Thanks to plenty of vitamins, proteins, and other elements, eggs are an excellent treat to give your dog. But did you know that your mode of egg preparation can impact canine health and the nutrient percentage is taken?
And while they are great inclusions in a dog’s diet, can Maltese eat eggs?
Maltese dogs, including their puppies, can eat eggs as they have various nutrients ideal for their growth and nourishment. You can even let your Maltese enjoy eggs daily, provided you don’t swap them for their main meal. Whether scrambled or boiled, eggs are an excellent treat for your dog.
Can Maltese Eat Eggs?
You can serve your dog with eggs daily but within a specific range. Eggs are nutrient-packed. To give you an idea, a large egg, around 50 grams, offers 72 calories. Nevertheless, you can get eggs with 90 calories or small ones with only 54 calories.
A large egg’s protein content is around 6.28 grams, cholesterol at 186 milligrams, and five grams of fats, of which saturated fats make up 1.6 grams.
Based on the food rations you give your dog, it is better to ensure that eggs don’t surpass more than 10% of their daily calorie intake.
You can liaise with your vet to advise you on the number of eggs to give your Maltese, depending on their health and how playful they are. Still, you can determine the calorie content in your dog food to determine the size of eggs that you can give your Maltese daily.
Why should you stick to this range? Letting your Maltese pig out on eggs can result in obesity. And did you know obesity in dogs results in many challenges similar to obesity in humans? With an excessive egg intake, your Maltese may experience the following:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Orthopedic ailments
- Arthritis
- Respiratory and heart problems
- Skin infection
Obesity may even result in having to spend less time with your pet by a whopping two and a half years.
Can Maltese Puppy Eat Eggs?
Eggs offer proteins to your puppy. Whether boiled or scrambled, they contain lots of Vitamin A and Lutein. These minerals are crucial in maintaining excellent eye health. These aside, other critical ingredients that your Maltese can benefit from eggs include:
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Folate
- Vitamin B6
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
- Fatty Acids
- Protein
- Lecithin
- Selenium
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin E
- Riboflavin
Notably, the nutrient capacity of eggs sometimes depends on the poultry type that lays them. Free-range birds tend to produce more nutritious eggs than their caged counterparts, given their organic diet.
Research shows free-range eggs may be richer in beta carotene, carotenoid, and flavonoid levels than those from caged birds.
While most Maltese puppies can eat eggs without issues, some may experience complications. Therefore, it is best to contact your vet to determine whether your Maltese puppy has an underlying condition preventing them from enjoying eggs.
What happens when you give your puppy eggs? If you notice hives, breathing issues, coughing, tiredness, sneezing, swelling, and other unusual signs, your Maltese may be allergic to eggs.
That said, it’s best to avoid giving raw eggs to your puppy or any dog, as they may result in health issues.
Can I Crack an Egg in My Dog’s Food?
While some experts recommend providing your canines with raw eggs occasionally, others warn against it. The main argument is that your dog may get exposed to some ailments like Salmonella and E. Coli.
Nevertheless, the chances of your dog getting sick from raw egg ingestion are much slimmer than yours. How are dogs better equipped to handle sickness threats in raw eggs?
- Dogs have more petite digestive systems. This compact gut profile means that food stays in their body for a shorter duration than human beings. This way, their systems ensure bacteria lack adequate time to multiply and spread.
- Studies indicate gastric juice pH in dogs is generally higher than that in humans by at least ten times or more. Due to their much lower acid pH, dogs can better handle a broader range of bacteria, raw meat, and bones.
Note that a more advanced protection system doesn’t mean dogs are immune to Salmonella attacks and similar bacteria. If you plan to crack raw eggs in your Maltese food, ensure you get your stash from an authentic supplier to avoid feeding your pet an infected batch.
When your dog’s immune system gives in to a Salmonella attack, the Maltese contracts Salmonellosis. Some symptoms of this disease include fatigue, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
Raw eggs contain avidin, which attaches to biotin (Vitamin B), preventing its absorption. However, this won’t result in a biotin deficiency unless you give your Maltese lots of raw eggs daily.
Can Maltese Have Scrambled Eggs?
Scrambled eggs are safer to give your Maltese than raw eggs. Scrambled eggs undergo intense heating that kills bacteria and other disease causatives.
With scrambled eggs, you don’t have to worry about Salmonella. Moreover, scrambled eggs don’t contain avidin. Because of this, they are a better choice than raw eggs if you want to feed your dog eggs every day while preventing Vitamin B absorption.
Scrambled eggs on their own don’t pose a considerable health risk. However, we tend to include other additives to our scrambled eggs that may prove problematic to dogs. Some ingredients you should never add to your Maltese scrambled eggs include onions, butter, garlic, and oil.
Onions and garlic contain a component called thiosulfate. This substance results in red blood cell destruction in dogs and a high potential for anemia when taken daily.
It is better to avoid adding butter and oil to your scrambled eggs as your dog’s food, including the eggs, contains fats. Too much fat can make your Maltese obese, exposing them to the many health implications discussed above.
Although you should avoid spicing up your scrambled eggs, a bit of cheese may make your Maltese enjoy their meal more.
Can Maltese Eat Boiled Egg?
Did you know boiled eggs may be healthier for your Maltese to eat than both scrambled and raw eggs? Boiled eggs don’t attain as much heat as scrambled eggs at the boiling point of the cooking medium. Oil boils about thrice as hot as water.
Because of the less heat, boiling eggs present a lesser likelihood of cholesterol oxidation. That means that your pet is safer from health risks like obesity.
While boiling breaks down avidin, allowing better biotin absorption, it also reduces some components like antioxidants by up to 18%. But isn’t it better to lose some of these constituents than hamper their absorption entirely, as is the case with avidin?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Give My Maltese Dog Scrambled Eggs for Diarrhea?
Irrespective of the serving mode, eggs are magnificent foods to give your sick dog. During diarrhea, the body has less time to digest and absorb food before it comes out as loose stool.
Eggs and other foods with a faster ability to get absorbed are ideal at such times. They give your pet’s digestive system a better opportunity to assimilate nutrients essential in providing the energy and immune system boost needed for recovery.
Do Raw Eggs Help Maltese Dogs Shedding?
Whether raw or cooked, eggs strengthen your pet’s hair follicles. This ensures that your Maltese has a healthy and vibrant coat. Different egg components offer diverse benefits.
Lutein is vital in tissue repair and skin hydration. Zinc promotes skin health and hair shininess. On the other hand, Vitamin B minimizes hair loss, fungal infection, skin inflammation, and irritation.
Nonetheless, eggs won’t exceptionally reduce shedding in canines getting ample nourishment.
Do Eggs Help Maltese Dogs Itchy Skin?
Eggs serve your dog’s coat shininess more than they do for their itchy skin. Many incidences result in your dog having itchy skin.
One may be a fungal or bacterial infection, pest infestation, boredom, hormonal imbalance, allergies, and dry skin. Serving your dog eggs is, therefore, unlikely to prevent their skin from itching.
How Do You Cook Eggs for Maltese Dogs?
The best way to cook eggs is by hard-boiling. This way, no additives pose a health challenge to your dog.
If you plan to use other means to cook eggs, ensure you keep them plain to avoid increasing your dog’s weight rapidly and posing health risks to them.
Do Raw Eggs Help Maltese Dogs Gain Weight?
Excessive egg intake can result in your canine gaining weight fast. Nevertheless, you will likely need more raw eggs than boiled eggs to increase your dog’s weight.
Raw eggs tend to absorb at a slower rate than cooked ones. Sure, they help your dog gain weight, but cooked eggs are better if your goal is weight gain.
Verdict
Eggs are a worthwhile addition to your canine’s diet especially boiled (hard) and scrambled ones. While you can serve raw eggs to dogs, they pose a health risk you won’t face with cooked ones.
If your Maltese can stomach eggs without issues, they can be an excellent treat during house training, provided you don’t let them over-indulge.
