Some of the strangest things dogs eat are understandable to some degree. Corn cobs, believe it or not, may also be included in this category.
There are usually a lot of kernels left on the cob, they’re soaked in salt and butter, and they’ve got a texture that dogs are likely to find appealing.
Dogs should never be intentionally given corn cobs. In spite of their innocent appearance, if swallowed and not properly dealt with, they can be fatal. Don’t worry, there are several things we can do to help your pup. Don’t give up hope.
But just because we can understand the desire to eat corn cobs doesn’t mean we should allow our four-legged friends to do the same thing. Find out what to do if your dog accidentally eats a corn cob and what might happen if he does.
Can dogs consume corn cobs?
The consumption of corn cobs by dogs is not recommended, but it has been known to happen accidentally.
No, corn cobs should not be fed to a dog’s canine companion. Adding sweetcorn to your dog’s diet is a great way to keep them happy and healthy. However, the internal solid corn cobs are extremely fibrous and cannot be digested by the human body. Because they are swallowed whole, they are indigestible. Basically, this means that they have to come out the other end intact!
Objects like this can cause a blockage in the intestines. In either the stomach or the intestines, they can easily become lodged. As soon as this occurs, your pet is likely to become seriously ill very quickly. Like if your dog eats something that can puncture their intestines, the progressive consequences can be deadly.
It’s possible that it will cause a blockage in the gut if it gets stuck. Gut inflammation and irritation are also caused by its presence. Blood supply to the gut may be cut off as a result. This results in the death of the intestines surrounding the blockage. As a result of the bursting, it then ruptures. Any dog’s life is in danger when this happens. Peritonitis, a widespread infection of the entire abdominal cavity, is the result of a gut rupture.
In addition to being extremely harmful to dogs’ health, this disease is extremely difficult to treat. As a bowel obstruction, they have the right size, shape, texture, and strength. This is why they are so popular with veterinarians!
Can corn cobs be dangerous for dogs?
Corn cobs, at first glance, appear to be harmless.
Although few people would consider eating them (and, for the record, you shouldn’t), these items don’t appear to be dangerous to your dog’s health.
It’s true that corn cobs aren’t harmful.
Its primary components are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which are found in plant cells. These substances are found in dietary fiber, which your dog eats all the time.
However, the majority of these substances are indigestible. In small to moderate amounts, they actually aid digestion and keep your dog’s intestines moving in the right direction. Your dog’s digestive tract can be overwhelmed by too much corn cob, which can cause an obstruction.
Absorbent: Corn cobs are also very good at this. Although ground corn cob is used in a variety of industrial applications, including the removal of oil from a surface, it is also extremely absorbent. Even as an environmentally friendly rat poison, it causes rats to die of acute dehydration because it sucks the moisture right out of their digestive tracts, causing them to starve to death.
For your dog, this can cause issues and increase the likelihood of blockages.
Many industrial cleaning products, including those used to clean the exteriors of large buildings, contain corn cob as abrasive material.
Because corn cobs can impede your dog’s digestive system, dehydrate her, and scratch up her intestines while they’re at it, you should avoid feeding them to your pet.
What happens if dog eats corn cobs?
Despite the fact that some dogs may be able to swallow and pass the cob safely, most dogs (especially smaller breeds) will encounter life-threatening issues. To begin with, it’s possible that a piece will become lodged in someone’s throat, causing them to choke. When swallowing large enough chunks, a dog is at risk of developing an intestinal blockage (s).
Because cobs are largely indigestible to dogs, they are not able to break them down.
This means that if they are ingested, they will remain in your dog’s digestive system.
As a result, it is highly probable that they will inflict significant pain on your dog.
Chances are, the cob will get lodged in your dog’s intestines when it is naturally flushed out of the body.
Perforation (or tearing) can occur if the force is too great.
When a dog eats and swallows a corncob, these are the concerning signs and symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- A decrease in hunger
- Dehydration,
- Restricted motion
Consult your veterinarian right away if you suspect your dog has swallowed corn or even a fragment of it, or if it is exhibiting any of the symptoms listed above.
What should you do if your dog eats a corn cob?
Corn cobs, unlike some other foreign objects, rarely pass through your dog’s digestive tract on their own.
Following these guidelines will help you deal with the aftermath of your dog eating a corn cob:
1. Keep more from getting in
You don’t want your dog or any other pet to get into the habit of eating more corn cobs. To ensure the safety of your dog and the other animals in your home, remove any spills or cobs from your dog as soon as possible and dispose of them properly.
2. Call your vet
As a result of the high frequency with which corn cobs can be harmful, you should seek immediate assistance from your veterinarian. There may be an emergency clinic nearby if your vet’s office is closed. You should let them know when you believe your dog ate the corn cob, as well as how much they ate! Afterwards, they will be able to give you specific advice on how to proceed.
3. Follow the advice of your veterinarian
You’ll have been given some options by your veterinarian based on this information. If you’re not sure what to do next, follow the advice of your veterinarian and give them a call. In some cases, the clinic may request that you bring your dog in for the corn cob to be removed as a preventative measure, but this is up to the clinic, their facilities, and your dog’s health.
4. Don’t try to fix it yourself
Attempting to treat the problem yourself, either by making the dog ill or by administering laxatives, is not recommended. Corn cobs can become lodged in the esophagus (gullet) if they are vomited up, making their removal much more difficult.
Medications used to induce vomiting in dogs at home can be extremely toxic, and this can limit your dog’s treatment options in the future, as well as delay appropriate treatment for your dog. As a result, you should follow your veterinarian’s advice.
What’s wrong with dogs eating corn cobs?
Even though dogs are known to enjoy corn cobs, they aren’t necessarily good for them. It’s no secret that dogs love to eat corn cobs because of their sweet crunchiness, and any dog owner knows this.
There are many reasons why corn cobs may become lodged in the intestines of a dog, such as their size, shape, and tough fibrous texture. A blockage is more likely to occur if the intestines become dehydrated because of their high absorption capacity. Intestinal linings can be harmed by the corn cob’s tough, fibrous exterior.
Veterinary care is required if your dog develops an intestinal obstruction due to a foreign object like a corn cob. Dehydration, loss of appetite, and potentially life-threatening damage to the bowel could occur if the blockage goes untreated.
It is also possible for the blockage to pierce or wear through the intestine’s wall, resulting in a fatal leak of gut contents. A blockage caused by a corn cob can kill your dog in just a few days if you don’t treat it.
When a dog eats a corn cob, what is the vet’s recommendation?
It’s recommended that you take your dog to the vet if he’s eaten some corn, but how do they treat it?
The first step is to conduct a thorough investigation.
Identifying the cob and determining the likelihood of it being obstructed is the primary goal here.
In order to remove the corn from the stomach and intestines, some veterinarians use injections to induce vomiting. This is especially true if the cob was swallowed only moments ago.
Despite the fact that this isn’t a viable solution for every dog and every situation.
A cob can become lodged in the throat, which can be life-threatening, as we’ve discussed previously. Even if you induce vomiting, there is no guarantee that the cob will come back up.
Because of this, a veterinarian may use additional imaging to look into other possibilities.
If symptoms of obstruction are present or if it has been a long time since the cob was consumed, this may be the first thing they do.
X-rays are a possibility.
After determining the size of the cob and its relation to the dog’s digestive system, a veterinarian will make a decision as to how to proceed.
As previously mentioned, they may let the dog try to pass it naturally in some (rarer) cases.
However, the majority of the time, a veterinarian will resort to surgery.
The procedure will be different depending on where the cob is located.
As a vet examines a dog internally to see if the cob has caused any ruptures or damage, abdominal surgery is a common procedure.
If these areas are discovered, they will almost certainly be treated.
Fortunately, vets frequently perform surgery to remove foreign objects from dogs because they enjoy chewing and swallowing large objects on a regular basis.
That’s not to say that the surgery is without its dangers, however.
This is why it’s so important to talk to your vet ahead of time about your options – before any medication or surgery is done.
As a result, surgery may be necessary on occasion.
Before it’s too late, a cob must be removed from a field or farm (if not already).
In general, a faster operation is better for your dog, as the cob has less time to inflict harm on it.
Your dog will need time to heal and may experience some discomfort following surgery.
Depending on the treatment and op, your pet may be in the care of the veterinarian for a few days or a few weeks.
Watch Can a corn cob kill a dog | Video
What can I do to assist my dog in passing a corn cob?
Depending on how recently your dog ate the corn cob, your veterinarian may be able to administer a strong injection to induce vomiting. So that it doesn’t move further down and cause even more problems, this method will try to bring this back up to the surface.
Is it possible for a dog to survive on a corn cob?
Dogs may suffer from a variety of health issues as a result of their ingestion, absorption, and abrasion by these substances. If your dog eats a corn cob, you’ll need to get in touch with your veterinarian right away. Your dog may be able to get through the cob on her own, but she may also require immediate veterinary care.
My dog ate the entire corn cob, what to do?
Call your veterinarian right away if you know (or have reason to believe) your dog has eaten a corn cob, says Richter. Please call a 24-hour animal hospital if you need help after-hours or on the weekend.
Is it safe for my dog to eat corn cob?
The answer to this question is yes or no.
Not at all! There are a number of reasons why corn cobs can be dangerous for dogs, including their absorbency, abrasiveness, and the fact that most of them are indigestible (which can result in blockages).
How long can a dog’s stomach hold a corn cob?
A dog’s stomach can hold up to a month’s worth of corn without breaking down or softening, so this isn’t likely to be the case. Once it decides to pass into the small intestine, it’s gone!
Conclusion
Hopefully, if your dog ate a corn cob, you’ve already contacted a veterinarian about it. A small amount of poison ingestion is unlikely to be fatal unless the dog is an extremely small breed, such as the Chihuahua.
In the end, only your veterinarian will be able to determine the best course of action for your dog and how to correct the problem. Eating corn cobs is not ideal, but they are not as dangerous as grapes or certain types of nuts for your dog.
