Can Dogs Eat Corn on the Cob?

As a beloved addition to your BBQ, is this tasty side dish just as healthy for dogs? 

Dogs can eat sweetcorn (unless they're allergic), in small amounts. However, there are risks. Therefore, you must always remove the corn from the cob and never add salt, fat or additional seasonings. 

So is corn safe for dogs? Not really. We don't recommend feeding your dog sweetcorn due to the risk of a gastrointestinal obstruction. You might not see signs at first, but symptoms can range from mild to severe. 

Sweetcorn also hasn't got many health benefits, so there's no point feeding your dog lots. There are more nutritious options available.

can dogs eat sweetcorn

Symptoms:

  • Abdominal discomfort
  • Black, tarry stools
  • Constipation/straining to defecate
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhoea
  • Heaving
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting

More importantly, corn cobs are bad for dogs. Always. If you're going to give your dog sweetcorn, it cannot be on the cob. You might think they won't be able to chew through it, but if they want to, they will. 

GI obstruction side effects can look like symptoms of other health issues, so don't panic too soon if they start presenting these signs. Always contact your vet if you're unsure. It's essential to treat these symptoms, regardless of what's causing them.

Top Tips:

  • It's not that sweetcorn isn't good for dogs, but that there are no health benefits that would be worth potentially upsetting your dog's stomach. 
  • Sweetcorn for dogs can be a tasty treat on rare occasions, but shouldn't be part of their regular dog food. 

Treatment Plan

If your dog eats a sweetcorn cob, there's a problem. Hard to digest, a choking hazard, and in no way healthy, it's best to avoid giving your dog corn cobs. 

Your vet will treat them as 'foreign bodies' and will perform a full physical examination. It might include blood tests, x-rays and an ultrasound. 

In worse cases, your dog might have to go under general anaesthetic to remove the foreign object. 

Your vet will assess the health of their intestine if it's severe. Sometimes, it's necessary to remove a segment of the damaged intestine.