As you know, we’re the authors of The Healthy Hound Cookbook, a cookbook of healthy treat recipes for dogs. One of our favorite recipes from that book is super simple and a great supplement for your dog as well. If you’re wondering how to make eggshell calcium for your dog, our recipe is quick and easy to make in your kitchen.
If you are feeding your dog a homemade diet, he needs added calcium unless that homemade diet includes 20 percent raw meaty bones.
One way to get that calcium is with a calcium supplement: like eggshell calcium!
What is eggshell calcium?
As the name suggests, eggshell calcium is made from the eggshells (and eggshell membrane) that you’d otherwise discard.
Eggshell calcium is preferred by many pet parents over bone meal because bones can store impurities (and because bone meal is often made from bones that have been used to make gelatin so many nutrients are already missing from the bones).
How Much Calcium Does My Dog Need?
As with most things related to dog nutrition, the recommended amount of calcium your dog needs varies. Before starting any supplement regimen for your dog, always consult with your veterinarian to determine an appropriate dosage.
To roughly calculate a potential supplemental dose:
- Find out how much calcium your dog is already getting from his diet. If you are feeding prepared foods and treats, it will have calcium so you must take that into account.
- Generally speaking, a common guideline for calcium intake for dogs, from all sources including their regular diet and a homemade diet if you’re mixing them, is about 50 mg of calcium per kilogram of the dog’s body weight per day.
- Subtract the calcium already present in your dog’s diet from the total daily requirement to find out how much supplemental calcium is needed.
How much calcium is in a teaspoon of eggshell powder?
A single eggshell from a chicken egg contains about 2 grams–or 2,000 milligrams–of calcium. When ground into a fine powder, this amount of calcium can roughly fill a teaspoon.
A teaspoon of eggshell powder would contain around 2000 milligrams (or 2 grams) of calcium so you can see that you don’t need much powder, even for large dogs.
Please note that these are approximate values and it might vary slightly based on the exact size of the eggshell and the fineness of the powder.
Remember, before adding any supplement to your pet’s diet, always consult with a veterinarian to determine the correct and safe amount to administer. Too much calcium can potentially lead to health problems, especially in growing puppies and in breeds prone to certain health issues, so it’s important to balance their calcium intake appropriately.
How to Make Eggshell Calcium for Your Dog
Eggshell calcium is a great way to use those shells you’d otherwise discard.
To make eggshell powder, you’ll need:
- a cookie sheet
- the shells of a dozen or more eggs
- an oven
- a clean coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle
- a clean jar to store the powder
I save the eggshells in the refrigerator for a few days before creating the egg shell powder. When I’m ready to make it, preparation is easy:
First, wash the egg shells and let them dry on a cookie sheet:
I put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator and let them dry overnight.
Then it’s time to dry them more! Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit then bake for 10-15 minutes. Eggshells should be completely dry.
If you washed the eggshells shortly before baking, allow extra baking time. Eggshells must be completely dry before grinding.
If you’re using a coffee grinder, make sure it’s completely clean before grinding the eggshells; you don’t want any bits of coffee in the eggshell powder!
Grind the eggshells in a clean coffee grinder or a blender until all large pieces are ground to a powder:
Here’s a look at how easily the coffee grinder turns the eggshells into powder:
If you don’t have a clean coffee grinder, a mortar and pestle is also a great way to grind to a powder.
Store in a lidded jar for up to two months.
Printable Recipe
Eggshell Calcium
Ingredients
- One dozen eggshells
Instructions
- Collect washed eggshells in the refrigerator
until you have a dozen or enough to fill a cookie sheet. - Eggshells will begin to dry while in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread the eggshells on a cookie sheet and bake
10-15 minutes. - If you washed the eggshells shortly before baking, allow extra baking time. Eggshells must be completely dry before grinding.
- Grind the eggshells in a clean coffee grinder or a blender until all large pieces are ground to a powder. A mortar and pestle is also a great way to grind to a powder.
- Store in a lidded jar.
More Recipes You Might Like
We’ve got dozens of food related articles in the archives; here are a few you might enjoy:
How to Make Bone Broth for Dogs {for pennies a serving!}
How to Make Homemade Chicken Broth for Your Dog
Are Marrow Bones for Dogs Safe? {And What About Puppies?}
Looking for more recipes? Download one of our free dog treat cookbooks!
Cooks: Don’t miss our My Dog Says I’m a Great Cook™ cookbook with over 100 dog treat recipes from the publishers, readers and fans of DogTipper! This paperback book is available in our PawZaar gift store!
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