When you eat corn, your dog might want a little bite. What would you do then when you have a question like – is corn bad for dogs? Does it have any side effects?
We want the best for our dogs. Usually, grilled and boiled foods might be harmful to your dog and cause indigestion. Luckily, corn is not one of those foods. You need to ensure that your dog is not allergic to it before giving it to him. Here is everything about feeding corn to dogs.
Table of Contents
Is corn nutritious for dogs?
One cup of corn, in general, contains:
- 41 grams of carbohydrates (provides energy)
- 24% of thiamine or Vitamin B1 (helps in the breakdown of the carbs)
- 19% of folate, aka Folic acid (produces new cells and energy in the body)
- 5.4 g of protein
- 4.6 g of fiber
- 2.1 g of fat
- 17% of vitamin C
- 11% of magnesium
- 10% of potassium
In a nutshell, corn contains a total of 177 calories, and it’s high in carbs and packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals but low in protein and fat.
Corn does not contribute to weight gain when consumed. In a dog’s food, corn is not just a filler. It helps in promoting gut health and mobility in dogs.
Myths regarding corn for dogs
There are quite a lot of myths regarding including corn in the dog’s diet. The most common ones are:
#1 Corn is a filler in dog food
There are possibilities that people think corn and other grains might be just low quality and cheap fillers in dog’s food. But it is not. Every corn kernel has high-value nutrients that dogs are benefited from. They help in making your dog energetic and also provides good health. It is a natural source that refreshes the dog’s working system when appropriately consumed.
#2 Corn causes allergy
In a way, yes, corn can cause allergy to some dogs, not all of them. It is absolutely fine if you find it out before feeding your dog. Otherwise, dogs are not allergic to corn. It also depends upon the way you cook the corn and the amount of consumption. In general, dogs are never allergic to grains. Like other humans, they have grown up consuming grains and other grass plants in some way or the other.
#3 Corn contains high sugar
Corn indeed contains sugar, but it does not contain a high level of sugar. Generally, sugar is not advisable for dogs, but corn is not that harmful. Corn contains eight grams of sugar on average, which is completely safe for dogs.
#4 Corn is not nutritious
Maybe you should stop believing this myth. Corn contains Vitamin B and vitamin C and also magnesium and potassium. So, corn contains nutrients that help to keep our body fit.
#5 Corn is not healthy
This myth came up just because corn is high in starch. Corn has a lot of nutrients and is completely healthy.
When is Corn safe for your dog?
Corn is safe for dogs when they consume it properly. It would be best if you gave it in a smaller quantity because corn is easily digestible, but it might cause indigestion in your dog at times.
When you feed your dog with corn, make sure that it doesn’t have butter, salt, or any other fat. Corn cob is not safe for dogs. It is not advisable to allow them to chew on the cobs. The cobs are unedible as they obstruct the dog’s digestive tract even if it is consumed accidentally.
Some owners believe that the corn cobs are more like a chew toy for dogs. But when the dog consumes it unknowingly, it results in medical emergencies. Either it chokes or causes an intestinal blockage. In the worst-case scenario, it may even cut up the dog’s digestive tract.
When your dog indigests corn, it may face dehydration, reduction in activity, continuous vomit, and appetite loss. When you find your dog doing things like these, take him immediately to a vet.
How much corn should you feed your dog?
Each of our diets is designed. There is a limit for each of the foods that we consume in our daily life. When we have too much of anything, it becomes good for nothing. Likewise, there is also a limit to feed your dog with corn. Your dog’s diet can contain corn but mustn’t exceed 10 percent of their daily diet. It is because 10 percent is the right amount, and you don’t exceed the limit.
Is popcorn okay for your dog?
Dogs love popcorns. Generally, dogs are attracted to human food. Their noses usually lead them, so the smell of the popcorn and the crunchy sound when they eat make a dog love them.
It is absolutely fine to feed your dog with popcorn, but do not regularly provide it to them. When popcorn is covered with salt and butter, it loses its nutrition a bit more than expected. Dogs should not consume high amounts of sodium or fat because it makes them sluggish and causes weight gain, organ damage, and other serious issues.
Also, popcorn with corn kernels that are not popped properly might cause indigestion problems in dogs. So little amount of popcorn, occasionally, can be fed to your dog. If you want to give it as a regular snack for your dog, make sure everything is popped and doesn’t contain salt, butter, or additional garnishing.
Should allergic dogs eat corn?
Usually, food allergies are caused due to protein present in the food. Dogs are also allergic to certain foods, just like human beings. If you want to find out if your dog is allergic to a food or not, it can be done by observing after feeding them.
Mostly, they would refuse to eat a particular food if it is allergic to them. If they eat it anyway, they might indicate you with the following symptoms:
- Skin irritation
- Vomiting
- Inactiveness
- Diarrhea
- Itching
If your dog is allergic to corn or anything derived from it, never feed it to them. Even a small amount might cause discomfort and might lead to serious medical problems. If they consume it by mistake and show any one of the symptoms above or acts abnormal, take them to the vet as soon as possible.
Corn recipes for dogs
Now, after knowing certain things about corn, you should surely know how to feed your dog with it. Here are some ways in which you can add corn to your dog’s diet.
Boiled corn
You can boil the whole corn without anything added to it. Serve your dog the entire corn cob, ensuring that you monitor him when he eats it because he mustn’t eat the cob. You can also remove the kernels from the cob and serve it to him little by little.
Popcorns
As said earlier, dogs find popcorns delicious. Is it the smell that is in the air or the crunchy taste of the popcorns? Anyways, you can always pop some popcorns as a little treat for your dogs occasionally. It is safe when you remove the corns that are not popped properly.
Bottom line
To conclude, dogs can consume corn in the right quantity and in a proper way. Corn is never harmful to dogs when you know their indications and feed them the amount needed, know their allergies, and also be ready to face emergencies. It is always good to know the first aid measures to help your dog when he is sick, in case it takes time for the vet to arrive.
So before feeding your dog with anything, first, know if it can be fed to your dog and slowly start feeding him. Observe if his body accepts the food or if he is allergic. It is essential to take care of your pet’s health because they can indicate issues but not open their mouth and tell you the problem.
