Support Ear Health With A Raw Diet

Vital Essentials is perfectly designed to support healthy, clean ears with our simple formulas made with high levels of meat and no plant material. These factors encourage a healthy immune system, which helps to maintain ear health by managing inflammation and fighting microbes.

The immune system is responsible for detecting injury or illness, healing it, and receding when its job is done. It does this through inflammation - inflammation signals a problem to immune cells, which then travel to the source and repair tissue or fight pathogens to keep the body healthy. While some inflammation is necessary for this process to be effective, excessive inflammation can influence the immune system to be overactive or underactive. This can lead to microbial overgrowth in many different areas, including the ears. Having the correct balance of Omega fatty acids in the diet is crucial to managing inflammation and maintaining proper immune function ¹. Vital Essentials is formulated with the ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids to encourage a healthy immune system, which in turn can help reduce or prevent ear issues.

Some pets may have food sensitivities that cause itching, inflammation, and discomfort. With our limited ingredient protein-forward formulas and elimination of plant material, Vital Essentials entrees are a great option for pets who need or prefer a simpler diet. Since we don’t include common ingredients like grains, legumes, fruits, or vegetables, our foods provide exactly what your dog or cat needs and nothing they don’t. One study even found that feeding a raw diet early in life can help prevent allergies in adults ²! This can be a major contributor to keeping your pet’s ears comfortable, clean, and healthy from the start. Another study found that pets on raw diets score better in multiple health markers, including ear health - and the longer they were fed raw, the better their scores were ³.

A strong immune system and reduced inflammation are key to maintaining optimal ear health in pets. Vital Essentials is formulated to support healthy immune function, which can lead to fewer ear infections, less discomfort, and an overall improvement in your pet’s well-being.

¹ VAUGHN, D.M., REINHART, G.A., SWAIM, S.F., LAUTEN, S.D., GARNER, C.A., BOUDREAUX, M.K., SPANO, J.S., HOFFMAN, C.E. and CONNER, B. (1994), Evaluation of Effects of Dietary n-6 to n-3 Fatty Acid Ratios on Leukotriene B Synthesis in Dog Skin and Neutrophils. Veterinary Dermatology, 5: 163-173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3164.1994.tb00028.x

² 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

³ Kristina Hiney, Lara Sypniewski, Pratyaydipta Rudra, Adel Pezeshki, Dianne McFarlane, Clinical health markers in dogs fed raw meat-based or commercial extruded kibble diets, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 99, Issue 6, June 2021, skab133, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab133