Can dogs eat quail eggs? Does your dog eat quail eggs? Can he safely eat them?
It’s becoming increasingly popular for dog owners to not rely on the convenience of commercial kibble to make up their pet’s entire diet. There are lots of benefits to a commercial diet such as offering an easy solution to providing a complete and balanced diet to your dog with no fuss but many owners are switching out their kibble for freshly prepared or raw food.
Fresh food can offer much more nutritional value to your dog’s diet so they require less feeding and process more of what they eat so even poop less!
Even owners who can’t commit entirely to freshly prepared food are supplementing kibble diets with fresh food to boost the nutritional value of it. Eggs are one of the many foods dog owners are adding to their pet’s diet as an easy and convenient source of extra protein and vitamins.
Quail eggs are a great option, they’re small, low cost and super easy to find but are they good for your dog?
In this article:
Benefits of quail eggs for dogs
Is quail egg good for your dog?
Just as with humans, there are plenty of benefits of adding eggs into the diet of your dog. Quail eggs are a great way to boost the protein value of any of your dog’s meals.
Good quality complete dog diets will have between 20 and 30% protein content. If you feed a lower quality kibble or want to bulk up the protein value of a meal, one raw quail egg adds 1.2g of protein.
Quail eggs are packed with nutrients to supplement your dog’s diet. They contain essential fats that provide extra energy, especially if you’re looking to give them a boost for an especially busy day.
There are Vitamins A, B2, B6, B12 and E also contained in these tiny speckled eggs. These help your dog have a shiny, healthy coat, skin, and eyes. They can also boost their immune system and keep many of their vital organs in peak condition.
How often can dogs eat quail eggs
Quail eggs are little nutritional powerhouses for such small additions to your dog’s food and are small enough to be able to add to a medium to large dog’s diet every day.
How to prepare a quail egg to feed to your dog
Quail eggs for dogs – raw or cooked
Quail eggs are a good supplement for your dog if you plan to feed them raw or cooked. Feeding raw eggs to dogs does introduce a minor risk of salmonella however no more or less than any other type of egg or raw meat in their diet.
Some sources suggest that feeding eggs to your dog will cause a biotin deficiency. Egg whites contain an enzyme called avidin which if fed in excess can block the absorption of biotin from your dog’s diet.
Biotin is a vitamin that helps your dog to maintain healthy skin, cells, and metabolism and it supports their digestive system. If you were to feed your dog a diet of raw egg whites alone then this is a risk factor however feeding the entire egg as part of a balanced diet makes the chance of this happening almost impossible.
Cooking an egg will remove any risk of bacteria however it also reduces how valuable the vitamins and protein are available from it. Some dogs can eat and digest raw protein happily some may get upset stomachs from eating any rich source of protein. Whether you feed eggs raw or cooked eggs will come down to personal preference and your dog’s digestive system.
Can dogs eat quail eggs with the shell?
Just as with the question of feeding raw or cooked eggs, there’s a lot of debate surrounding if you should feed the shell to your dog. Dogs can eat quail eggs with the shell but not every owner chooses to.
Some people say it’s a good source of calcium which is correct while others will say there are easier supplements for your dog to digest to introduce more calcium into your dog’s diet, which is also correct. The membrane in eggshells is beneficial when fed to dogs with arthritis as it’s a natural means of easing joint pain.
All in all, while there aren’t any benefits of feeding eggshells to your dog to shout about, the shell isn’t harmful either and does contain some beneficial vitamins. If you’re going to be feeding quail eggs to your dog then there’s no harm in offering them the shell if they want it.
To get your dog used to the texture of eating eggshells, they may find it easier to eat if you break it up a little to reduce the size of the pieces.
Are quail eggs better than other eggs for your dog’s diet?
So, you’ve decided to add eggs to your dog’s diet as a supplement but you’re not sure which kind of egg.
Quail eggs vs chicken eggs for dogs
Arguably, chicken eggs are easier to buy, especially if you eat them yourself. There are a couple of benefits to feeding quail eggs instead of chicken eggs which might make the extra effort of buying them worth it.
Quail eggs contain more protein per weight so are packed a little higher with nutrients. Five quail egg is equal to one chicken egg. If you have a smaller dog this may be overdoing the amount of protein you’re looking to add to your dog’s diet. A smaller dog can have one quail egg instead of throwing off the meal by adding a whole chicken egg’s worth of calories. Some dogs who are allergic to chicken eggs can digest quail eggs without any issues.
Conclusion
Eggs are an excellent way of boosting the protein available in your dog’s diet and adding a bunch of extra vitamins and minerals. They can be fed almost whatever way suits you. They can be frozen and stored as well making them useful, easy to prepare additions.
You can add quail eggs as part of your dog’s everyday meal. They’re much smaller than other eggs. You can even just give them now and again as a nutritionally rich treat! However you choose to feed them, quail eggs are an excellent addition to any dog’s diet.
