Is it Ok for my dog to eat corn...?

Question

I have been giving my dog fresh ears of corn to munch on and he seems to really love them. Tearing of the leaves, eating the corn and munching on the cob keeps him enteratined for hours.

But I have been reading on here that the sign of a poor quality dog food is the amount of corn it contains. Is it ok for my dog to eat fresh corn sometimes or is it bad for them?

I also give him pumpkin occasionaly as he seems to like it too. I know that people say dogs are meant to eat meat (and my dog does all the time) but he seems to enjoy veggies. Is it ok to feed him veggies?

Answer 1

My dog loves corn she actually loves veggies peas, carrots and green beans shes been eating them for almost 13 yrs now and she is doing awesome   she loves meat well what dog doesn't right just  be careful giving her raw veggies   good luck

Answer 2

I think it's probably okay. The only reason corn is a bad quality in dog food is because it isn't fresh, it's more like corn pebbles and it tears up the dog's intestines. My dog used to get our old ears out of the compost pile and munch on them, as well.

I don't know about the leaves though... You might want to call a vet and ask them, usually they give out free info. If there's an issue with the corn, try getting a Kong, stuffing it with a few treats and a lot of peanut butter, and freezing it. Kept my dog busy for hours as well, and tired him, and his brain, out.

Answer 3

Veggies are good for dogs. Dogs are omnivores meaning they can eat both meat and veggies. I wouldn't let him munch on those ears of corn unsupervised as you don't want him taking too big of a bite and choke on it.

Limit the amount of veggies you give him to one serving a day. Their dog food has the right amounts of nutrients and minerals they need everyday.

Maybe mix it up everyday. Give him green beans one day and then some carrots the next. I recommend cooking the veggies before feeding them to him

That's great that he eats veggies as well as he does. They make great treats too.

As for pumpkin - is it canned? Pumpkin is a natural laxative, so don't be alarmed if your dog starts to get soft stools.

Answer 4

You can give him corn, but he can't digest it.

Raw feeders will use pumpkin for a dog with loose stools, or a dog that is having trouble pooping, its good for both.

Dogs are designed to eat meat, they can't digest plant matter unless its been partially digest or ground to a pulp first.

Its not going to hurt to give him veggies now and then, but avoid onions, tomatos, avacados, and grapes. All are toxic to dogs.  

Answer 5

if he eats a cob it can dangerously mess up his digestive system and he could painfully die so you should get him checked out.  

Answer 6

We give our German Shepherd frozen corn on the cob for a treat, she loves it.  We have not had any problems with her eating it either.

Answer 7

Corn cob can be very dangerous to dogs if not fully chewed it can cause blockage and be fatal. Corn is not a good idea to give dogs they can't digest it things like corn wheat and soy can cause allergies and skin problems. For safety reason I would not give it to your dog..  

Answer 8

its good cause after we just ate corn cobs we give them to r pet dog angle http://beagle-dogs.com/beagle-dogs-clubs... she eats the left over corn on them she hasnt been pooping alot or vomiting so she has been good for eating corn so it doesnt really matter so he/she could eat the corn  

Answer 9

Dogs have been eating veggies for years!!

most veggies are ok. onions are NOT ok. if you are unsure, check out this site

http://www.dogforum.org/showthread.php?t...

ADD: in the site it says dogs can't eat raw eggs, this is totally wrong!!

Answer 10

Fresh corn & pumpkin as a treat is fine (Though corn cob gives my guys deadly gas)

It's like this, fritos are an ok snack every now and then right? But what if our diet consisted of 70% fritos!?!?!

Answer 11

The problem with corn in the dog food is that it tends to be the primary ingredient and the foods are highly processed. While meat should be the primary ingredient in your dog's diet, corn and many other fresh fruits and veggies are very good for your dog. Some may be harmful though, including grapes/raisins and onions. When deciding to feed your dog a new veggie or fruit, check first to make sure it's safe.  

Answer 12

Dear Kate, You may have exposed the world to the newest natural edible toy for our pets. Good for you. Nothing wrong with corn for canines,regardless of what the experts say.Most of the so called "experts",some hired Vets. too,will have you believe corn is the devils food and we are slowly killing our beloved pets with it. Of course the company they "shell" for doesn't include corn in the high priced food they sell. Now corse ground uncooked corn is difficult to digest so it is wise to stay clear of the discount and low end foods but,they will not kill your pet.In my "line" of work I see lots of pets daily.I have a large base of who own the noble Boxer. Including myself...3 in fact.I have fed them Iams dry food since being weaned.My oldest is 12 and still gets around fine.Youngest is 1 and will remain on Iams smart puppy untill 2 yrs. old.This breed originated in Germany over 100 yrs. ago. The average food was cooked grains,mostly CORN,with any table scrap and rendered kill thrown in for taste. I think the breed survived OK.I went to one of our local pet stores to purchase food. A sales clerk for this expensive dog food co .approaches and tells me the Bags of Iams in my cart are bad and are killing my pets. As bad as Science Diet she says.She insists her co. Nutro has a better quality food and to look at the ingredients in the Ultra line.I told her that even augmenting my pets food with a daily chewable vit. the combined costs are still 1/2 of her products cost. Didn't hear a word I said.Even after telling her I have access to a lab and ran a casual 2 year study pitting my food against the top tiers for nutri.,digestability and value,and showing that the extra $$ spent could not be justified,she hands me a coupon for $4.00 off her product.Amazing .Well Kate,thanks for letting me answer your inquire.,.....you did me a big favor by me sticking to my promise of no in between meal snacks.Good Luck and give your pet a hug and pat for me.

Answer 13

I think its okay. but consult your vet. Dogs should eat only dog food. But I dont know

Answer 14

its totally ok. But watch out for gas when changing your dogs diet :)

Answer 15

Dogs can't digest corn properly, and there are other problems associated with this too. Please don't feed your dog corn.

Answer 16

Corn is used in dog food as a filler (like bread in meat loaf...) so they can sell the same weight with less protein. Corn is a simple carb and not suitable as a food staple.  Some here and there is ok, I think.

Answer 17

Fresh veggies are fantastic for your dog. It's the processed c**p in cheap dog food that isn't so great.  

Answer 18

Corn is hard for canines to digest.I wouldn't suggest giving it to him.

A lot of veggies are healthy (carrots/peas etc)

Answer 19

As long as the corn is a treat given in addition to a high quality diet, and he has healthy skin and a healthy coat, it's OK.  Corn can be an allergen for some dogs- they end up with dry skin, body odor and other effects.  

He can eat it, but won't digest it....I'm sure if you pay attention to what comes out the "other end" you'll see a high fiber content ;)....Nothing wrong with some fiber in the dog's diet- bulky stools help promote intestinal health and will keep the anal glands emptied out.  My dogs LOVE veggies and most kinds of fruit.

And a word of caution about corn cobs, since I see more than a couple people whose dogs eat them.  PLEASE supervise the dog when giving anything like this to eat.  Make sure the dog bites off small enough chunks before swallowing.  

When I worked in an animal hospital, a client brought in a young Weim who'd gotten into the trash and hadn't eaten in a couple days.   Exploratory surgery revealed a small corn cob (3 inches long, or so) in the intestinal tract....it had totally blocked him up.  We removed the blockage along with about a foot of intestine that had died (blood supply cut off) but the poor pup died later that night despite best efforts.