Unforunately, it’s not.

Even though corn itself is a rather healthy snack with it generally being neither harmful or toxic – that is, unless your dog suffers from a corn allergy – corn cobs are best to be avoided. The main issue is that when consumed in large chunks, or whole, the cob can become an intestinal obstruction – a condition that can, unfortunately, be fatal.

Most vegetables are easily digestible, but dogs’ stomachs are unable to break down corn cobs, so the likelihood of them causing a blockage in the intestines is high. This then can put your dog at serious risk of intestinal damage, like perforation of the intestines.

What to Do

Call your veterinarian as soon as possible; this is vital as not only saves your dog from a lot of pain that could occur from the corn cob making its way into the intestines. It also saves money in the long run, as it’s easier for the vet to remove foreign objects from the stomach than from the intestines.

However, it’s not always easy to know for certain if your dog ate a whole corn cob or something else it shouldn’t have, so if you notice that your dog has started vomiting up food, or even just fluids. And even though a well-known sign of an obstruction in the intestines is difficulty defecating, it’s important to remember that dogs with intestinal blockages can be perfectly capable of going to the toilet for a couple of days. So, even if your dog is displaying ordinary bowel movements, if they are vomiting you need to seek veterinary assistance.

Either your veterinarian will guide you through the process of helping your dog vomit up the corn cob, or they will tell you to bring your dog into the clinic as soon as possible. It will most likely be the latter, considering the solid form of the cob and how easily it could become a choking hazard.

Your dog will most likely need to go under general anaesthetic so that your vet can remove the corn cob from the intestines and so that they can check how severe the damage to the intestines is. If the damage is serious, then your dog will have to have the damaged parts removed. However, if caught early enough, your dog’s intestines should be fine.

Overall, if you have any suspicion that your dog ate a corn cob recently, the first thing to do is call the vet. A lodged corn cob can lead to perforation of the intestines and internal bleeding. Calling the vet is vital to your dog’s health and, even, survival.

Can Dogs Eat Corn Still?

Sweet Corn is actually pretty healthy still. It’s a great source of energy and protein, and even contains fatty acids essential to a healthy canine diet. Scraping off the kernels from a corn cob is a great alternative to giving your dog access to a whole cob to chew on.

That being said, be aware that some dogs may have developed an intolerance towards corn. Whilst it’s not a common allergy for a dog to have, it is always best to be wary with more sensitive dogs.

What Are the Symptoms of a Corn Allergy?

The common symptoms of a corn allergy include:

• Hives
• Vomiting
• Itchy skin
• Diarrhoea
• Intestinal Issues

What is an Intestinal Obstruction?

An intestinal obstruction occurs when the small or large intestines are blocked, usually by a foreign object. They can be extremely painful and can, unfortunately, be fatal when not treated properly.

An obstruction that isn’t removed can cause perforation of the intestines, or even rupture them. This can lead to all sorts of issues such as internal bleeding and the leaking of harmful bacteria into the abdominal region.

It’s vital that an intestinal obstruction is treated as soon as possible as it can be extremely life-threatening. The sooner you contact the vet, the better.

What Are the Symptoms of an Intestinal Obstruction?

If you suspect that your dog may have eaten a whole corn cob, or any inedible object for that matter, call your vet immediately. However, if you aren’t really sure then monitor your dog in case it displays any of these symptoms:

• Dry Heaving
• Straining during defecation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Irritability
• Lethargy

Though, as previously mentioned, it is important to remember that your dog can still pass ordinary stools for a couple of days when it first develops an intestinal obstruction. So, if your dog is displaying other symptoms whilst not suffering from diarrhoea or constipation, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog does not have a foreign object lodged in their intestines.

Should I Induce Vomiting?

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t induce vomiting in your dog at home.

It can be extremely dangerous, and at home, you don’t have the knowledge or facilities of a vet to fix the situation if things were to go wrong.

Corn cobs, in particular, are a pretty severe choking hazard. Whilst some larger dogs could potentially vomit up the cob – again, still avoid encouraging your dog to vomit – most dogs would struggle to shift such a large and solid object through their oesophagus. There is a rather large risk of it becoming lodged.

Unless under exceptional circumstances where you cannot get your dog to a vet and it has not long eaten the whole corn cob, your vet may guide you through the process of safely inducing vomiting in your dog.

However, inducing vomiting should be left to the professionals as it can be a huge risk to your dog if not done properly.

How Can I Share Leftover Corn With My Dog?

Just scraping off the leftover kernels from the cob and then feeding them directly to your dog should suffice.

Though it is advised not to feed your dog straight from the dinner table as it can contribute to bad habits, so if you are to share the leftover kernels with them, it’s probably best to scrape them into your dog’s food bowl and teaching them that that is where they eat; not from the dinner table.

Another way in which you can feed your dog the leftover corn and kernels from a corn cob is to firmly hold the cob and let your dog eat directly from it. It’s important that you keep a firm grip to prevent your dog from being able to grab the cob away from you.

If your dog somehow manages to steal away a whole corn cob, be careful retrieving it again as they may become protective of their ‘catch’ and try to it eat before you can take it off them. You may need to tempt them away with something more appetising, or their favourite toy.

How Do I Prevent Intestinal Obstructions?

When it comes to corn cobs specifically, it’s best to be vigilant with the disposal of used cobs. Dogs are very smart when it comes to sniffing out their favourite scraps of food, and even the most well-trained dog can dig through your household bin in search of a corn cob.

A dog that’s aware of how corn can be eaten from a corn cob may be even more determined to steal a corn cob from the bin so you may want to avoid letting them eat the corn cob from your hands and instead, scrape the leftovers into their dinner bowl.

Either way, it’s best to either dispose of corn cobs directly into an outdoor bin or to immediately take out the kitchen bin so your dog can’t dig through it and find the cobs later on.

If you notice your dog eating other objects both edible and inedible such as garden plants or shoes, you may need to ask your veterinarian or canine behaviour specialist for their advice.

The post My Dog Ate a Whole Corn Cob – What to Do? appeared first on GoBarking.com.

Whether it be chocolate or an avocado, dogs tend to find a way to eat what is bad for them. And it’s not only toxic foods they tend to have a taste for, but would you believe it, it’s also extremely common for dogs to enjoy chewing and eating inedible objects.

Sometimes it’s shoes, sometimes it’s newspapers, and sometimes it’s socks. Don’t worry; it’s perfectly normal if your dog ate a sock whilst you weren’t looking. Annoying sure, but definitely not your fault.

There are a few things that might happen if your dog decides to devour a sock. An easy thing to deal with is if they’re able to vomit it back up themselves, your dog might not realise it shouldn’t eat a sock, but his stomach will and should take action to get it out of the dog’s system.

Another way in which the dog may handle the situation itself is if it is able to let the sock pass through its system, and poop it out. That being said, socks aren’t exactly digestible so your dog might not be able to pass the sock through its intestines, assuming the sock even makes it that far.

Regardless of whether you think your dog is able to deal with the sock situation alone or not, there are steps you should take if you know, or think, that your dog has eaten a sock.

What to Do

Your dog ate a sock. Now what?

Call the vet. If you know or even suspect, that your dog has eaten a sock, the first thing you should do is call your vet.

When your dog eats an inedible object, it’s referred to as a ‘foreign body ingestion’, and the main problem when your dog eats an indigestible object is that these items can very easily become stuck in your dog’s stomach.

The digestive system, of any animal, does not have the ability to deal with items that can’t be dissolved into the intestines as food does.

So items like clothing can get stuck as they can’t be broken down.

This means, if the sock doesn’t get stuck in the stomach, there is a relatively large chance that it could become stuck in the intestines.

Luckily, vets are used to dealing with dogs eating bizarre objects so will know what to do if your dog has consumed one of your socks. They’ll most likely either guide you through dealing with the issue or will ask you to bring your dog to the veterinary clinic so that they can help your dog themselves.

If caught early enough, the vet may either induce vomiting in your dog or pump his stomach. This is to prevent the sock from making its way into the intestines, which could end up requiring surgery. And while in some cases, the dog is able to vomit up the sock themselves, the majority of the time they will need help from a veterinarian.

It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your pet’s health so always seek veterinary assistance if you’re unsure.

If your vet doesn’t induce vomiting or pump your dog’s stomach, they may turn to use an endoscope to retrieve the sock manually from within your dog. It’s more expensive than inducing vomiting, but not as expensive as surgery. An endoscopy is unfortunately useless if the sock does, in fact, make it into the intestines.

FAQ

Why Does My Dog Eat Socks?

It isn’t fully known why dogs eat socks, amongst other inedible objects, there are a few potential reasons as to why your dog has developed this sock fetish.

The most likely reason could be that they’re bored. A bored dog will seek out things to play with and chew on. The best way to solve this kind of issue is to look for different toys and forms of enrichment that can keep your dog busy when you are out or not able to keep them occupied.

Another potential cause as to why your dog ate a sock, is anxiety.

A different theory in what could be causing your dog to eat socks is the desire for attention.

It’s crucial to remember that dogs are social creatures and when they’re not experiencing enough interaction, they will turn to more ‘naughty’ behaviours that they know will get their human’s attention.

This, luckily, is rather easy to rectify. Simply spending more time with your dog, playing with them and fussing them, will encourage them to abandon their sock diet since they’re already receiving the attention they need.

Unfortunately, if your dog frequently seeks out socks, as well as any other object for that matter,  to eat, then it could be suffering from a disorder known as PICA.

PICA is a medical condition referring to a dog craving inedible items as food, like socks for example. The types of behaviours displayed from a dog suffering from PICA can be very dangerous to their gastrointestinal tract since the objects they’re eating could cause some serious damage if they were to get stuck.

Not forgetting to mention how expensive it can be to have to constantly seek out veterinary help because your dog is eating things that he shouldn’t be. Naughty Fido!

If you’re reading this description and thinking that your dog may be suffering from PICA, worry not – because it can be solved if caused by a medical issue, such as diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease. However, if there is no clear medical issue, a full history of the dog will need to be analysed by the vet so they can draw up a treatment plan.

Regardless of how easy PICA can be solved, try to keep your dog’s most craved items out of its reach to prevent further consumption.

What Are the Symptoms of an Obstruction?

If you’re worried that your dog is suffering from an abdominal or intestinal obstruction, the key symptoms to look out for are:

• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Vomiting or dry heaving
• Diarrhoea or constipation – sometimes just noticing your dog straining whilst trying to defecate can be a sign that they have something stuck.
• Pain the abdomen

Even if you haven’t witnessed your dog eating a sock or any inedible object for that matter, if they are displaying any of these symptoms then there is a rather likely chance that they could be suffering from an obstruction.

Intestinal obstructions can be hard to spot, which is particularly scary with the knowledge of how serious they can be. If your dog is struggling to defecate – straining when you take them for walks – then they probably have something, like a sock, stuck.

If this is the case, call your vet immediately, as the sooner you act, the better for your dog’s intestines. It’s amazing the kind of damage that can be caused to the intestines by a singular sock.

What if it Happened Hours Ago?

Still, call the vet.

Whilst some larger dogs find it easier to pass objects like socks, whether it be through vomiting or excretion, most dogs can – and probably will – end up with sock becoming lodged within their stomach or intestines.

Waiting too long could cause serious damage to your dog’s organs, or even risk their life.

Can I Induce Vomiting Myself?

Sure, it can probably save you money on vet bills if you’re able to get the sock out yourself. But it’s best not to without explicit guidance from your vet, and it’s only ever suggested if you’re unable to get your dog down to the clinic for whatever reason.

Most vets will tell you not to try getting your dog to vomit as it can be extremely hazardous without the knowledge and facilities that your local vet will have.

For example, the sock could become lodged in your dog’s throat, which runs the risk of choking – something that a vet could easily handle.

How Can it be Prevented?

First of all, be careful where you leave your socks. Obvious as it may seem, you have to remember that dogs are pretty clever so you may have to be extra vigilant with where you keep your socks.

You can also look into toys and other forms of enrichment that will help keep your dog busy, stopping them from craving something like a sock to chew on. A Kongo filled with some pate or peanut butter would be a good place to start.

If these aren’t working as preventative measures, you can also seek out help from an animal behaviourist, or even your vet, to help guide you in the right direction in helping your dog.

Just remember, it’s not the end of the world if your dog ate a sock. If you call your vet as soon as possible, your best friend will be back to normal in no time.

The post My Dog Ate a Sock – What to Do? appeared first on GoBarking.com.

Training your dog to use a crate has many advantages. Dogs are den animals by nature; they need to have the security of a space of their own where they can escape from the hubbub around them when the house is full, or retire to after a good long walk.

Used properly, a crate can provide just that; but your dog needs to be introduced gently and slowly to fully appreciate his crate.

Preparing For Crate Training an Adult Dog

It is very important to make sure you have the right size crate for your dog. If the crate is too small it would be inhumane, too large and it loses the den-like feeling of safety and security that a dog is looking for. So your crate needs to be large enough for him to stand up and turn around easily, and stretch out comfortably when lying down.

Position your crate in a quiet corner of a room where you and the family spend a lot of time, perhaps the kitchen/diner or living room. It’s important that your dog won’t feel isolated.

Put comfortable bedding in the crate, a blanket or crate bed on the base, maybe a blanket from his normal dog bed so there is something familiar and comforting in the crate.

Either remove or secure the crate door open so that there is no danger that the door closing behind him and scaring him.

Crate Training

Crate training an adult dog can take days or weeks depending on your dog’s temperament and past experiences; if your dog is a rescue dog, he could have had some bad experiences, so you need to be patient and never force him.

To successfully crate train an adult dog, the training needs to be taken slowly, one step at a time; he needs to associate his crate with positive emotions. Always praise and encourage him every step of the way.

Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

Leave the crate in the room for 24 hours to let your dog get used to this new item of furniture, and allow his natural curiosity to take over. Some dogs will take to the crate immediately and curl up in it happily. If yours isn’t one of those, then you will need to slowly encourage him.

To encourage your dog to venture into the crate, place some of his favorite treats by the entrance, then just inside the crate, and gradually right to the back. If he doesn’t want to go right in, don’t force him.

You can try playing with his favorite toy, and then putting that in the crate. Always encourage and praise as he ventures further inside.

Once your dog is happily going in and out of the crate, move on to step 2.

Step 2: Feeding Your Dog in the Crate

Once your dog has accepted the crate, start feeding him his meals with the bowl at the back of the crate.

If he is still anxious about going right inside, start with the bowl just inside the entrance, then gradually move the bowl further in with each meal until he is happily eating with the bowl right at the back. Be sure to clip the door open, as if the door closes on him in the very beginning, it can spook him and set him back a few steps.

Once your dog is happily entering the crate at mealtimes, you can then close the door while he is eating. Initially open the door as soon as he has finished. With each meal leave the door closed a little longer until he is staying in his crate for 10 to 20 minutes after finishing his food.

If during this process your dog starts to whine or bark, it could be you have increased the length of time too quickly, so reduce the time you keep the door closed for a few meals before extending it again – very gradually.

If your dog does whine or bark, it is important not to let him out immediately, speak calmly and reassuringly to him, wait for even a brief gap in his whining before letting him out. Ignore him. If you look at him or talk to him, he’s getting attention. You don’t want him to associate whining and barking with being let out. This is a mistake that many dog owners make.

Step 3: Introducing Longer Crating Periods

Once your dog is happy to eat his meals in the crate and to stay in for a period of time after he has eaten, you can start training him to stay in the crate for short periods at other times.

Call him over to the crate with a treat in your hand, and indicate to enter, introduce a command, ‘in your bed,’ ‘crate,’ ‘kennel.’ Give him a treat and make a fuss of him when he goes in. Then close the door and give him another treat.

Sit close by the crate for five to ten minutes then go into another room for a minute or two, then return and sit down close by for a few more minutes. Then let him out of the crate, and praise him.

Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you are out of sight, and extending the length of time he is in the crate.

Once he is content to spend half an hour or more in the crate with you out of sight, he is ready to be left in there while you go out for short periods of time.

Step 4: Crating Your Dog and Leaving the House

Now your dog is content to be left in his crate for longer periods of time, you are free to go off and do a few errands, but don’t be gone for too long to begin with. Remember you need to take things slowly otherwise your dog could develop separation anxiety issues. It is also advisable as a safety measure to remove his collar while he is alone in his crate, in case it was to get caught in the mesh.

Call him over to the crate using your usual command, and give him a treat and praise him. Close the crate door as usual, and give him another treat.

Make sure he has a bowl of fresh water in the crate.

It might be an idea, if you aren’t already doing so, to leave a couple of safe toys or a chew, to occupy him in your absence.

Get ready to leave, don’t make a fuss or prolong your departure. He is quite happy to be in the crate if you make a fuss you could cause excitement or anxiety.

When you return, it is important not to make a big fuss of him. Be calm and matter-of-fact. Let him out in the usual fashion. If you greet him in an excited, over-enthusiastic way, he will become overexcited every time he is left.

Once you have started to crate your dog when you go out, make sure you also use the crate occasionally when you are home; otherwise, he will only associate the crate with you leaving him. Remember, for him to continue to be content when crated, he needs to associate it with good things.

Step 5: Crating Overnight

Crating overnight is sometimes a necessity if your dog is sick, or injured – and requires crate rest. While we don’t encourage long crating times, it is worth training them to accept this just in case an emergency does occur whereby it becomes a necessity.

When crating your dog overnight, it is advisable to move his crate either into your bedroom or on the landing outside to begin with, so he doesn’t feel isolated, and also so you can hear if he gets distressed or needs to go outside.

Use your usual command word to call him into the crate, and give him his treat before closing the door.

In the morning when you let him out, don’t make a huge fuss.

Common Mistakes When Crating an Adult Dog

When crate training an adult dog, you need to allow him enough time to become comfortable and confident in and around his crate. Older dogs need more time to take on board new behaviors, and also can forget, so repetition is important.

Using the Crate as a Punishment

If you send your dog to the crate as a punishment, you will be undoing all the training. For your dog to be relaxed and feel secure and content in his crate he needs to associate it with his favorite things – treats, toys and rest. If it is used as a punishment, he could become afraid, and it would see being confined in the crate as a punishment every time.

Crating for too Long

A dog should never be crated for more than 4 hours without a break, shorter periods for puppies and elderly dogs. A dog needs to be exercised and allowed to relieve himself. Being crated for long periods of time can cause distress, especially if the dog soils his bedding. Dogs are sociable, energetic animals and prolonged periods spent on their own can cause psychological problems.

Letting him out When he is Barking or Whining

There is a difference between a dog letting you know he needs to go out to relieve himself, and a dog attention seeking. If you give in to your dog when he creates a fuss, he will continue to do so. You have to ignore him; don’t speak to or look at him. When he goes quiet, then he can come out.

Final Thoughts

Crate training an adult dog doesn’t have to take all the time in the world, and can even be a great experience that allows you to bond with the new fluffy member of your family, and why not multitask; grab a cup of tea, or glass of wine – and finally get around to reading that book you’ve been wanting to start while you wait for the allotted crate time to pass?!

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