Can Dogs Eat Corn?

Yes, dogs can eat plain corn kernels in small amounts, cooked or raw, as long as they're off the cob.^1,2 Never give a dog corn on the cob. Dogs can swallow pieces of cob or even a whole one, and cobs are a well known cause of choking and intestinal blockage that often needs surgery.^1,2,3 If your dog ate a corn cob or husk, call your vet right away, even if he seems fine.^2,1 Skip buttered and salted corn, creamed corn, corn chips and kettle corn.^1,2

Why Corn Cobs Are Dangerous

Corn cobs don't break down in a dog's stomach. They're about the right size to pass out of the stomach and then get stuck in the narrower small intestine.^5,1 How often cobs cause blockages varies by region:

• In a study from Sapporo, Japan, corn cobs caused about 24 percent of foreign body blockages, second only to stones.⁶
• In a study of 123 dogs in Zagreb, Croatia, cobs were only about 2 percent of swallowed objects.⁷
• In the US, an ASPCA Animal Hospital vet said corn cobs top the list of things dogs swallow, and Cornell lists them among common causes of blockages.^8,3

Signs usually start within 24 to 72 hours: repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, belly pain, dehydration, diarrhea or straining to poop.^5,1,2,9 Cobs often don't show clearly on X-rays, so your vet may need ultrasound.^5,3 Most blockages need surgery, and the outlook is very good if surgery happens before the gut is damaged.^3,9 Don't wait to see if it passes, and don't make your dog vomit at home.⁵ See intestinal blockage.

Prevention is easy: put cobs straight into a closed trash can or take them outside, and don't let your dog chew on a cob, even under supervision.^8,1

Corn Nutrition for Dogs

Corn kernels provide carbohydrates, some protein and fiber, linoleic acid, and lutein and zeaxanthin.^4,1,2 They have nearly three times the calories of broccoli by weight, so small portions add up: the kernels from one medium ear (about 99 calories) are more than a 20-pound dog's whole daily treat allowance.^4,10

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values. Spoon weights are derived from USDA cup weights.

How Much Corn Can a Dog Eat?

A healthy adult dog's treats, including fruit, should be no more than about 10 percent of daily calories.^14,15 Using the Merck Veterinary Manual's energy formula for a neutered adult, that works out to roughly 35 calories of treats a day for a 10-pound dog, 59 for a 20-pound dog, 98 for a 40-pound dog, 150 for a 70-pound dog and 196 for a 100-pound dog.¹⁰ Your dog's real needs depend on age, activity and body condition. The AKC and PetMD give no specific amounts, only "small amounts" and "in moderation."^1,2 The amounts below are our own estimate, sized to stay well within the treat allowance.

These amounts are our estimate, not from a published guide.

How to Serve Corn to Your Dog

• Cut kernels off the cob, then throw the cob away somewhere your dog can't reach.^1,8
• Cooked kernels are easier to digest than raw.²
• Serve them plain, with no butter, salt or seasoning.^1,16
• If you use canned corn, choose no-salt-added and drain and rinse it. Rinsing lowers sodium but doesn't remove it.^11,12
• Sprinkle a few kernels on food or use them as training rewards.

Buttered Corn, Creamed Corn, Popcorn and Corn Chips

• Buttered or salted corn: no. Butter adds fat that can upset the stomach or trigger pancreatitis, and salt adds sodium.^1,16
• Creamed corn: best avoided. It has the most sodium and sugar of the corn types we checked.¹³
• Popcorn: a few pieces of plain, air-popped popcorn are generally fine. Skip butter, salt and toppings, and keep unpopped kernels away, because they can get stuck in teeth or cause choking.¹⁷ See can dogs eat popcorn. Kettle corn isn't recommended because of sugar, salt and oil.²
• Corn chips and tortilla chips: no. They're high in salt and fat.²
• Husks: no. They aren't toxic but are hard to digest and can cause a blockage.²

Is Corn in Dog Food Bad? Allergies and the "Filler" Myth

Corn allergy is uncommon. In the largest review of food allergies in dogs, corn caused about 4 percent of cases, far behind beef (34 percent), dairy (17 percent), chicken (15 percent) and wheat (13 percent).¹⁸ Those percentages are among dogs already diagnosed with a food allergy, not all dogs. Cooked corn in dog food is highly digestible: in one study of six carbohydrate sources, dogs digested more than 98 percent of the starch from each, including corn.^19,20 Whether a dog food is good depends on the whole formula, not one ingredient. See allergies in dogs and choosing a dog food.

Can Puppies Eat Corn?

Yes, a few plain, cooked kernels off the cob are fine once a puppy is eating solid food. Introduce them slowly, and keep corn cobs well out of reach, because puppies chew everything.^2,15

When to Call the Vet

Call your vet right away if your dog ate a corn cob or husk, even with no signs.^2,1 Go the same day for repeated vomiting, a painful belly, refusing food or lethargy, and go to an emergency vet now for retching that brings nothing up or a swollen belly.⁹ Call your vet if your dog has a poor appetite, seems tired or uncomfortable, or keeps licking his lips or gulping after eating it. Get care right away for repeated vomiting, severe diarrhea, blood in vomit or stool, weakness or collapse.²

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