Can Dogs Eat Soy Sauce?

In this research you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Soy Sauce?“.

While eating some sushi and dipping it in Soy Sauce your dog comes running over and begs you for some. There is Soy Sauce on the sushi and you are wondering if Soy Sauce is safe to give to your dog. You should read this research before offering your canine friends any food that contains Soy Sauce. Let me start with a short answer. 

Can dogs eat Soy Sauce? Soy Sauce should not be given to dogs because it contains a high amount of sodium. Additionally some of the ingredients in Soy Sauce may cause your dog to have an allergic reaction or sensitivity. You should not let your dogs lick Soy Sauce off your plate on a regular basis. Regular consumption of Soy Sauce can cause sodium poisoning which requires immediate medical attention.

Can dogs have Soy Sauce?

Since Soy Sauce contains high levels of sodium dogs should not consume it. On top of that Soy Sauce also contains soybeans and wheat two other ingredients that may trigger allergies in our furry friends. 

In order to better understand why dogs should not consume Soy Sauce lets take a closer look at what Soy Sauce is what it is made of and what its nutritional profile is.

What is Soy Sauce?

Many Chinese dishes use soy sauce which is a versatile sauce. Here are three things you can do with it: 

1. If you want to use Soy Sauce by itself you can use it as a dip or as a condiment.
2. For an extra kick of flavor and salt you can pour a little bit of this liquid sauce directly over the food. 
3. To give the dish a bit of salty and soy flavor dark visual appeal and a bit of moisture many cooks add Soy Sauce to their food. 

How does Soy Sauce differ from other sauces? What gives it its delicious flavor? We will explore this next.

What is Soy Sauce made of?

The main five ingredients of Soy Sauce are the following: 

• Soybeans.
• Wheat.
• Salt.
• Water.
• Fermenting agent (usually yeast). 

Here are some reasons why some of these ingredients may be harmful to dogs. 

Is Soy Sauce bad for dogs?

Dogs can be adversely affected by Soy Sauce since some of its ingredients may not be safe for them.

Can dogs be harmed by soy sauce? Depending on the dogs health conditions and whether or not they are sensitive or allergic to the ingredients in Soy Sauce Soy Sauce can be harmful to some dogs. 

Lets examine these ingredients and see how they may affect your furry friends health.

Soybeans in Soy Sauce are harmful to dogs with soy allergies

Dogs are not directly poisoned or toxic by Soybeans; however some dogs may be sensitive to them or allergic to them. The vast majority of Soybeans you purchase today are genetically modified or GMO. Beans of this quality are low-quality and may not contain the nutrients you are expecting. In other words Soybeans are not as healthy as you may think.

Soybeans do not make up a necessary part of your dogs natural diet so be cautious about how many you give your dog. 

Trying to grow your own soybeans may be the best way to get natural and nutritious soybeans. Whenever possible buy from a local farmer you trust. 

Soybeans are not actually healthy for our K9 friends as we can see.

Additionally dogs can develop soy allergies from soybeans. Soy is one of the most common allergens in dogs. 

Dogs who are sensitive to or allergic to Soy products should not be fed Soybeans or Soy products like Soy Sauce.

Consult your dogs veterinarian if you are unsure whether your dog has soy allergies. If your dog has allergies including soy allergies he or she will let you know. Your veterinarian may conduct tests to determine whether your pet has a soy allergy. 

You should introduce new food to your K9 pals very slowly and gradually when introducing new foods. Check your pooch immediately after consuming the new food to see if he or she shows any signs of allergic reactions or symptoms. 

Dogs with a soy allergy may exhibit the following symptoms: 

• Vomiting.
• Passing lots of gas.
• Bloating causes extreme discomfort. 
• Diarrhea.
• A seborrhea-like discharge.
• Inflammation or blepharitis of the eyelids.
• Loss of hair and coat from excessive licking.
• Dogs with chronic ear infections may scratch their ears frequently or shake their heads a lot. 
• Yeast or bacteria infection secondary to chronic ear infection.
• Symptoms of pyoderma that require antibiotic treatment. 

A high percentage of purines is found in soybeans as well. A dogs body produces uric acid as a waste product when it consumes a lot of purines. The buildup of uric acid in dogs can result in gout (arthritis) and affect their joints. 

In one or more of your dogs joints he may experience swelling pain tenderness and redness. Such discomfort may be unbearable at times. 

Soybeans contain a high amount of silicates which can lead to silica stones. Dogs may experience seizures if they consume a lot of soybeans. 

Do not feed your furry family member Soybeans or Soy products if he is hypothyroid because ingesting Soybeans can lead to low thyroid hormone levels. 

You should not intentionally feed your dog soybeans for these reasons. Soybeans are not part of a dogs natural diet so if he suffers from soy allergies you need to avoid them. 

Wheat in Soy Sauce is harmful to dogs with wheat allergies

Soy Sauce is made up of two main ingredients: wheat and soybeans. If you know your dog is allergic to wheat products stay away from Soy Sauce at all costs. 

The following symptoms may be experienced by dogs with wheat allergies:

• Itchy skin. 
• Your dog rubs his face on carpets and furniture because of itchy skin.
• They drag their bottoms across the floor because their behinds itch.
• Their heads shake more than usual.
• Inflammation of the ears.
• Sneezing more than usual.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Constantly licking his front paws. 
• Changes in behavior.
• Inflammation of the colon or intestinal tract of your dog. 
• Seizure (in severe cases).

We see that dogs suffering from wheat allergies may have coat and skin problems. It is not common for dogs to suffer from wheat allergies. Symptoms can appear suddenly when dogs regularly consume wheat products such as Soy Sauce.  

You should contact your vet right away if you suspect your dog has a wheat allergy and avoid feeding him any more wheat products that include Soy Sauce. 

Salt in Soy Sauce can cause sodium poisoning in dogs

Soy Sauce has a high sodium content which is one of the main reasons why dog owners should not feed their pets Soy Sauce.

A tablespoon of Soy Sauce or 16 grams has the following nutritional profile. 

The nutritional profile of Soy Sauce (from soy and wheat) 1 tablespoon or 16 grams

Name Unit	Amount
Calories cal	8.48
Water g	11.4
Sugar g	0.064
Sodium mg	878
Carbohydrate g	0.789
Total Fat g	0.091
Protein g	1.3
Fiber g	0.128
Calcium mg	5.28
Iron mg	0.232
Magnesium mg	11.8
Phosphorus mg	26.6
Potassium mg	69.6
Zinc mg	0.139
Copper mg	0.007
Manganese mg	0.163
Selenium µg	0.08
Thiamin mg	0.005
Riboflavin mg	0.026
Niacin mg	0.352
Pantothenic acid mg	0.048
Vitamin B-6 mg	0.024
Folate µg	2.24

We can see that one tablespoon or 16 grams of Soy Sauce has 878 mg of sodium in it. Our canine friends certainly get a lot of salt from that; even though it may not seem like a lot to us.

For every 100 grams of food dogs only require between 0.25 grams and 1.5 grams of salt and they will have already received their daily salt limit from their main meal. Thus consuming more salt than the daily limit puts them at risk for salt poisoning.

A dog suffering from sodium poisoning may exhibit the following symptoms: 

• If your pooch is extremely thirsty always provide a bowl of freshwater to quench their thirst.
• Excessive urination.
• Headache.
• Nausea leading to vomiting.
• Upset stomach.
• Loss of appetite. 
• Watery and loose diarrhea.
• Swollen tongue and lips.
• Fluid buildup in the body.
• Convulsions.
• Confusion.
• Lethargic.
• High fever.
• The dog may walk in circles or lose its balance due to a lack of coordination.
• Breathing difficulties or breathing too quickly.
• Spasticity and weakness of the muscles.
• A rapid heartbeat or tachycardia.
• Seizures (in severe cases).
• Coma (in severe cases).
• Death (in severe cases).

We strongly recommend that you contact your vet as soon as possible if your dog appears to have sodium poisoning. It is important to seek medical attention for salt poisoning immediately and to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible. 

Your veterinarian may administer oxygen electrolytes and IV fluid therapy to your pooch to keep him hydrated. In some cases dogs must stay in the hospital overnight or take prescribed medications. 

Keep this sauce out of your dogs reach since dogs tend to lick up a tablespoon of Soy Sauce very easily. 

As a result dogs with existing health conditions such as kidney failure or disease should avoid Soy Sauce since the high salt content of this sauce can cause their blood pressure level to rise which could lead to worsening kidney function.

So is Soy Sauce ok for dogs?

Soy Sauce is not suitable for dogs as you can see. Avoid intentionally feeding your dog Soy Sauce or allowing your dog to consume more than a lick of Soy Sauce. 

This is because unlike dog food soy sauce is meant for human consumption. It is possible for dogs to become sodium poisoned from consuming too much soy sauce. Soy sauce should be avoided by dogs with health issues like kidney or liver failure.

In addition dogs that are sensitive to wheat or soy products should definitely avoid soy sauce.

Is Soy Sauce good for dogs?

Its not good for dogs to eat soy sauce. 

There is a list of vitamins and minerals that Soy Sauce provides such as vitamin B6 protein fiber calcium iron folate and magnesium to name a few however the truth is that the harmful effects of consuming Soy Sauce far outweigh any positive health benefits this sauce will provide to our pets. 

In addition our furry family members can receive these same nutrients from their healthy balanced and nutritious dog food. It is obvious that dogs should not consume soy sauce. Instead they should consume their regular doggy food and treats.

My Dog Ate Soy Sauce! What to do if my dog ate Soy Sauce?

If your dog eats a Soy Sauce packet or licks some Soy Sauce off a sauce dish you need to watch him or her closely. Make sure you observe your dog closely for the next 12 to 24 hours after he has consumed the Soy Sauce. 

Additionally you’ll want to determine how much Soy Sauce your dog consumed. 

You’ll want to take your pooch to the vet if your dog shows any changes in behavior or any of the above symptoms. Tell the veterinarian how much Soy Sauce was consumed and at what time.

Dogs tend to linger near the water bowl right after eating the Soy Sauce since it is very salty. As a result they will be able to eliminate all the salt they have consumed from their body. You’ll see them peeing a lot when they drink a lot of water. 

So can dogs eat Soy Sauce?

For all of the above reasons dog owners should keep soy sauce and soy sauce packets away from their beloved pets. The key to avoiding health risks and high unexpected emergency bills is to take necessary precautions.

If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.

Can Dogs Eat Soy Sauce? (Watch Video)