Can Dogs Eat Egg Salad? Dog Food Friend or Foe

Introduction

Egg salad is rich, nutritious, and delicious, so lots of people add it to their sandwiches for their lunches. But can dogs eat egg salad? Can it actually put their health at risk? 

We’re answering this question and many more in today’s post, so keep on reading!

Is Egg Salad Good for Dogs?

It’s complicated. 

Store-bought egg salad is usually not a good option for dogs, and the reason for that is that it can contain a variety of additional ingredients that are most certainly not canine-friendly. 

Homemade egg salad can be somewhat safe in very small amounts and should always be looked at as a treat rather than the main meal itself. 

However, there are lots of nutrients in eggs that can have a positive effect on your dogs’ health, so here are a few benefits that they might enjoy if you give them homemade egg salad every now and then. 

Linoleic acid

This is an omega-6 fatty acid that eggs contain and that has been found to improve the coat and skin health of dogs. 

Hard-boiled eggs are mostly safe to give to your pet, and they will prove their worth under a variety of circumstances, such as when your pup has a somewhat less capable immune system or brittle coat. 

Vitamins 

Did you know that eggs contain pretty good amounts of vitamins E, A, and B complex? All of these have a positive effect on your dog’s body in that they assist it in functioning properly. 

Natural vitamins are powerful antioxidants, so they can protect your dog’s internal organs, as well as their brain, from suffering from degeneration. Fat-soluble ones such as vitamins A and E are even more important in this respect, and they’re generally viewed as a way of preventing canine dementia. 

Protein 

An egg has as much as 13 grams of protein. And if you have been a dog parent before, you probably know that they require decent amounts of protein, fat, and carbs for their body to thrive. 

Therefore, feeding your dog an egg or a tablespoon of homemade egg salad (without any unsafe ingredients) on occasion can be a good way of adding to their weekly protein necessities. 

Is Egg Salad Bad for Dogs?

Store-bought egg salad can actually put your dog’s health in danger, and here are several reasons why. 

Onion 

None of the members of the Allium family are safe to give to dogs, and that includes garlic, onion, as well as chives. If you usually get your egg salad from the supermarket, it’s quite likely that at least one of these ingredients is going to be present in the recipe, so you shouldn’t feed it to your pet. 

Too much salt

Excess salt in your dog’s diet can lead to cardiovascular health issues with time. This is one of the reasons why veterinarians usually advise against feeding dogs table scraps. 

Egg salad has to be somewhat salty in order for it to be palatable, so the one you get from the store is not a safe choice in this case, either. 

Too much mayo

While mayo itself is relatively safe in small amounts, some dogs might be prone to developing extra conditions such as liver complications or pancreatitis when being given a high-fat diet. 

If you make your egg salad at home, using Cool Whip instead might be a better idea. Just make sure it doesn’t contain any xylitol or too much salt. 

Bacterial contamination

The only type of egg that is safe for dogs is the one that’s been boiled for at least 4-5 minutes. The reason for this is that eggs can sometimes be contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella, so your pet can suffer from a bad case of food poisoning.

Mustard 

This ingredient is never safe for dogs. Under no circumstances should you feed your dog mustard or egg salad whose label clearly specifies that it contains it in the recipe. 

Dogs that are given mustard can experience severe digestive distress in the form of abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and enteritis. 

How Much Egg Salad Can My Dog Eat?

If you make it at home and do not use any of the ingredients that we have mentioned above, one tablespoon per week might be a safe amount. 

However, this quantity also depends on your dog’s general health and whether they are borderline obese or diabetic or whether they already have chronic pancreatitis. 

It also depends on your dog’s size. You can’t give the same amount of egg salad to a Miniature Poodle as you would to a Saint Bernard. 

How to Prepare and Serve Egg Salad to Your Dog

You are not going to like the egg salad recipe that we will give you, but it is the only one that’s safe to serve to your dog. 

Do not use any condiments, spices, or seasonings, and skip the mustard or mayo. Use only safe ingredients in the form of boiled carrots, boiled potatoes, and, more importantly, hard-boiled eggs. 

You can add pumpkin to the recipe if your dog is also having trouble passing regular stools. In general, giving them the salad right after you have prepared it is the best way of going about things. Keep it in the fridge if you want to serve it to your pup tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. 

Do not store it at room temperature as bacterial cultures can easily grow onto eggs and any of the other ingredients in a matter of fewer than 12 hours or so. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

So, can dogs have egg salad? No. 

Unless you take the time to prepare a completely separate recipe for your pet, you should always consider egg salad as an unsafe food for dogs.

Sources

1. Salmonella and Eggs: From Production to Plate, Harriet Whiley et al, 2015 
2. Onion Poisoning in a Dog, M. Stallbaumer et al, 1981