Can Dogs Eat Sweetcorn?

 

Estimated Read Time: 3 ½ minutes

Summary: In this blog, we’ll learn whether dogs can have corn. We’ll discover if dogs can eat corn, whether it’s safe for them to eat corn cobs and if there are any health benefits in feeding your dog corn too…

Can Dogs Have Sweetcorn?

Yes, your dog can enjoy sweet, succulent yellow sweetcorn in moderation and as long as it is cooked, plain and unseasoned - that includes sweetcorn with butter. Sweetcorn is also considered to have nutritional benefits for your dog too as it contains fibre, protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, linoleic acid, and antioxidants - all of which are good for dogs.

Can Dogs Eat Corn Cobs?

Under no circumstance should a dog be given a cob of corn. They are a high-risk choking hazard and a dog’s body cannot process or break down the cob. Ingesting a corn cob for a dog can be very serious indeed and as well as causing a blockage or intestinal damage, can cause your dog to become dehydrated, repeatedly vomit, experience diarrhoea, produce black/tar-like stool, experience intense abdominal discomfort and/or become very lethargic. If you suspect or know, they have ingested a corn cob, they must be seen by a veterinarian as a matter of emergency.

Is Sweetcorn Good For Dogs?

Sweetcorn can nutritionally benefit your dog, yes. 

You can feed your dog canned or frozen sweetcorn as long as it is cooked and unseasoned. Most canned sweetcorn has added salt, and also canned vegetables typically have a lower nutritional value so frozen is usually best. If you’re feeding your dog corn from a cob that’s been on a BBQ, again make sure it hasn’t been covered in seasoning, oil or butter for cooking. Ultimately, plain sweetcorn that has been prepared by boiling, steaming or baking will serve your dog better.

Baby corn is an immature version of corn-on-the-cob, and even though the cob is certainly easier to digest, it’s probably not worth the risk of giving it to your dog. 

Always take it slowly when introducing any new food to your dog to avoid upsetting their stomach - particularly with puppies. Feed a very small amount of cooked, unseasoned corn per day before considering continuing to feed low quantities of corn to your dog. You can give it to them as a treat or as a small, sprinkled topper on their food. As with humans, all dogs will react differently to different foods so always be mindful of this when trying them on new foods, snacks, and treats regardless of whether they’re deemed safe.

Can Dogs Eat Popcorn?

Plain, air-popped popcorn that is unsweetened and unbuttered can make a good, relatively healthy treat in moderation for dogs. It’s high in fibre but additionally high in energy, so too much popcorn can mean their calorie intake may become too high and lead to unnecessary weight gain. 

However, small pieces of popped, plain popcorn can be a nice reward for your dog. Just make sure your pup doesn’t get hold of any un-popped kernels as these aren’t digestible for dogs. In addition, be mindful that popcorn can get stuck in between their teeth so do check their mouth afterwards to help them avoid any potential discomfort. A dog’s teeth should be brushed regularly regardless to preserve their oral health. 

There are some foods you should absolutely avoid feeding to your dog. Find an extensive list below of food known to be toxic to dogs which you should make sure they don’t ever get their paws on:

Sources

“Can Dogs Eat Corn?” American Kennel Club, Jun. 23 2021 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-corn

Author Stregowski, Jenna “Can Dogs Eat Corn On The Cob?” The Spruce Pets, Aug. 25 2021 https://www.thesprucepets.com/feeding-dog-corn-on-the-cob-3385222

Author Miller, Andrew MRCVS “Can Dogs Eat Sweetcorn?” Pure Pet Food https://www.purepetfood.com/help/can-dogs-eat-sweetcorn