For starters, yes, dogs can eat eggshell membranes and it’s quite beneficial. Eggshell membrane is rich in vitamins and minerals, and it has many health benefits for dogs.
Since most people throw out the shells when they boil eggs, feeding your dog this delicious treat might seem like a waste of time. However, this portion of the egg can boost your dog’s health and well-being resulting in a happier, healthier canine companion.
What is Eggshell Membrane?
If you've ever cracked open an egg, you've probably noticed that a thin membrane wraps around the yolk. You may also have noticed that when you break this membrane, it peels off into a stringy mess.
Eggshell membrane is made up of tough, fibrous tissue. It helps to support the egg yolk and white as they develop inside the hen. It also provides a protective barrier for the embryo during its development, which makes it an ideal source of nutrients for your pup.
Despite its unappealing appearance, natural eggshell membrane for dogs is actually quite nutritious and can be used to provide numerous health benefits. Here are five reasons why:
#1: Dog Joint Pain Relief
You may have heard of hyaluronic acid as a popular skincare ingredient. It's an important part of the extracellular matrix and helps keep everything in balance. Well, the eggshell membrane contains hyaluronic acid, too.
Similar to humans, dogs can benefit from using products that contain this substance to help reduce joint pain and inflammation.
If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis or hip dysplasia, adding extra support for their joints can be very helpful in managing the symptoms. Eggshell membrane is particularly useful for reducing stiffness and improving mobility for older dogs who are having difficulty getting around easily on their own two paws without assistance from their owners.
If you're looking for natural ways to improve your pup's mobility without resorting to medications or surgery (which may not be necessary), eggshell membrane might just be the perfect solution.
#2: Reduce Stiffness
Eggshell membrane contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, both of which are important for helping dogs with joint pain.
Pro Tip: If you want to give your cat a taste, the eggshell membrane is also good for them because it helps them deal with arthritis and other joint conditions.
In addition to helping with stiffness in older dogs, eggshell membrane can also be helpful for younger dogs that have just started showing signs of stiffness in their joints. If you think your dog has the beginning stages of arthritis or other joint issues, ask your vet about adding this supplement to his diet.
#3: Improved Mobility
Eggshell membrane contains hyaluronic acid, which is a lubricant that helps joints move smoothly. It can also be found in joint supplements, but eggshell membrane offers the advantage of being readily available and inexpensive.
This makes it an easy way to improve your dog's mobility without having to buy additional supplements or special foods.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two other nutrients that are important for joint health. Both chemicals help keep cartilage healthy by increasing water content in synovial fluid, which reduces inflammation and pain in joints.
As dogs age, these chemicals tend to become less effective at keeping their cartilage healthy, but eggshell membrane can help boost levels of glucosamine and chondroitin so they're more effective again.
#4: Adds Antioxidants to the Diet
Antioxidants are important for your dog's health, because they help the body fight free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells by stealing electrons from them. Antioxidants donate their own electrons to free radicals, neutralizing them and preventing damage to cells.
Eggshell membrane contains many antioxidants, including lutein (which can help prevent cataracts), zeaxanthin (which may help protect against macular degeneration), and vitamin E (an essential nutrient).
#5: Boosts the Dog Immune System
When you feed eggshell membrane to your dog, you're giving them a natural way to support their immune system without having to use any synthetic chemicals or medications.
The eggshell membrane has been shown to be effective for fighting off bacteria and viruses, which means it can help prevent infections from occurring in the first place. It also helps to maintain healthy skin and coat by moisturizing the skin and improving the blood flow through skin cells.
The eggshell membrane contains glycosaminoglycans, which are sugars that help support the immune system. Glycosaminoglycans also assist with the healing and repair of tissues, as well as the production of antibodies and other components of the immune system.
How Do You Feed A Dog Eggshell Membrane?
It's easy to incorporate eggshell membrane into your dog's diet. Here are some tips on how to do it:
- Purchase organic, free-range chicken eggs
- Don't use eggs that have been refrigerated or frozen, as they will be too hard to separate without cracking.
- Boil the egg for 3 minutes (or until the yolk is solid)
- Let the egg cool completely before breaking it open
- Use a spoon to carefully remove the membrane and discard any discolored parts of the membrane or eggshells that have been exposed to air during storage or cooking (those areas will likely be dry)
- Give your dog 1-2 teaspoons of membrane per 20 pounds of body weight per day in addition to her regular food intake
You can also grind up eggshells and mix them into homemade treats for dogs. This works best if you have a food processor or blender available.
OR, if this all feels like a lot of work, check out Rocket Animal Health’s Canine Cush, which is an easy-to-feed soft chew that contains functional levels of eggshell membrane.
All in All
Eggshell membrane is a great way to boost your dog’s health and give them the support they need. It can help with joint pain, stiffness and mobility issues as well as providing antioxidant support. If you have any questions about feeding your dog eggshell membrane, talk to your veterinarian first.
When Rocket Animal Health learned about all of the eggshell membrane benefits for dogs, we knew we had to do something to make it easier to feed!
Enter: Canine Cush, the eggshell membrane supplement your dog will love.
Read More:
Natural eggshell membrane relieves joint pain
Eggshell membrane in the treatment of pain and stiffness
The effects of an eggshell membrane supplement on mobility in dogs with osteoarthritis
Separation and identification of highly efficient antioxidants from eggshell membrane
The extracellular matrix of eggshell displays anti-inflammatory activities