Are Soy Ingredients Okay in Dog Food?

Currently, studies say yes. In an article for Your Dog from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts veterinary nutritionist Cailin Heinze, VMD, DACVM, says, "Some people think soy is being used in diets as a cheap, inferior replacement for meat, but that's not the case. It's not inferior. Soy is the best quality of the plant proteins [...] While some animal proteins are more digestible and usable by dogs, other animal proteins aren't as good as soy. So having soy protein in a diet doesn't mean the protein quality is bad, and having meat or other animal protein in a diet doesn't mean that the protein quality is good."

In fact, soy has many benefits — it's high in vitamins, folic acid and amino acids. It also contains a good concentration of fatty acids, and it's a good source of fibre and potassium.

So, What's the Problem with Soy (& Soy Products)?

Feeding your dog too much of some of the most common soy options may not be the healthiest choice. Not sure what food has soy in it? Tofu, edamame, miso, tempeh and tamari are some of the most common soy foods. And don't forget soy-based products, such as soy milk, soy cheese, soy yoghurt and more.

Sometimes soy is just one of many ingredients in a food. You'll often find soy in baked goods, cereals, peanut butter, vegetable oil, high-protein energy bars to name a few.

As mentioned before, soy has some inherently great benefits for your dog, but when mixed in with other ingredients in some common foods it can create problems for your dog.

Take soy sauce as an example. Can dogs eat soy sauce? The answer is no, but not because of the soy content. Soy sauce is loaded with sodium, and ingesting too much sodium could make your pet quite ill. If you ever find that your dog has licked up some soy sauce, make sure your pet drinks plenty of water.

Overall, it's best to limit your dog's food intake to healthy dog food and dog treats so you don't have to worry about your pet ingesting something unhealthy, or too much of something that is allowed. But if you've ever had concern on whether or not soy as an ingredient in your dog's food is bad for them, you can rest easy. A properly balanced meal containing soy contains many benefits. When in doubt, your vet can help plan your dog's dietary options.