Corn chips are arguably one of the most popular snack foods due to their delicious taste, variety of flavors, and their versatility.
They are also super accessible, and not too expensive. Because of this, they have found their way into many homes and many people love to snack on them.
But, with them being in so many homes, people wonder if these snacks are a good treat for a dog?
There are also the people who have accidentally let their dog eat corn chips and do not know if there are any negative health effects which could result from the dog eating the corn chips.
So, if your dog has accidentally eaten some corn chips, or if you occasionally feed them to your dog intentionally, this article will answer any questions you have about whether or not these chips will be harmful to your dog!
Quick Answer
We do not recommend that you feed your dog any corn chips! While it may not cause any immediate harm or issues, especially if just a few are eaten, we would not recommend letting them eat them regularly, or feeding them a significant amount of corn chips.
This is because they will lead to health issues which you will want to avoid.
Can Dogs Eat Corn?
Corn itself, is actually perfectly safe for dogs, and if your dog ends up eating corn (see also ‘Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Rice Krispies?‘) you do not need to be worried.
You can even include a moderate amount of corn in your dog’s diet and this could even end up being beneficial. Some of the most popular commercial dog food now actually contains some corn because of its benefits.
Part of the reason why dog food producers like corn is because of how it is not too expensive, but it is also a great source of fiber, protein, carbohydrates, antioxidants, vitamins, as well as linoleic acids.
So because of this, you can find it easily accessible in dog food. However, make sure your dog does not have a corn allergy, while this is not common, it does happen.
Can Dogs Eat Corn Chips Then?
So, while corn is safe for dogs, corn ships are not, this is because of the amount of processing which goes into turning corn into a corn chip, and how this removes practically every benefit from feeding your dog corn in the first place.
Corn chips are also quite likely to have negative healthy consequences on your dog if they eat too many, so they should not be enjoyed by your dog in larger quantities, especially in one serving.
It will not cause any issues if your dog has just a couple, but if they are consistently eating them, you may want to consider monitoring their health.
Why We Would Avoid Recommending Corn Chips For Dogs
So, while you may consider these chips a delicious snack, it is very unlikely that your dog will like them as much as you do. Let’s go into the potentially detrimental health effects which could impact your dog.
Sodium
Most corn chips, especially ones which include lots of added flavoring, are likely to have a higher than average sodium content, even the unflavored ones contain an unhealthy amount of sodium for a dog to be consuming.
While your dog will be able to put up with a certain amount of sodium like the amount which is in standard dog food and treats, if they are having too much sodium, this will lead to health issues.
The most common health issues which can happen to dogs that have too much sodium is an unhealthy increase in blood pressure, as well as the risk of heart disease increasing.
There has been a specific study done by the US Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, that if you have a healthy dog that weighs 33 pounds, they should not be having any more than 100 mg of salt every day.
In spite of this, only 1 ounce of corn chips has 170 mg of salt, generally speaking, so you can see why letting your dog have too many corn chips can lead to issues.
A worse issue which can happen if your dog has too much sodium is sodium poisoning. This will lead to your dog displaying excess thirst and urination, as well as vomiting, lethargy and a noticeably decreased appetites.
But if the sodium poisoning gets even worse it can cause tremors, seizures, comas, and potentially death.
Calories
Another negative aspect of your dog eating too many corn chips is that they are likely to include an excess of calories with the USDA saying that an ounce of corn chips has about 10 calories.
Most healthy dogs only need around 25 to 30 calories per pound for them to be a healthy weight.
So, if your dog eats too many corn chips, without any nutritional value, the calories can rack up very quickly and will lead to some of the aforementioned issues occurring.
Fats
As we mentioned in the section on corn, it is healthy and sometimes encouraged for dogs to eat standard corn in moderation (see also ‘Can Dogs Eat Rice Cakes?‘).
But as we mentioned in the corn chip section, there are plenty of differences between corn and corn chips, with the chip’s main difference being that they have been fried in oils which tend to not be healthy for your dogs.
The fats which are contained in corn chips through this frying process tend to be trans fats and saturated. These types of fats have been shown to directly lead to cardiovascular issues with dogs which can be very damaging.
There was a study published by the Harvard Health Publication which showed that trans fats are one of the worst things for your dog’s health as they contribute bad cholesterol as well as actively lowering the amount of good cholesterol. This can lead directly to inflammation.
Potential Health Concerns
As well as the aforementioned issues, there are some other issues which can be caused by eating too many corn chips which are worth mentioning:
- Corn is something which some dogs can be allergic to, so it is worth checking if your dog has this allergy before you consider letting your dog try them.
- Plenty of corn chips are flavored using garlic or onion, and these flavorings can often be toxic for dogs.
- Corn chips are also known for having a significant glycemic index which means that they will end up increasing the levels of insulin in glucose in your dog which can lead to heart disease, weight gain, and a higher chance of diabetes.
- Like most processed foods corn chips have additives, preservatives, acidulants, as well as emulsifiers, all of which can have negative effects on your dog.
Healthier Alternatives
In comparison to corn chips, the AHA has recommended eating lower fat potato chips instead of corn chips, as these will be healthier for you and your dog if you want to share some.
These lower fat chips are now more accessible than ever since people are becoming more health conscious.
However, if you can not find any, it is recommended to try making them at home, where all you need is potatoes and whatever seasoning or flavors you want to use, just ensure that if you intend them to be shared with your dog, to use safe ingredients.
When these chips contain less salt and fat, they become a much more nutritious snack for dogs (see also ‘Are Welch’s Fruit Snacks Safe For Dogs?‘) since they have a good amount of nutritional value including protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers.
Summary
Hopefully this article has displayed, that while if your dog eats on a couple of corn chips by accident, there will be no massive issues, but you should avoid actively feeding your dog corn chips as this can contribute to some serious issues if it happens regularly.
The result of that was Bunny - a 5 year old labrador who follows me around everywhere and is trained to detect when I’m about to have an anxiety attack. Through our three years together, Bunny can even sense when I’m feeling just a little bit anxious and work to calm me down.
- Are Antlers Safe For Dogs? - January 14, 2024
- Can Dogs Eat Honey Nut Cheerios? - December 23, 2023
- Natural Deworming Remedies for Your Dog - December 18, 2023
