| Protein: The Myths and the Reality
Protein is found in every living thing and is an essential component of all body tissues. In the body of the dog and cat, over half the dry matter is protein. Dietary protein is necessary for the growth and maintenance of almost all tissues of the body, including muscle, hair, bone and organs. Protein not used for these functions can be utilized for energy.
 Dietary protein is necessary for the growth and maintenance of almost all tissues of the body, including muscle, hair, bone and organs.
Protein is found in every living thing and is an essential component of all body tissues. In the body of the dog and cat, over half the dry matter is protein. Dietary protein is necessary for the growth and maintenance of almost all tissues of the body, including muscle, hair, bone and organs. Protein not used for these functions can be utilized for energy.
Is there an ideal source of protein? Is the promise of "no soy" in a pet food an assurance of high quality protein? Will high levels of protein in a pet food cause health problems? Sweep away the myths and the facts about protein may surprise you.
Many pet owners are surprised to discover that protein, in itself, is not required by dogs and cats. They require the proper balance of specific amino acids, the substances which make up protein. Dietary protein comes from many sources of both plant and animal origin. On the following page, Defining Protein gives more information about amino acids.
No one source of protein is perfect. Each is deficient in one or more amino acids. Consequently, amino acid deficiencies and excesses must be balanced when selecting protein sources. For example, soybean meal and corn gluten meal compliment each other perfectly. The amino acids which are deficient in one are present in the other. This comparison is also true of meat and soybean meal. Neither is an ideal protein, but either can be adequate if fed in combination with another source of amino acids.
Dispelling Myths About Protein and Soy
Myths about soybean meal in pet foods have concerned some pet owners. Dispelling these myths should provide the information to help pet owners make an informed decision about the pet food that is most appropriate for their pet.
Myth #1: Animal protein is superior.
The Facts: Not necessarily. The quality of protein in a pet food is determined by the balance of available amino acids. Soy is an excellent source of most amino acids. Used in a diet with complimentary proteins, it can produce high quality dietary protein. Because animal source proteins can vary widely in amino acid content and availability, they can vary in quality.
The protein digestibility of a pet food (the percentage of protein absorbed by the dog or cat) varies according to the quality of the protein source used in the pet food. Poor quality meat or poultry meals are substantially less digestible than soybean meal.
The only assurance of digestibility in a pet food is to be certain that the product has undergone controlled feeding studies. For information about feeding studies for a particular pet food, contact the manufacturer.
Myth # 2:Soy causes loose stools.
The Facts: Small firm stools are not a direct measure of the digestibility of a pet food, although the physical nature of the diet and the type and level of fiber in the diet may influence stool size.
Properly cooked and processed pet foods containing soy may be highly digestible and produce firm stools.
Puppies and kittens frequently have loose stools for many reasons. No cause and effect with a high-quality puppy or kitten food containing soy has been established.
Other factors related to diet that may cause loose stools include:
Sudden diet changes.
Consuming spoiled food from the garbage.
Eating very rich or spicy foods.
Lactose intolerance or other food allergies not relating to soy.
When a product containing soy is fed, it may be considered the cause of loose stools without taking into account other dietary factors.
Myth #3: Soy causes gastric dilatation volvulus (bloat).
The Facts: Soy has been implicated because of its potential for flatulence (gas production) in some dogs. However, the gas associated with bloat has been shown to be swallowed air.
The February 1991 Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Health Newsletter addresses the issue of diet and bloat, “There has been considerable controversy over the association of dietary components, such as soybeans or other cereals, with bloat. But there is no evidence that either soybean meal or any dry expanded dog food contributes to bloat.”
Myth #4: Soy causes skin allergies.
The Facts: The ingredient to which the dog is allergic must be identified. Food allergies are quite rare, but may occur to any protein. A dietary trial, under the supervision of a veterinarian, is the only way to be certain that diet is the cause of the allergy and to identify the ingredient to which the dog is allergic.
Not all allergies that affect dogs are food allergies. The kind of allergy should be diagnosed by a veterinarian. Common allergies are:
Flea allergy dermatitis that occurs when the dog is exposed to flea saliva as the flea bites. In addition to fleas, some pets become allergic to other parasites.
Allergic inhalant dermatitis resulting from the inhalation of allergens such as pollen from trees, ragweed, grass and other plants, house dust and mold.
Contact dermatitis caused by a dog’s physical contact with an offending irritant.
Myth #5: Soybean meal depletes the body of its zinc stores.
The Facts: This myth is based on the presence of phytate in soybean meal. In the presence of excess calcium, phytate binds zinc and limits its availability to the pet. Phytate occurs in most plant products. Although phytate renders the zinc in plant products poorly available, it has no effect on the zinc that is already in the body. There is no truth to the myth that soybean meal “eats” or depletes the body of its zinc stores. Good quality nutritionally complete and balanced soy-based diets include adequate available zinc and they are not excessive in calcium.
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