Corn, another name for maize, is a cereal that is among the most popular grains in the world. In many countries like the US, the corn on the cob is a summertime favorite food. Besides, many tasty cuisines people eat in the restaurants also have this cereal in them. In fact, corn is not only used to make appetizing dishes. They are greatly nutritious and healthy too. But, what about the corn husks?
Its often seen that when you have gone to any family picnic with your dog, and eating corn cobs or other things wrapped in corn husks, your dog wants the foods along with the corn husks for eating. They keep on prowling around you for getting that. What should you do at that moment? Are the corn husks equally healthy for your dog like the corn? Should it be ok if you allow your dogs to eat corn husks or it must be avoided? In this write-up, you will get every answer to your questions regarding corn husks. Just hold your excitement for some time and keep reading on.
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Should You Feed Your Dog Corn Husks?
The answer is a big ‘No’. Though feeding a reasonable amount of corn to your dog is a healthy choice on your part, but it’s not the case with the corn husks. Yes! corn if cooked or canned is perfectly fine and healthful for your doggy. Even, the off-cob kernels are also very good for your pet. The reason behind it is that corn is a very nutritious cereal and your dog will get various nutrients by consuming it. But, it is not the same with the corn husks.
The corn husks have zero nutrients and by consuming them your doggy will get no nutrition at all. On the contrary, it will induce gas in the stomach of your pooch and it will feel a lot of discomfort for that. Also, your dog will experience digestive issues on eating corn husks. It is because the skins of most of the fruits and vegetables are difficult to digest and this is the same with the corn husks too.
It’s not that eating corn husks is impossible for your dog or it can’t chew the husks. But, it is generally not recommended to feed the dogs with corn husks just to avoid any complications. So, if you want to feed your dogs with corn, feed it in a limited amount. Otherwise, your doggy will feel gassy and suffer from digestive problems. But, stay completely away from corn husks.
Are Corn Husks Not Nutritious For Your Doggy?
Corn husks are not at all nutritious for your doggy. Though corn has many nutrients in it and is a healthy cereal, corn husks have zero nutrients. So, why feed your doggy a food like corn husk that has no nutritious benefit for it? After all, your doggy is one of your loving family members and you have the option of a lot of nutritious foods for it.
Choosing healthy and nourishing foods for your dog will make it healthy. Thus, instead of feeding your dog something that is waste and must go to the dustbin, make a nutritious diet chart for it. Feed it accordingly. You may also include corn-related cuisines in the diet in reasonable proportion for your dog. But, a no-no to the corn husks.
Come! Let us clarify the difference between the corn nutrition facts & that of corn husks. It will help you to choose the nutritious one among the two for your pet.
1 medium-sized corn ear ( sweet & yellow), comprises 88 calories, 15 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of fiber, 6.4 grams of sugar, 19 grams of carbs, 1.4 grams of fat, and 3.3 grams of protein.
On the other hand, corn husks provide hardly any nutritional value. Even the standards nutritional facts state 0 calories from corn husks.
So, it’s not very difficult to understand which one to choose among the two. Besides, corn has many health benefits for your dog. Eating corn will reduce the chance of Type Two Diabetes for your dog. It may also prevent colon cancer in your dog and support its healthy weight management. Besides, your dog will have good eyesight and heart health with the consumption of this cereal. But, stay away from corn if you see any symptoms of allergy in your dog after feeding it.
Also, you must always keep away your pooch from the corn husks as they are not at all recommendable for dogs.
Are Corn Husks Dangerous For Your Dogs?
Corn husks are generally not poisonous for your dog. But in some situations, consuming it can be fatal for dogs.
If your dog by anyhow gulped some portion of corn husks scattered before him and a piece of the corn husk gets blocked to its intestine, it will face severe digestive issues. The situation may also become life-threatening for your dog. Also, your dog may get choked. So, it is always better to keeping corn husks away from your dog.
How To Know If Your Dog Is Facing Any Intestinal Obstruction After Eating Some Corn Husks?
In case your dog has accidentally swallowed greedily some corn husks without your knowledge, then look out for some symptoms. These signs will tell you if your dog is confronting any intestinal blockage or discomfort:
- Keep a watch on your dog if it is vomiting or not.
- A problem in passing stool: See if your pooch is facing any difficulty in passing out its bowel movements
- Losing of appetite: Place some foods before it and see if it has an appetite for the food that you placed before it. Loss of appetite is a symptom of intestinal obstruction and severe digestive problems.
- Watch your dog’s activity and try to understand if it is having any abdominal pain or not. Abdominal pain will make your dog restless.
- See if your dog is showing any sign of restlessness. If you find it impossible to make it sit silently at a place, then it is encountering digestive issues.
Also, how severe is your dog’s digestive problem, depends on several factors. They are:
How much of the husk did they consume?
If your dog has consumed a few corn husks, then it is likely that it will suffer only some mild digestive problems. But, consuming a large number of corn husks is definitely calls an appointment to the vet.
What’s your dog’s size?
If your dog is small in size, it will have less immunity in fighting digestive issues. Also, it will have less capability for digestion of the corn husks. Hence, serious complications may arise for your puppy.
The way your dog chewed the husks
If your dog has well-chewed the corn husks, before finally gulping it, then fewer digestive issues may happen. But, if not well-chewed, serious issues may occur.
Our Verdict
It’s true that we love our dogs and think of always trying something new for them that they love to eat. Also, we cannot resist giving our lovely pets something that they want from us. But, it’s always wise to avoid giving your dog something out of love that will harm it later.
So, it’s better to keep the corn husks away from your dogs. Our verdict is that corn husk is not at all good for your dog. It shouldn’t be given to your pet in any form. Feeding a large amount of it can be life-threatening. Better to visit your local vet if you think your dog has eaten it by accident.