It is understandable that we should all want our dogs to participate in Halloween festivities, but it isn’t always safe for our canine buddies to do so, especially when it comes to consuming treats like candy corn.
Dogs cannot eat candy corn due to its high sugar content. And the fact that this food substance contains no useful nutrients makes it unsuitable for dogs to eat. Additionally, some candy corn products contain xylitol, and this can be highly toxic to dogs.
Apart from candy corn, sugary treats, in general, aren’t safe for dogs to consume, and in today’s article, we’ll be going over some of the possible side effects of feeding your pooch with candy corn. The best approach to maintain your canine buddy’s safety is to minimize the pooch’s exposure to candy corn, and steps to do that are outlined in this article as well. However, before we go further, let’s see what it is that makes candy corn dangerous for dogs to eat.
Can My Dog Eat Candy Corn?
No, dogs shouldn’t eat candy corn, and this is due to the nature of the ingredients used in preparing this food substance.
Judging from its name, one would be inclined to think that corn is a major ingredient in the formulation of candy corn; Hence, it comes as a surprise to most when they discover that the amount of corn used in formulating candy corn is actually a minor percentage.
The major ingredient used in preparing candy corn is sugar, but ingredients such as corn syrup, salt, gelatin, sesame oil, and artificial flavors also make up the mix.
Also, rather than make use of plain, normal sugar, some candy corn brands employ xylitol, a sugar substitute, in preparing their products, and it is this ingredient, along with salt, that can prove to be problematic for dogs.
Both xylitol and salt are not safe for dogs to consume, and they can wreak serious havoc within your canine buddy’s body if consumed in even the littlest amounts! And even if the candy corn doesn’t contain xylitol, it will definitely contain sugar, and regular consumption of sugar will have adverse effects on a pooch’s health in the long run.
What Happens If I Give My Dog Candy Corn?
Possible side effects of feeding your dog with candy corn include xylitol poisoning and unhealthy weight gain, which can trigger secondary diseases such as diabetes and several heart conditions.
Xylitol Poisoning
As we’ve mentioned earlier, some varieties of candy corn contain sugar substitute, xylitol, and the risk that this substance poses to dogs, when consumed, simply can’t be overstated.
Within just a few minutes after consumption, xylitol can trigger a drastic drop in your dog’s blood sugar level, and this can result in symptoms such as seizures, lethargy, vomiting, poor body coordination, just to mention a few. If your dog is lucky to survive a drastic drop in its blood sugar level, there is every chance of the pooch suffering liver damage.
What makes xylitol even more dangerous is that pooches need to consume only a little bit of this substance to trigger the aforementioned symptoms.
In general, lower doses of xylitol – 100 mg of xylitol per 2.2 lbs of body weight – can trigger hypoglycemia in dogs. And consumption of a large amount of candy corn containing xylitol – 500 mg of xylitol per 2.2 lbs of body weight – can result in liver failure for a dog.
Unhealthy Weight Gain
Candy corn also contains a considerable amount of fats, and regular consumption of this food product can result in your canine buddy gaining excess weight rapidly and becoming obese.
And in addition to a rapid decline in the pooch’s quality of life, canine obesity can trigger secondary medical conditions such as heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, and hypertension, just to mention a few.
What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Candy Corn?
If your dog has eaten candy corn, you should examine the product wrapper to determine the ingredients, contact your vet if the candy corn contains xylitol, and take steps to ensure that your canine buddy doesn’t consume more candy corn.
Determine The Contents Of The Candy Corn
The first thing to do when you notice that your pooch has taken a bite out of the bowl of candy corn you placed on the table is to try and determine the ingredients used in formulating the candy corn; This can be done by simply examining the packaging wrapper for the candy corn product.
If the candy corn contains regular sugar, and your pooch has eaten just a little amount, then you may not need to pay a visit to the vet. Regardless, you should closely examine such a dog for signs of sickness or gastrointestinal discomfort for a few hours after its consumption of candy corn.
Call Your Vet
However, while examining the candy corn wrapper and if you discover that the product contains xylitol, you should get on the phone and contact a vet or emergency animal services right away!
There is no known antidote for xylitol poisoning in dogs, and immediate medical treatment is needed to counter the side effects of consuming this toxic substance.
Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs, even if consumed in little quantities, and there are several instances where dogs have died just 24 hours after eating food substances that contain xylitol!
Prevention Is Key
You can avoid the myriad of problems that typically come with dogs eating candy corn by ensuring that your canine buddy has no access to this food substance in the first place.
There’s no doubt that candy corn is an integral part of Halloween celebrations, but you must ensure to place it well out of your dog’s reach. Also, if you have children that are trick or treating, you should make it abundantly clear to them the dangers of feeding their canine buddies with candy corn.
Also, just like candy corn, wrappers of this food product are equally as fascinating to dogs; Hence, to ensure your pooch’s safety, and prevent gastrointestinal blockages that occur as a result of dog chewing these wrappers, make sure to properly dispose of candy corn wrappers.
