Did you get a new pet dog at your place? Well, apart from a host of things that you need to take care of, knowing its diet is a must! Surely, your vet must have guided you, but still, a couple of general queries do remain. Taking that into account, many people quite often ask – can dogs eat corn? Well, technically, they can eat corn that comes without the cob. That automatically leads to a second question – how beneficial is it for your dog to have corn?
This article will try to answer some of these common queries associated with a dog’s consumption of corn and its benefits and negatives. Let’s check out the details –
Table of Contents
Can dogs eat corn and how much?
According to a Denver-based veterinarian – corn is rich in a number of nutrients, and therefore, if you give your dogs this in moderation, then it is actually a great alternative to regular dog food.
You can feed them either raw or cooked corn (just boiled and cooked in basic oil, with no added ingredients or salt) in moderation and definitely without the cob. In case you want to treat them to frozen corn, that alternative is there as well. Just make sure that they do not choke on the same.
What type of corn do dogs eat?
If you are now wondering can dogs eat corn of all types and which is the best way to feed them the same – then let us inform you at the start that – basic boiled/cooked corn is the best option for dogs. Do not add butter, mayonnaise, flavor enhancer (they contain fatty acids), or any spice, onion, garlic, or even salt to it. For the unversed, butter can cause both obesity and pancreatitis in dogs, garlic and onion are toxic for them, and salt could cause salt poisoning.
It is due to this reason that vets refrain from giving dogs either canned corn or double-packed corn since both of these have high sodium content and could immediately lead to salt poisoning.
Apart from that, avoid corn chips and corn tortillas as well as cornbread or corn muffins (due to their high sodium content and chemical components). Consumption of any of these varieties of popcorn would lead your dog to have diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, lethargy and loss of appetite. If at all, you could give them a small treat, but only once in a long while.
In case you are baking plain popcorn, you could give them a handful, but that, too, occasionally.
Does corn have any nutritional value?
Given that your query about can dogs eat corn turns its answer in positive, you must also wish to know about its nutritional value. As you have already noted that dogs can not only eat grains but also digest them well; therefore, corn is the perfect food alternative for them.
Corn comes with benefits such as –
1. Digestible carbohydrates – Whether it’s whole corn or corn meal – both provide carbs that can be key sources of energy for your pet.
2. Add Protein – Want to maintain the healthy bones of your pet? The gluten level in the corn helps do just that.
3. Antioxidants – Corn has a number of antioxidants, such as – beta-carotene and Vitamin E, that help in boosting the immune system of your pet.
4. Fiber – Being fibrous in nature, corn helps promote motility and gut health.
5. Linoleic Acid – For the unversed, linoleic acid is an Omega 6 Fatty acid that dogs require to maintain their health but cannot produce by themselves. Corn has this acid content, and therefore, you may add this to your dog’s diet.
Now that you know what type of corn suits your dog and its nutritional value – it is time that you check out why people have a negative idea about dogs having corn.
Why corn cob is unhealthy for dogs?
The whole fuss about can dogs eat corn started from the fact that – it is not the corn in itself, but the ones that come with cob can be dangerous for dogs. For those who came in late – corn cob, alternatively known as corn pole, is the central section of the sweetcorn on which the kernels grow. They might look attractive to your dog as a treat-toy combo, but they are extremely dangerous if your pup swallows them by mistake (since they are easy to break).
Does corn cause indigestion in dogs?
In case your dog by mistake swallows a corn cob, this could lead to – choking, throat and intestinal injuries and blockages. If you do not take them to the vet immediately (after they show signs like vomiting, dehydration, or lethargy), it could also lead to surgery.
What to do immediately?
If you suspect that your dog ate a cob by mistake and now is choking – as a first-aid technique, you could –
. Open his mouth and do a finger sweep to remove immediate obstructions. You may also use pliers or tongs to grab the object but do not push it too hard.
. If the first technique does not work, switch to the Heimlich maneuver.
For small dogs – Pick up the dog and place it against your legs. In the process, the head must be down, and the stomach must be up while you push sharply towards the head with your fist, especially in the area beneath the hollow rib cage.
For large dogs – Place them against your legs and push your fist in an upwards motion towards the head in the area under the rib cage.
This is simply a preliminary technique to stop your dog from choking. Once your dog is safe, immediately consult a vet.
Key takeaways
As pet owners, everyone wants to give their pets nothing short of the best. Therefore, they sometimes tend to go a little ahead of what the vets have recommended and ask questions like can dogs eat corn. Now that you know that they can and of what type, you too can give them that without any worries. If you liked this post and want more stories like this, keep following this page.
Monalisa Mukherjee is a content writer, copywriter and editor with 4 years of experience. She has written for websites like Biography Talk, The Rich Net Worth, Contour Cafe, He And She Fitness and Fiction Pad. She is currently associated with a noted Digital Marketing Agency and specialises in writing press release, guest posts, articles on travel, entertainment, food recipes, celebs, lifestyle, tech, health, and fashion.