Raw For All: Health Benefits Across Every Life Stage

Raw diets have a wide range of benefits from skin and coat to energy and digestion. These benefits aren’t just for adults - puppies and kittens as well as senior pets benefit from raw food, too!

Let’s start from the beginning - raising your puppy on a raw diet can help prevent allergies and inflammatory bowel disease later in life ^{1 2}. In fact, the first 6 months of your new best friend’s life are the most important time to set them up for future success in health! Additionally, the high digestibility of raw food ensures that your puppy or kitten actually absorbs the nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong. Vital Essentials is formulated with fresh meat, organs, and bone that provide complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages for both dogs and cats, from weaning through advanced age.

Senior pets often struggle to maintain proper body condition, either by being underweight or overweight. The solution? A protein-rich diet. Research shows that seniors may actually require more protein as they age ³. Higher protein diets can help ensure that your pet remains in strong, lean condition through his or her golden years - which means more time to make memories together. Vital Essentials also contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils, which support healthy joints, in turn keeping your pet comfortable and active for years to come.

Feeding a raw diet supports your pet’s natural biology, helping them thrive with vibrant energy, a healthy weight, and strong immunity. With carefully sourced, high-quality ingredients, Vital Essentials is a great fit for every stage of your pet’s journey. By choosing a raw, minimally-processed diet, you’re giving your pet the best foundation for a long, happy, and healthy life - because every meal should be as extraordinary as the bond you share.

¹ Hemida M, Vuori KA, Salin S, Moore R, Anturaniemi J, et al. (2020) Identification of modifiable pre- and postnatal dietary and environmental exposures associated with owner-reported canine atopic dermatitis in Finland using a web-based questionnaire. PLOS ONE 15(5): e0225675. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225675

² Hemida M, Vuori KA, Moore R, Anturaniemi J and Hielm-Björkman A (2021) Early Life Modifiable Exposures and Their Association With Owner Reported Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms in Adult Dogs. Front. Vet. Sci. 8:552350. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.552350

³ R.W. Wannemacher, John R. McCoy. Determination of Optimal Dietary Protein Requirements of Young and Old Dogs, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 88, Issue 1, 1966, Pages 66-74, ISSN 0022-3166, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/88.1.66