How Safe Are Eggs for Your Dog, Cat? Myths and Truths about Biotin, Salmonella, and Chemical Egg Wash
★ 3.5 min read
In this article:
- Facts vs. Myths
- Biotin and aviden
- Salmonella
- Chemical washing agents
- Pink color egg white, bacterial spoilage
- Food allergies and eggs
Part III of Your Complete Guide to Eggs for Dogs and Cats
Egg Facts vs. Myths
There's myths that discourage people from feeding eggs to dogs and cats. Confusion and rumors over biotin and salmonella. It's time for the truth so your dog and cat can enjoy the amazing nutritional value of eggs!
We need to talk about:
Biotin and Aviden
Biotin
is an essential B vitamin your dog and cat need to remain healthy.
Biotin is necessary for healthy fur, nail, skin, metabolic and
neurological health.
Eggs yolks contain biotin.
Egg whites contain avidin.
Consumption of egg white (no yolk) leaves avidin free to bind with biotin already present in the dog or cat's body. Regular consumption of unbound aviden can cause biotin deficiency.
Cooking egg prevents avidin from blocking biotin absorption. But cooking also denatures and degrades valuable enzymes present in egg.
We need to talk about:
- Biotin and Avidin
- Salmonella
- Chemical washing of eggs
Biotin and Aviden
Biotin
is an essential B vitamin your dog and cat need to remain healthy.
Biotin is necessary for healthy fur, nail, skin, metabolic and
neurological health.Eggs yolks contain biotin.
Egg whites contain avidin.
Consumption of egg white (no yolk) leaves avidin free to bind with biotin already present in the dog or cat's body. Regular consumption of unbound aviden can cause biotin deficiency.
Cooking egg prevents avidin from blocking biotin absorption. But cooking also denatures and degrades valuable enzymes present in egg.
The
solution to the avidin/biotin issue is simple:
- Always give the egg white and yolk together.
- The aviden in the white binds to the biotin in the yolk. When consumed the avidin cannot rob your dog's body of biotin.
Problem solved.
You can include eggs in your dog and cat's diet without fear of creating biotin deficiency.
Salmonella and Raw Eggs
Not an issue.Pasture sourced eggs are clean as pastured hens don't live, stand and lie down in excrement and filth.
Pastured hens' species appropriate diet supports a healthy immune system and gut biome. The hens' reproductive tract is not riddled with bad bacteria.
Pasture sourced eggs not washed with chemical cleaners can sit on a counter for days. Naturally good and bacteria-free no need for refrigeration.
Yes, can be an issue.
Factory farm battery cage, enriched colony, and cage-free sourced eggs have high bacteria-counts.
Hens live (sit, sleep, lay their eggs) in filthy conditions. Hens eat a diet that creates overgrowth of bad bacteria. Forced molts harm already weakened immunity. The root-cause of salmonella-tainted eggs is poor farm husbandry practices.
Chemical Washing of Eggs
According
to the USDA and Health Canada regulations all eggs must undergo
chemical-rinse. The chemicals destroy bad bacteria and "remove stains"
(excrement, blood etc.). Bacteria and stains resulting from unnatural
living conditions. The chemical-wash also destroys the eggs' natural
protective layer
When a hen is about to lay an egg her body excretes a liquid coating to cover the egg. The coating surrounds the egg with a protective cuticle. The cuticle prevents bad bacteria from entering the shell, membrane, white and yolk. The cuticle also keeps essential moisture and carbon dioxide in the egg. The cuticle is a non-toxic preservative that provides natural antimicrobial protection and impermeability.
Chemical detergent-wash destroys the egg cuticle. Thousands of tiny pores in the shell become exposed.
To help reseal the open pores eggs go through an intensive drying process. But any exposure to moisture including condensation results in pore reopening.
These eggs need refrigeration to avoid salmonella contamination.
In the UK adherence to good animal husbandry is the norm so chemical-washing if eggs isn't required. Eggs remain fresh, have no toxic residue and don't need refrigeration.
What's in Chemical Wash?
The chemical wash contains corrosive toxic and environment-damaging substances such as:
⚠️ Chlorine.
⚠️ Polyethylene glycol.
⚠️ Sodium tripolyphosphate.
⚠️ Coloring agents.
⚠️ Caustic soda.
Less noxious substances include iodine and ozone.
And yes, water.
Chemical detergent wash products include the following warnings:
🆘 Corrosive.
🆘 Harmful if swallowed.
🆘 Contact may cause immediate pain.
🆘 Inhalation of vapors cause respiratory irritation or damage.
🆘 Take-off and destroy shoes contaminated with detergent.
After the chemical wash eggs get a warm water wash. The warm water wash does not remove all chemical residue. If you want to avoid chemical-washed eggs find a small local egg farmer that sells pastured free-range source eggs washed in water.
If
you crack an egg open and see pinkish color egg white; discard the egg.
Pink color egg white indicates presence of bad bacteria. Most common
are Pseudomonas bacteria or flavorbacterium.
Food Allergies and Eggs
Some
dogs and cats that are allergic to chicken are not allergic to chicken
eggs.
When a hen is about to lay an egg her body excretes a liquid coating to cover the egg. The coating surrounds the egg with a protective cuticle. The cuticle prevents bad bacteria from entering the shell, membrane, white and yolk. The cuticle also keeps essential moisture and carbon dioxide in the egg. The cuticle is a non-toxic preservative that provides natural antimicrobial protection and impermeability.
Chemical detergent-wash destroys the egg cuticle. Thousands of tiny pores in the shell become exposed.
To help reseal the open pores eggs go through an intensive drying process. But any exposure to moisture including condensation results in pore reopening.
These eggs need refrigeration to avoid salmonella contamination.
In the UK adherence to good animal husbandry is the norm so chemical-washing if eggs isn't required. Eggs remain fresh, have no toxic residue and don't need refrigeration.
What's in Chemical Wash?
The chemical wash contains corrosive toxic and environment-damaging substances such as:
⚠️ Chlorine.
⚠️ Polyethylene glycol.
⚠️ Sodium tripolyphosphate.
⚠️ Coloring agents.
⚠️ Caustic soda.
Less noxious substances include iodine and ozone.
And yes, water.
Chemical detergent wash products include the following warnings:
🆘 Corrosive.
🆘 Harmful if swallowed.
🆘 Contact may cause immediate pain.
🆘 Inhalation of vapors cause respiratory irritation or damage.
🆘 Take-off and destroy shoes contaminated with detergent.
After the chemical wash eggs get a warm water wash. The warm water wash does not remove all chemical residue. If you want to avoid chemical-washed eggs find a small local egg farmer that sells pastured free-range source eggs washed in water.
Pink Color Egg White - Bacterial Spoilage ðŸ¦
Food Allergies and Eggs
Other dogs and cats that are allergic to chicken are also allergic
to chicken eggs. These individuals may or may not be allergic to other
bird eggs. For a list of varieties of eggs you can offer your dog see Part 1 of my Guide To Eggs for Dogs and Cats.
Complete Guide to Eggs for Dogs:
🥚 Part II - How Wholesome is That Egg for Your Dog, Cat?
How to Select the Best Eggs!
🥚 Part III - How Safe Are Eggs for Dogs and Cats?
Myths and Truths
How to Select the Best Eggs!
🥚 Part III - How Safe Are Eggs for Dogs and Cats?
Myths and Truths
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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld.
