Before you RSVP for the next summer backyard barbecue, it's time for a quick public service announcement regarding your leftover-loving pups:
Corn on the cob may seem like nature's chew toy and the perfect way to keep your pup occupied while you cheer on your friend Rob doing his seven-patty burger challenge. After all, it's a healthy vegetable, right? And that tough cob is indestructible, right?
Wrong.
The nutritional value of corn kernels is a hotly disputed topic, though they aren't unsafe for dogs to consume. It's the cobs that are dangerous for dogs, and if swallowed can become a serious choking hazard. The size and shape of a piece of cob is ideal for getting lodged in the throat and difficult to budge. And if a piece manages to make it into your dog's stomach, corn cobs can also cause major problems in the digestive tract, creating painful and serious intestinal obstructions that can require surgery to resolve.
So, keep your cob to yourself and keep the trash can secure—you know how dogs love to forage through it—because the only scare you want at the BBQ is Rob getting the meat sweats.