Can Dogs Eat Corn on the Cob?

Written by Katelynn Sobus
Published: December 9, 2022
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Dogs can safely eat loose corn, but they cannot eat corn on the cob. The corn cob poses a choking hazard, and can also cause internal blockages in your dog’s digestive system that require surgical removal.

In short, save yourself the money and stress by scraping the corn off the cob before sharing it with your pup!

Below are four things to know about corn on the cob for dogs.

Corn on the Cob Can Cause Intestinal Blockages

dog looking at corncob

The cob of corn can cause intestinal blockage in dogs. Further, that may require surgery to resolve. If you feed your dog corn, don’t do what this person is doing, and just shave the corn off of the cob to be safe.

©iStock.com/RobertoDavid

The number one reason dogs cannot eat corn on the cob is that they cannot digest the cob. This puts them at risk of intestinal blockages, which can require pricey emergency surgery or even be deadly.

Small dogs may be more at risk, since their digestive tracts are smaller. This means they might develop a blockage even if they chew the cob into pieces.

However, corn cobs are quite big—and large dogs can also get blocked up, even if they chew the cob.

It Also Poses a Choking Hazard

Corn on the cob also poses a choking hazard. Large dogs might attempt to swallow the cob whole, and any dog can break off pieces large enough to choke on.

If your dog has a habit of getting into things like corn cobs, it’s important to use preventative strategies, also known as management. This might mean keeping food out of reach, not allowing your dog in the kitchen, and adding a lid to your trash can.

You should also train your dog to “leave it” and “drop it,” as these are essential skills! However, it’ll take time before they know these commands well enough to listen in high-stress situations, or when they really want to eat that corn cob!

Lastly, any dog parent should know first-aid techniques like the Heimlich Maneuver, as this can save your dog’s life in a crisis.

Corn is Safe Once Removed from the Husk

Yellow Corn - Can Dogs Eat Corn on the Cob?

When first removed from its cob, corn is safe for dogs to eat.

©Nalaphotos/Shutterstock.com

Corn is safe and even healthy for dogs if it’s removed from the husk. If your dog is begging at the dinner table, it’s perfectly okay to feed them a couple of corn kernels — as long as you don’t mind encouraging their bad manners, anyway! (No judgment — I’ve always let my dogs beg, too!)

You can also strip corn from the husk to add to your dog’s kibble or bake it into dog treats.

If you want to create an enriching activity with the corn, try mixing it into some dog-safe peanut butter (without Xylitol, or birch sugar), and spreading it onto a lick mat or into the bottom of a slow feeder dish.

As always, make sure your dog’s treats never make up more than 10% of their daily diet. This doesn’t need to be measured precisely, just estimate the best you can and use common sense. For instance, don’t feed them a whole bowl of corn!

Benefits of Corn for Dogs

Corn is healthy for dogs and provides them with a multitude of nutritional benefits, including:

  • Protein, which provides the energy needed for your dog to run and helps oxygen circulate in their body.
  • Carbohydrates, which provide your dog with fat, fiber, and essential vitamins.
  • Linoleic acid, which promotes heart health by lowering cholesterol.
  • Antioxidants, which help protect your dog’s body against disease.

If Your Dog Eats a Corn Cob, Call Your Vet Immediately

You might be able to get an appointment with your regular veterinarian if your dog eats a corn cob. But if they’re closed or can’t get you in on the same day, you might need to call an emergency vet clinic for help.

You don’t want to wait too long to have your dog seen, as intestinal blockages can be serious. If you’re unsure how long your dog can wait, ask your veterinarian.

If your primary vet is unavailable, call and ask your nearest emergency clinic if they think your dog needs to be seen emergently. They won’t make you come in for the money — emergency vet clinics are often so busy they have to turn down non-emergent cases (and sometimes, unfortunately, even emergent ones).

Be sure to note how much of the corn cob your dog ate, whether they chewed it well, and any symptoms you’ve noticed since. A receptionist or vet tech at an emergency clinic will likely ask you these things while on the phone, as will any veterinarian you see.

To diagnose a blockage, if necessary, your veterinarian might do things like a physical exam, palpate your dog’s abdomen, and order an x-ray to see if any blockages are visible. They’ll also take a history from you that includes the information listed above as your dog’s former and current medical issues.

In the best case, the corn cob will pass on its own and won’t cause your dog problems. Worst case, your dog may require surgery to remove a blockage. Sometimes, intestinal blockages are fatal — but this is much less likely if your dog is seen promptly by a veterinarian.

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Kwangmoozaa


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About the Author

Katelynn Sobus is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on pets including dogs, cats, and exotics. She has been writing about pet care for over five years. Katelynn currently lives in Michigan with her seven senior rescue cats.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. American Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-choking-dog-heimlich-instructions/
  2. American Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/bowel-obstruction-in-dogs/
  3. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Available here: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2014/11/05/dietary-linoleic-acid-and-risk-of-coronary-heart-disease/#:~:text=Instead%2C%20linoleic%20acid%20itself%20plays,2.
  4. Mayo Clinic, Available here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/multimedia/antioxidants/sls-20076428#:~:text=Antioxidants%20are%20substances%20that%20may,to%20tobacco%20smoke%20or%20radiation