, biotin, copper, iron, sulphur, phosphorus and unsaturated fatty acids. The egg yolk is the richest known source of choline, which is necessary for emulsifying or dispersing cholesterol throughout the system.

By the way, dogs and cats do not have the cholesterol problems that people have. Because they are carnivores, their systems assimilate fats and oils more efficiently. Raw fats and oils, of course.

Egg yolks should be fed raw. The whites should be cooked until the clear part of the egg turns white. Egg whites can cause a loss of biotin in the system. If you only feed one or two eggs to a large dog occasionally, it is not a problem. If you are feeding on a regular basis (once a week) one egg per 10 pounds of body weight, then you should soft-boil the egg. One or two minutes is sufficient. You want the white to be very gooey, and the yolk
(yellow) not cooked at all.

If you are traveling or in some situation where you do not have facilities for boiling water, just take very hot water from the tap and let the eggs soak for five minutes to destroy the avidin, which is the protein that interferes with the absorption of biotin.

Hard-boiled eggs should be fed very seldom, perhaps not at all, because cooking makes them very hard to digest. Do not feed the shell under any circumstances. When animals eat eggs or eggshells in the wild, the shell is still very fresh and soft. If the egg is a few hours old or has been cooked, the shell hardens. The edges of the broken shell become very sharp, which can cause internal bleeding.

The main concern with eggs is their quality and freshness. Make sure they come from healthy, free-range-fed chickens that have not been fed antibiotics, hormones or other drugs. Of course it goes without saying that chickens who are caged and mutilated by having their beaks and nails cut are so stressed that they cannot be healthy or produce quality eggs.

Organic eggs are much higher in nutritional value than regular commercial eggs. If the eggs are fertile as well, they will contain beneficial growth hormones. keep eggs in a covered container because they will stay fresh longer. Try to use the eggs within one week of purchase.

One to eight eggs at a meal, depending on the size of the animal, is about right. Approx. 1 egg for every 10 pounds of body weight. Under 10 pounds gets one egg. Over 80 pounds, 8 eggs is still sufficient.

The most important point is that the yolk should NOT be cooked! This is probably more than you ever wanted to know about eggs.