Can Dogs Eat Corn Cobs? A List of 'People Food' Your Pup Should Avoid This Summer
With summer right around the corner, pool days, afternoon picnics, and backyard BBQs are all popping up on the agenda. These fun outdoor activities often go hand-in-hand with warm-weather treats like Ree Drummond's Hawaiian burgers, steakhouse kabobs, or watermelon salsa. If you're a dog owner, your pup will probably want to join in on the fun, and you may be tempted to give them a tasty seasonal treat like corn on the cob to gnaw on. But can dogs actually eat corn cobs? To find out, we chatted with veterinarian Dr. Derek M. Paul. Here's his consensus on corn cobs, along with a handful of other popular summertime foods.
Can dogs eat corn cobs?
It comes down to semantics. Can dogs eat corn cobs? Technically, yes. Should they? Dr. Paul, the vet advisor for the pet supply company Rocco & Roxie, says absolutely not.
“In my nearly 15 years of working in veterinary emergency medicine, I cannot count for you the number of dogs we have treated for being sick from eating corn cobs,” he says. “You see, our dog friends are not very good at chewing their food, especially when they are trying to get away with stealing it off of an unattended plate. And corn cobs happen to be just the right size to be able to form a blockage in the small intestine of dogs.”
While you might not think that your dog would try to wolf down an entire corn cob (or even a quarter of one), Dr. Paul assures us that it happens, and it can be very dangerous.
“It can present a life-threatening emergency and require expensive emergency surgery,” he warns.
What "human food" can dogs eat?
Corn cobs aren’t the only culprits when it comes to summertime foods that dogs should steer clear of. With that in mind, here are some specific foods you may be wondering about.
Can dogs eat steak fat and other fats?
Fatty foods tend to make their way to summer gatherings. As tasty as they are, they’re simply not healthy for dogs.
“High-fat meals can cause not only gastrointestinal distress (vomiting and diarrhea) for dogs, but also painful and sometimes deadly pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas),” Dr. Paul shares, noting that common sources of fat include grill grease drippings and popular summertime burger toppings like avocado and bacon.
Can dogs eat French fries and other salty foods?
Bacon also falls into the high-salt category of foods, which you should also avoid feeding your dog. While tossing a few chips, fries, or crackers your pup’s way may seem like no big deal, Dr. Paul says to refrain. “Salt can cause vomiting from irritation of the stomach lining,” he warns. “In larger amounts, it can cause pancreatitis as well as life-threatening hypernatremia (high blood sodium level) with seizures and other neurologic problems.”
Can dogs eat onions or garlic?
Onions and garlic regularly make their way to backyard BBQs and can easily fall into the wrong mouths. “Chronic low-level exposure (regular feeding) or single exposure to a higher concentration (garlic or onion powder, or extracts) can cause a type of anemia (low red blood cell count due to damage to the red blood cells) in dogs, resulting in low energy, organ shutdown, and death,” Dr. Paul explains.
Can dogs drink beer or other alcohol?
As tempting as it may be to let your pup sip on your beer or take a taste of your cocktail during summer festivities, again, Dr. Paul says these are no-gos.
“They should never be given alcoholic beverages,” he says. “Dogs tend to be smaller than humans and most have no tolerance for alcohol ingestion, so they tend to be more severely affected.”
Like humans, Dr. Paul says that dogs can experience GI distress, difficulty walking, neurologic disease, and in severe cases, death—all thanks to alcohol intoxication.
Another thing to avoid sharing with your pets? Hops. If you’re planning to brew your own beer this summer, Dr. Paul says to make sure that you dispose of your hops safely (ie: keep them out of your dog’s reach).
“Be aware that hops (in any form, fresh or spent) represent a severe danger for dogs if ingested,” he says. “Fairly small amounts can cause a condition called malignant hyperthermia, involving life-threatening spikes in body temperature that are difficult and expensive to control and often lead to death.”
Can dogs eat sugar?
It seems sweet to give your pup a sugary treat, right? Wrong (at least in many cases). If the sweetness is derived from a sugar-free additive like xylitol, it can be catastrophic for your pup. “This synthetic sugar can cause life-threatening low blood sugar as well as severe liver damage in our companion animals,” Dr. Paul cautions.
Can dogs eat grapes?
Frozen grapes are delicious on a hot day but they can also be harmful to our pets. “While the toxic component is unknown (exciting research is ongoing), exposure to grapes and raisins can sometimes cause kidney damage or failure in dogs and cats,” Dr. Paul says.
Can dogs eat chicken bones or steak bones?
A bone leftover from your BBQ might seem like the perfect treat for your pup, but it can actually harm them.
“Any animal bones represent a risk for damage to the GI tract from splintering as well as a risk of obstruction of the GI tract,” Dr. Paul says. “These conditions are often painful and can require surgery.”
For more information surrounding toxic foods for pets, be sure to check out the ASPCA’s guide to people food that pets should avoid. And, as a general rule of thumb, any concerns that you have about foods your pet may have ingested should be immediately discussed with your veterinarian, a veterinary emergency facility, or an animal poison control center.
