Are Egg Whites safe for CKD?

[DarbiesMom]

Tony,

I'm doing a cut and paste of my questions to this new forum. I hope to participate and help other frustrated owners facing issues with all stages of CKD.  

I was hoping you could help me with the egg issue re: Omega 3/Omega 6. Most websites are universal saying that egg whites are a good protein source for dogs with CKF. I have been giving Darbie the whites of a hard boiled egg, chopped and drizzled with raw (local) honey. I stir in some warm water for extra hydration. Now, I am confused with the Omega 6 factor...Am I on the right path?

Thanks for your help,

DarbiesMom, Lynne

[tonyb286]

Hi Lynne. Tinned green tripe isn't quite so smelly ... so you should be safe opening it inside. Ha. Just keep an eye on the contents ingredients of tinned green tripe. The more natural the better, which is why I use frozen all-natural green tripe - but it's not always available everywhere - and that really does stink when cooked, but my dogs love it.

Tony

[DarbiesMom]

Tony,

This is complicated, but amazing information!  I will wean off the egg whites and focus on Salmon Oil, salmon, mackerel, etc... I am looking at green tripe on Amazon.com ( canned ). Sounds like I have to open the can outdoors in the farthest corner of the backyard....

Your knowledge and advice are greatly appreciated. Darbie is up for her blood work tomorrow and I would like to keep you updated.

Lynne, DarbiesMom

[tonyb286]

Hi Lynne. That's a great question, but the answer is going to be a bit complicated, so bare with me. Eggs are normally good for dogs in small quantities. But, they contain good omega-3 fatty acid AND the bad-for-dogs-in-kidney-failure omega-6 fatty acid. The best answer with eggs I have found is to be cautious, because what happened to eggs through mass production and processing over the last 100 years has changed their value completely. When chickens roamed freely and ate natural foods, they were high in omega-3, which was good for everyone, including dogs.

Mass production, where chickens became housed in mass sheds or pens and where they are fed little more than soy and corn, has lead to a situation where eggs are now full of omega-6 - which has been proved to be detrimental to dogs in kidney failure. One researcher and journalist said it absolutely right ... garbage in, garbage out!!!

Unfortunately, so-called free-range chicken eggs are not much better, because the definition of what constitutes free-range is questionable. Some are fed the same as pen-chickens, but allowed to roam in a one meter outdoor area. The result are eggs that are still high in omega-6.

Egg yolks contain about three times the amount of omega-6 to omega-3, so I have always said if you are going to give eggs, give three egg whites to one egg yolk, so the balance becomes stable and beneficial. Egg whites  have (obviously) far more omega-3, but they are also high in cholesterol, so feeding too much is not good for a dog's heart or cirulatory system.

A much better source of omega-3 is salmon oil, as this has many beneficial properties and is easy to digest.

The other problem with egg whites is they contain a substance called avidin, which blocks biotin. When fed with egg yolks, the egg yolk counters the biotin blockage, but when egg whites are fed on their own, biotin is almost completely blocked. Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids, and helps transfer carbon dioxide and maintain a good blood-glocose level.

Bit complicated ... but hope that helps.

Tony