Success Stories

My dog cannot live without the Vital Essentials Chicken Mini Nibs. For 5 years she had terrible food allergies, skin issues, uncontrollable itching and licking, fur loss, stomach issues, etc… We tried SO many high quality foods and were going to start cooking for her when we found Vital Essentials. She has been eating the Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken Mini Nibs and Salmon Protein Mix-Ins (only proteins she’s not allergic to) for over a year and she is SO healthy!! Healthy skin and coat, no hot spots, less itching and licking, no more stomach issues, increased energy and vitality. She has never looked this good and more importantly she feels good.

A few summers ago, Skeeter started having random fainting spells, but no other symptoms, so we didn't really know what was going on, then he started only eating about 1/4 of his food (he was eating wet food at the time). Chins are very picky, so I started rotating different foods, but nothing tempted him to eat much. He was diagnosed with chronic heart disease--a very enlarged heart, something genetic that affects many of the breed. He was wasting away, and the medications made him even more sick to his stomach. My once 5-1/2lb vibrant dog had waisted to 3 lbs!! I was terrified he was going to starve to death and die! I even tried to syringe feed, but he wouldn't eat. Then, I found Vital Essentials. I thought if he could eat really clean, whole animal, maybe something would turn around. Well, it did!! He completely turned around and gained all of his weight back. Not only that, he's had hypothyroidism since he was a puppy. Within months, his levels normalized! He doesn't take thyroid medication anymore!! His vet is stunned, to say the least. They told me later, they thought he was definitely going to die when his weight dropped. Now, he's happy, vibrant, and healthy--and so are my other dogs! All thanks to Vital Essentials nibs!!

I love their products. It’s amazing. Can tell it’s real meat. Love love love. @rex_the__dino

-Jamie S.

My dog, the pickiest of all dogs. I love her so Much but, I couldn’t get her to chew on any type of bone or chewy. I took her to the pet store to let her try to find one she likes and get crickets for my duckling, Juniper thistle. Well, after searching the store, nothing. We were all stumped. So we buy the crickets and go to leave the store when someone came to me to talk to me about how beautiful Luna is. We were talking and I told her I couldn’t find a single thing for her! She said, well your dog seems to like those. I look down and she grabbed a Bully stick and was chewing on it, Going to town! I Freaked Out. I said, I have to buy these for her. She wouldn’t let go of the bully stick so I grabbed another one and went to the cashier and said I am getting 2, the other one is in My dogs mouth. Luna was walking around with it in her mouth like the princess she is. Everyone laughed. I said okay, let’s go bye byes, so she walked out to the car with it in her mouth, tail and nose head high like she won the lottery. Jumped in the car and chewed it all the way home. Cutest moment ever with her in public. Forever buying them for her.

-Shelby

My dog Nash is a very picky eater and after using this on his food he's starting to eat again! This is such an amazing product and I will continue to get these for my pups!

- Brooke

Fendi is a Pomeranian I've had since she was a puppy. She will be 17 this year and acts like she is a puppy which I believe is all because of your food. A few years ago I had her on regular kibble, she was having seizures, was on medications and I honestly thought this is it. Then I really started looking into the food I was feeding. I tried different foods and lowered her meds and her seizures slowed down but once I found Vital Essentials I was able to stop her medicine completely and she hasn't had one seizure in years! I mean no seizures since starting this food. Everyone that meets her cannot believe this is a 17 year old dog. You gave me my puppy back and I'm forever grateful.

- Jayme

I discovered my love for dogs 10 years ago when I started fostering and dog walking. I adopted my 5th foster, Macy, a 3 year old Tibetan Terrier, then fostered 40 puppies. I adopted foster number 45 in July of 2020 because I saw his calm, gentle soul and knew he would be the best certified therapy dog. I named him Zeke. At 3 months he started having skin issues. I spent the next year working with the vets to try and get him better, but he kept getting worse. In September of 2021 I accidentally found a dog nutritionist. She had me stop all topicals and just use neosporin, and I started him on Vital Essentials freeze dried rabbit mini nibs food along with goatmilk. After a month I noticed a difference, at 2 months an even bigger difference, mid February 2022 we started trying the salmon version and shortly we'll be trying the duck. Vital Essentials has been so supportive through my introduction to raw food for dogs, with covid taking a turn for the better. Zeke will be getting certified shortly and start visiting kids in the hospital mainly through the Zaching Against Cancer Foundation, and for anyone else who could use his help. He'll be 2 on April 23, 2022 and through all his pain he still has that calm gentle soul I saw at 8 weeks old.

- Theresa

Vital Essentials mini nibs have allowed Camo to eat the raw food that his body does best on while still using his dry food puzzles that his mind enjoys.

- Autumn

Barney being a basset hound they usually tend to be a smelly breed. Since we discovered the raw salmon skins, his coat has improved so much. His coat is gleaming, and it is less smelly. The only treats that make Barney pay attention is the duck hearts – they are life saviors when he does not want to drop something he shouldn't eat. These treats are life saviors!!!

- Isis

My senior husky went from slipping when she’d try to stand, and her back legs trembling out from under her, to a new dog. This stuff is simply amazing!!! She did have a few accidents as her stomach got used to the chews, but that stopped after a couple of days. She must love the flavor because she eats them right up. I have added the Revive treats along with this to help with her energy and she has recently tried jogging a little on our walks. There’s a pep in her step!!!

- Brooke

I’m Jennifer, my dog Peach is a huge fan of Vital Essentials. I wanted to reach out and tell you a little bit about our experience using your Turkey toppers. We’ve been using them as a supplement for the last 5 weeks to help up her Taurine levels and aid in holistic heart health.

Peach was diagnosed with a severe grade 3 heart murmur at 7 1/2 weeks. We were advised by our vet to either return her to the breeder or to be ready to use euthanasia.

Neither of those options were what we wanted to do, so we decided to accept her fate and just give her the absolute best life we could for as long as she had left. Managing any symptoms holistically through diet and supplements.

At our last vet appointment, they were blown away at how much she had improved, and even down graded her diagnosis to a level 2.

I’m a nutritionist and have zero back ground in animal health, but I would like to say thank YOU for making such a big difference in the health of my pup, Peach!

Baloo has always been a picky eater with a sensitive stomach, and finding the right food for him is challenging. The same goes for treats and we find ourselves short of good treats, of course until we found Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Food and Treats. It's been over 3 months of us giving him the rabbit Freeze-Dried recipe mixed with his kibble and we don't have to coax him to eat his food anymore!

He is always looking forward to meal time. Moreover, we have seen a big difference in his alertness during this time - and his food is the only thing that has changed! We recently also started using the Wild Salmon Treats as our training and hiking treats and could not be more in love.

- A Happy Dog Mom

Just a note of thanks for helping us save and improve the quality of life for our 16+ year old female Jack Russell.  She absolutely loves your freeze dried turkey toppers.  It has truly brought her back to life when we had lost all hope and thought the end was near.

- Patty

Bo goes nuts when I pull out the treats, especially these fishy minnows. I like that they are single-ingredient, support healthy teeth and gums, and everything is easily digestible.  @misterbo619

- Kaela K.

My dog has been on the raw diet for years and it's always hard to find treats to give him. So I love that Vital Essentials has so many options. The quality of the treats is really good and the ingredients is just as good. My dog loves everything.

-Meagan G.

Vital Essentials is one of my favorite brands. Their products are healthy and the fact that they are single ingredient as well is amazing. Every single one of these products are things I feel good about feeding my dog. @everettthebrave

- Taryn H.

I have struggled for months to find a good freeze-Dried raw food for my picky Aussies, and nothing was working. Either they got tired of it, or it wasn’t budget friendly. That was until Vital essentials. They love the food and they do amazing on it!

- Stormy

Kalea is currently 11 months old, and made a recent transition from a kibble/freeze dried diet to Vital Essentials Frozen Patties. Kalea is such a smart girl who knows what she likes, and Can be the pickiest eater. Since She first had Vital Essentials treats, we noticed how excited she gets when she sees the treats, especially the minnows. We knew that if we were to transition her to raw it would be to Vital Essentials Frozen. Since the transition, she eats immediately after her release word and cleans the bowl; her coat is healthier, and of course, let's not forget the poop is better. Transitioning to VE raw was the best decision we made. We can’t wait for her to try the other raw proteins!

- Vi

I could not be more thankful for a treat and food my dog likes; he is extremely picky! We had a routine checkup a year ago and they told me that Cheeks had the on-start stages of kidney failure. I was devastated and stopped all treats and food he was eating, and decided to make all his food. I also researched raw all natural diets and found Vital Essentials to supplement his new lifestyle. After a year of feeding him an all natural diet his kidney levels are back to normal and he is as healthy as ever. A raw all natural diet makes a huge difference and prolonged my pets life!

- Amber

I adopted Remington from Friends of Homeless Animals. He was a picky eater, didn't ever want to eat his food and even most treats. All of a sudden, he became super itchy and could not be left alone; as a result, he would scratch himself until he bled. I tried limited ingredient kibbles, special foods and treats, and nothing helped. The vet did not have answers for me and it was devastating that sweet puppy was so itchy. We heard about a pet store near us from family, and decided to check it out. The pet store owner was amazing and understanding, and educated me on Remington’s immune system. His food was full of fillers, and I had no clue. I just knew I had switched him from a kibble that wasn't the best, to a food that I thought was better. With her help, we were guided towards a raw diet supplemented by Vital Essentials treats and the raw bar. Suddenly the itching decreased dramatically, and fur began growing back. Remington is almost 100% better thanks to his friends at Fetchri and the yummy Vital Essentials treats that they sell!

- Elania

I never really knew too much about the raw feeding community until I came across products like yours. I saw so many others rave about it that I knew I had to give it a try. Zeus is not 100% raw, but that is the ultimate goal. Your products have been a lifesaver. He is a very picky eater and he didn't even hesitate when I put it in his bowl. He knew he was eating the best of the best. I started on this raw journey when I found out he was a carrier for DCM in dogs. I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOOSE MY BEST FRIEND. He always ate very well, don't get me wrong but I really decided to do something about it when I got the news. I always wanted to put him on raw I just didn't really know where to start. Now I have a much better idea and I'm never turning back.

IT IS NOW MY MISSION TO FEED HIM THE BEST FOOD I CAN WITH THE BRANDS WE TRUST AND YOU HAVE EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO WITH OUR DOGS (ALL PETS) HEALTH IN MIND! YOU'RE ALL ROCKSTARS!

- Katrina

Our working dog/handler teams absolutely love Vital Essential Mini Nibs! They are the perfect size for training are made from high-quality ingredients in our home state (Go Wisconsin!). The freeze dried process allows us to safely keep the food with us at all times (we don't have to worry about it spoiling if we leave it in our bag overnight) and it's lightweight, which helps when we are trekking through the woods. AND our dogs go absolutely nuts for them! Thank you for making an excellent product that is healthy for our dogs!

- Laura Holder

My dogs, Buster and Bolter, have been eating #rawdogfood for years now, and we can't say enough good things about it: shinier coats, heathy skin, cleaner teeth, and high energy level!! It's still a controversial topic, and even some vets lack the knowledge and information; for us, year ago, after struggling to find the right kibble, and having to try out so many different brands of kibble, we decided to try raw... and we have no regrets! 😊

- @Buster40K

My 10 year old Heinz 57 mix Nico was on deaths doorstep in the beginning of this year, he was diagnosed with IMHA. After a vigorous five month battle and switching his diet to VE, he’s almost weaned from every medicine and he’s doing GREAT. Through his journey your food and products allowed us to also naturally supplement him for things like his joints and bones. He was on Prednisone and Omeprazole which causes muscle loss and brittle bones. The duck feet and heads were a great way of ensuring he got plenty of chondroitin and glucosamine. He adores chicken necks (but sometimes if he’s not quick enough one of my cats will run off with it.) I’ve got my baby back. I can’t thank you enough!

- Jennifer

I am so happy I was introduced to your products! My dogs go nuts over your treats! Your nibs are the perfect size to put in their puzzle toys and to keep on hand when I am brushing them outside. (Like today)

I just wanted to send these pics showing you one of your favorite customers who can't get enough of your treats! Keep up the great work!

We can't wait to see what new products you may have to offer in the future.

- Maria

This is Phoenix. She is a year and a half old Lab Terrier mix. I broke her out of doggy jail at the Humane Society in the Fox Valley at the end of June. When I got her you could see all of her ribs. She was very timid and shy. She now is a very happy, healthy, energetic dog. You cannot see her ribs and her coat is nice and shiny. She loves playing with kids. I have a 7 year old that she adores. She is a lap dog. She loves snuggling in blankets. She is very good playing with dogs her size or bigger as she likes to play rough and run fast. We are very happy to have her as an addition to our family.

- Scott

Mazy, has always had a battle with itchiness! I had tried everything. Nothing worked! She’s only been on your Frozen Rabbit 18 days and her itching has reduced to being almost nil! I’m so impressed! Thank you!

- Terri

My puppy Hennessy has been on a rotational diet of Vital Essentials beef chubs and Zignature Pork, until recently I switched her to an all raw diet of Vital Essentials Beef chubs and her treats consisting of only vital essential products and her coat is shinier than ever, her stool is scentless and easy to pick up, her muscles have toned up more and she's all around energetic and lively not only due to her age but her diet. I recommend anyone interested in Vital Essentials to make the transition as it was a great decision to have made! I love Vital Essentials, they're pawesome!

- Sarah

Meet Dillon (Yellow Lab), Axel (Chocolate Lab) and Parker (Black Lab) part of Team Trifecta!! We love feeding our boys Vital Essential treats because we only want the best for them!! They are extremely competitive in DockDogs and always need to be in the best shape to compete! Vital Essential treats are extremely all natural, healthy treat for our boys and they absolutely love every bite of them!!

- April

Please meet Gretel, my 3-year old "special needs" GSD. At the young age of one, Gretel was diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). Some days we struggle with her lifelong disease maintenance, but try very hard to keep her life as normal as possible. My beautiful girl LOVES the snow, hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail, playing Frisbee and also with her Jolly Balls. I'm also very proud to mention that Gretel also earned her AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Title.

With Gretel's disease, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), she has VERY limited dietary choices, especially with treats, actually, they're an absolute no-no with an EPI dog, however, all EPI dogs & their daily maintenance are different and I've found a daily dietary schedule that works for my Gretel and fortunately I can give Gretel "Vital ESSENTIALS Tripe Nibblets Freeze-Dried Dog Treats" as an in-between meal snack & also as training treats with absolutely no repercussions PLUS she LOVES them, not to mention she's VERY picky and has NO food drive! We use an auto-ship program & receive a 1-lb. bag every few weeks!

- Lisa

The most common question my wife and I hear from friends and co-workers isn’t “How are you?” or “Did you see ‘The Walking Dead’ last night?”, it’s “When are you guys going to have kids?” We’re both approaching 30, we’ve been married for 5 years and we don’t have any children. Aren’t really interested in that prospect. Not because we think kids aren’t adorable and amazing, but we’ve found something else to fill that void in our married life. We have a “fur-baby.” We have a dog.

Back when we were newly-weds in a brand new city, we considered having children. It’s what everyone does, right? But, for whatever reason, it just didn’t appeal to us. Then, one day, we decided to “go look at puppies.” We had no idea how our lives were about to change. We ended up with the cutest little fur ball anyone could hope for. We called him Indy.

We care for this dog like he IS our child. We love him the way people typically make fun of other people for loving their animals. Yeah…we’re “those people.” I have more pictures on my desk at work of Indy than I do my friends and family. Every picture of my wife that I carry around with me…she’s holding Indy. Of course, he’s the background image for both of our phones. We spoil him. We check our high-tech life-feed camera during the day to make sure his routine of naps and barking at the door is going undisturbed. We love this dog. It’s weird, sometimes, when we think about it. But we wouldn’t change it for the world.

So, it comes as no surprise that we obsess over what kind of food we are allowing him to eat. We started off with the same thing every new-dog owner starts with. The kibble “puppy food.” We soaked it. We mashed it up to make it easier for his little puppy teeth and…yes…we inspected his poop to make sure everything was being processed properly. He never acted TOO excited about his kibble, but he ate it nonetheless.

Then, we noticed some odd behavior. He began licking his feet. All. The. Time. We thought maybe it was nervous energy, so his daily walks were extended from 30 minutes to at least an hour. The feet licking continued. Ultimately, we asked our vet. “He’s probably allergic to sweet potatoes.”

Wait, his food has sweet potatoes in it? That’s weird. I can’t imagine a wolf in the wild eating sweet potatoes …but I trusted my vet. We switched to a non-sweet potato food. The paw licking continued.

Recently (February 2016) I traveled to Daytona Beach, Florida for work. I met a carnivore nutritionist and we began telling your typical “dog-owner stories.” Then the topic of dog nutrition came up. I was embarrassed by how much I did NOT know about the product that I had been feeding to my dog. Do you know all the things that go into your most common of dog foods? Do you know the temperatures at which they cook this “mash” of ingredients in order to get those hard little pieces? Do you know how taxing it is for the tiny wolves you let sleep on your couch to digest and get ANY nutrition out of their meals? It was astonishing to me.

The brand “Vital Essentials” came up. It’s organ meat. Your dog shares the exact same digestive tract of all other dogs and wild canines. They may have stubbed noses, long fur, short hair, 10 or 100 pounds…but they all look the same as far as stomachs and intestines. What wolf have you ever seen eating sweet potatoes? Their teeth are proof enough that they aren’t meant to be eating vegetables.

I ended up doing the research (don’t take my word for ANYTHING, this is your dog … do your own research) and Vital Essentials kept coming up. We began the transition (which we spread out over about a month because we didn’t want this new high-protein food that is so much easier to digest to upset his stomach… you know…because they are going to have a LOT of stomach acid left over) in late February and we started seeing a noticeably different dog.

He’s happier. He’s more vibrant. He gets genuinely EXCITED about his food. He acts like he is being given a treat every single time we fill his bowl. I’m confident in the food I give Indy and it helps me to sleep better at night. I know I will out-live this dog, unfortunately, but I want to put off that harsh reality for as long as possible. Vital Essentials is helping me do that.

I’m not going to try and tell you what is right for your dog. They are your babies and I wouldn’t even begin to think that I know more or even as much about them as you do, but give it a shot. Read. Ask questions, heck …shoot me a message on Twitter (@CJWoliver) and I’ll help you in any way I can. I believe in this product, my dog loves this product and I will tell every dog owner I know about it until we stop feeding our animals…crap.

- CJ

Sonny…the dog actor, model and athlete has been featured in VOGUE Magazine with Saturday Night Live star Seth Meyers and has been in Purina commercials playing the piano.  He also loves Vital Essentials.“I wanna give a shout-out to the Vital Essentials Raw family for their great quality products! Sonny keeps getting stronger, faster, more focused and his endurance has improved drastically.”

- Daniel

Kayla was rescued from a bad situation. Her coat was bad and she was unweight. She has thrived. Her coat is wonderful, eyes are clear and her weight is perfect. Thanks for all you do for dogs!

- Nancy

I brought Izzy home at 9 weeks of age, as an competitive obedience and conformation prospect. Shortly after, she came down with a mild puppy virus that killed her appetite for a few days, and it never seemed to fully recover. She was always eating enough, but occasionally failed to finish meals and otherwise acted disinterested or picky about her food... And I thought Corgis were supposed to be pigs! She was eating very high quality, synthetic-free kibble that I have great respect for, but she just would not eat it consistently.

I decided to give frozen raw food a try when her teething got so bad that she refused to chew anything hard--kibble was out of the question, even when moistened. After turning her nose up at one popular raw food brand that includes produce and is HPP processed, I gave Vital Essentials a try because I knew it was free of produce and synthetic vitamins/minerals, and included the organs and blood for richer taste. While that may not sound appealing to us, to a carnivore I imagine it sounds like heaven!

She LOVED it from the first bite and it remains the only food she will eat consistently and with gusto. I have given up trying to feed her any kind of kibble, and instead rotate between different proteins of the VE patties, along with some raw fermented goat's milk, salmon oil for added DHA, and a kelp-based joint/digestive supplement. She is 8 months old now and is the picture of health.

Her coat is soft and shiny, her stools are few, firm, and regular, and she has solid muscling and tons (TONS!) of energy. Best of all, she loves it and meals are no longer a struggle. We love VE and I plan on keeping her on this food as she embarks on her obedience and show career in the near future.

- Kali

My 4 yr old chihuahua mix absolutely loves your food! After a lot of trial and error with many different foods your food has been the best value when considering both convenience and ingredients!! My Abby has gone from itchy and yeasty to soft and shiny!!

- Lauren

Because my dogs are goal directed therapy dogs, and are handled by the individuals they work with, we go through a lot of treats. That, coupled with all the dog food recalls these days, I wanted a treat that had only one protein ingredient and nothing else, was small, convenient and easy for these individuals to use. Vital Essentials fits all my requirements. Plus, my dogs love them!

- Judy

Leo, our male boxer, came home at 10 weeks old in June of 2014. Right away we noticed he was constantly scratching himself, mostly his neck. Unsure if it was environmental or a food allergy, we switched him onto the [Brand Disclosed] grain-free food in hopes it would help. The itching continued so we tried [Brand Disclosed] salmon....still itching. By July of 2015, Leo had gotten to the point where he was scratching non-stop which caused his neck to become raw, bloody, and eventually lead to secondary bacterial infections on his neck, one being STAPH infection. A couple months later, Leo was breaking out in quarter sized hives covering his entire body. After countless trips to the vet, tons of anti-biotics and steroids, numerous types of grain free food and meeting with several different vets (and plenty of tears by me) I walked into a natural pet supplies store and basically begging the owner for any suggestions or help. My vet advised us to go onto a prescription diet, but the owner immediately suggested we try a raw diet because whatever Leo was allergic to, was most likely going to be in every type of kibble. After an almost 2 year battle with his allergy, we were willing to try anything.         After two weeks on Vital Essentials Raw Beef diet, Leo's neck completely cleared up, the bumps went away, the itching COMPLETELY stopped, and we have never seen him so happy. We couldn't believe it. We felt helpless we couldn't help him or stop the itching, but all along we were feeding him the wrong food. The Vital Essentials Beef is 100% beef and only beef ingredients, compared to the kibble we were feeding Leo which had upwards of 80 ingredients, filled with chemicals and preservatives. Vital Essentials changed Leo's life, and ours as well. It really is the best of the best and we will continue to feed it to Leo and any future boxer brothers or sisters he has! Thank you!

- Blair

My 8-1/2 year old Doberman Booger worked with me every day in my holistic pet supply store. He started scratching himself a lot, and slowly his skin started to look like elephant hide - no better way to explain how it looked and felt. We tried all the normal things that I would suggest to customers, but none of it seemed to help him. He continued getting worse and worse, until he couldn't walk 5 feet without stopping to scratch. He had a yeast infection that would not go away - you could smell the poor boy coming as soon as he entered a room! He was miserable, and driving both of us crazy. I was able to help so many other dogs, but couldn't help my own boy! We worked closely with his holistic vet, trying the normal things that help most pets. He was already on a raw diet, getting quality freeze-dried and/or dehydrated mixes and/or frozen food, but the skin condition didn't improve. He had a sensitivity test, and found out he was sensitive to chicken, salmon and dairy, to name just a few things. We eliminated those foods from his diet, but the itching continued. We finally put him on a diet of nothing but Vital Essential Beef and raw goat's milk. After only two weeks, the elephant hide was gone, the itching stopped, and the strong yeast smell is gone! I'm a strong believer in raw diets for pets. I've tried convincing so many people - and so many are reluctant to try. If I can even get them to try the dehydrated and freeze-dried ones, it feels like a minor victory. But now I have concrete evidence and proof to them of the benefits of a true raw diet! We will gradually try other protein sources to see what this super sensitive boy will be able to handle, just to offer him some variety. But he will stay with his Vital Essentials!

- Christine Staller | all natural k9 korner

In June one of our 4, yes 4, whippets was diagnosed with kidney failure. We have gone through the this battle before with one of our cats and we saw how horrible this diagnosis can be. We knew one of the challenges we would face would be getting him to eat. At the start of this journey Vincent dropped 3lbs and on a whippet that is a lot they do not have that to lose. We tried many different things to get him to eat some worked for a day or two then he would turn his nose up at it. We then tried your vital essentials beef formula and boy what a difference. He eats!!! I will say again he eats!!! And he enjoys it and looks forward to it! I'm not sure how much longer we have with our sweet Vincent but getting him to eat is such a relief! We cannot thank you enough for this product!!

- Michele

I adopted Bentley in May. He had itchy red skin and tummy problems. In June we discovered vital essentials. Bentley hasn't had tummy problems since! (And his coat is extra shiny.) Vital essentials pure, raw and nutritious products helped my pup feel better. (Especially the tripe) We love all of their products & are so thankful we found something healthy to relieve Bentley's skin and belly problems.

- Jennifer

My dog, Alaska, has been raw fed since she was 1 year old. However, it would always be a long chore to do meal prep and sometimes, I would forget thaw the food before meal time. Not to mention my husband hates the idea of butchering and handling raw meat so I was always on my own! Ever since I discovered Vital Essentials, I have been loving the progress and results that I've seen in Alaska. It gives me a peace of mind knowing the quality of the food I am feeding her, and takes the difficulty out of feeding frozen raw. Everyone who cross paths with us compliments her on soft and shiny coat, clean white teeth and fit physique. Her health is superb for a 3 year old and it is so rewarding to see what a species-appropriate, balanced and healthy diet can do for our 4-legged family members. A proper nutrition feeds the soul and their health is evident inside and out. Alaska is thriving on VE and I'm so happy to have discovered such a company that prides itself in providing the best quality food for our companions.

- Cynthia

Hi- I just wanted to say how amazing your product is. I came across it on sale and grabbed one hoping it might entice my picky dog into eating. I was making bone broth and adding occasional meats to get her to eat. Tried the topper and not only did she eat, the 5 yr old dog who never really cares much about food went insane for it. Ate his food and proceeded to lick his bowl and the other two dog bowls for a good 30 minutes. That was probably two months ago and no looking back since. No more picky eaters and the dogs go nuts for their meals. I am so happy I came across your toppers and sing their praises to anyone who listens. Thanks for making such an incredible product!

- Tracey

My German Shepherd Rex, and I decided to try out VE. Rex is a very picky dog, and he fell in love with the brand. His favorite treats from VE are: Chicken Breasts, Tendons, Turkey Necks, Beef Nibs, etc. As a pet Blogger, I always look for small business brands that care about dogs as much as I do. As well as our followers knowing how great of a brand VE is. We are so satisfied with VE, we have loved working together and making a difference in pets lives. Introducing raw food, or Freeze-Dried is always a challenge at first. VE has made it easier for us, and Rex is healthier than ever!  Find us on Instagram @rex_von_deutsch.

- Maria

We just switched our frenchie Tilly to VE patties and she loves it! we were having skin issues and since the switch her skin issues are gone! Yea!!! Absolutely in love with this product and the health of our fur baby!!

- Holly

Clancy switched from kibble to VE raw once I learned about raw from a friend. He is a working search dog and feeding raw has been fantastic! Tons of energy, ideal body weight, and it cleared up his food allergies. He works his hardest for me, so I owe it to him to feed the best!

- Patricia

I adopted Charlie, a dachshund mix, as a puppy. After settling in to his new home, he started having recurring digestive issues, which led to frequent vet visits, medication, and fluids to prevent dehydration. I couldn't seem to find a diet that would regulate him. He would start getting better, only to get sick again a month or so later. I heard good things about raw diets as a solution for sensitive stomachs, but I was nervous about trying it out. So Vital Essentials freeze dried formulas came to our rescue. I bought a bag of the mini nibs and switched Charlie over cold turkey. He has not had diarrhea or vomiting since! I rotate the formulas regularly and give him some VE treats or other healthy snacks, too. He is just over a year old now, and he is in great physical shape with a smooth, shiny coat. I'm so relieved to find something that works for him that's as easy to feed as kibble. Thank you!!

- Krystle

My dog, Pixie, has been with me for about a year and a half. She was in terrible condition when I adopted her. She was only 19 pounds (super emaciated), had over 2,000 ticks on her, she was used as a breeder and by the age of 1.5 years of age had had 3 litters of puppies! She tested positive for E.Canis Erlichia, and was full of worms. Her coat was a dull, coarse black and she was very itchy. None of that mattered; I fell in love with her immediately. I started her on pre-made raw food the day I got her. After much experimentation, I found that Vital Essentials was by far the best! Pixie has thrived on VE! I cannot say enough good things about the Vital Essentials raw product line! But, I really don't have to, pixie's pearly white teeth, soft, shiny fur, and lean physique say it for me. She is an athletic 36 pounds today and has the energy of a puppy! Thank you for your commitment to outstanding quality!

- Mary Ann

"When we started on the food he was so lethargic and now has lots of energy. Also he has lots of allergies and as you can see in the pictures where he is on his back his stomach has the dark on it. It really has cleared up it used to be totally black and the fur was not growing the same thing on his feet…black and no fur and now it is filling in. Of course he loves his Vital Essentials."

- Sandy

"As Breeder/Trainer our dogs, Health is of utmost importance to us. Vital Essentials Frozen entrees give our dogs the best coats, teeth, and muscle condition needed to healthy and young while enjoying all the activities they do! The energy they have from eating this great food is incredible! We highly recommend Vital Essential products to all our customers."

- Jenny

"I have been feeding raw since 1995 or before. I am a breeder of Boston Terriers. I feel my AKC Best in Show was due to the raw diet and the life raw gives the pets. Back then it was not easy to get the food so I made it myself. Use to hand grind frozen chicken with my grandmother's hand grinder. Life has gotten better with people like you making it up for us. And now with the freeze dried traveling to the shows will be also."

- Judy Zahas | Cantrip Bostons | Cantrip Home

"Hi, my name is Beejay and I live in Arizona with my mom and dad.  I'm five years old and I love, love, love my Vital Essentials Mini Patties Beef Entrees and Tripe Treats.  My patties are sooooo good and make me feel great!  Everybody says I look like a puppy!"

- Nancy

"Romper is a four year old pit bull boxer mix who has been raw-fed for the last three years. He was never able to put weight on using even the best kibble nor was he enthused in any way to eat it. Once I made the switch to raw, he was able to gain the much needed weight and also eats his food every day as soon as it is offered to him. The other benefits (especially with VE compared to other brands) would be a massive reduction in stool quantities, a shining coat with virtually no shedding, abundant energy, and beautiful sparkling teeth with fresh breath. I am very happy that VE makes such a high quality affordable raw diet that Romper loves!"

- Alyssa

"Rogue is a one year old Blue Bay Shepherd. He has been on raw ever since I picked him up at 8 weeks. Around 6 months of age Rogue became a very picky eater. I have access to many different raw brands and have tried almost all of them. The only food that Rogue will eat on a consistent basis is Vital Essentials. His favorite is Beef and Duck. Having a large breed puppy, I was so happy when Vital Essentials came out with 5lb chubs. Thank you for formulating a food that my picky dog can't resist!"

- Alex

"Raw food means a healthy, happy dog. I feed Vital Essentials frozen beef patties for a complete diet to my Belgian Malinois Gui (Guillaume des Ombres Valeureux). We will be trialing for our French Ring level 1. Strength and endurance are essential qualities for this sport. Thank you Vital Essentials."

- Loraine

When we brought Malcolm home at 8 weeks his coat was dull, thin and coarse. It reminded me of the hair on a pig. His stools were large and stinky. We immediately switched him to VE raw. Within two weeks his coat started to loose it's dry, brittle texture and it became soft and shiny, his ears felt like silk and his poo became tiny, firm and had very little odor to it. In this picture he's sixteen months, he's still growing but he's got sparkling white teeth, runs like a gazelle and retrieves like a machine! All thanks to his Vital Essentials Alpha Prey Model Diets, raw bones and treats.

- Penny

"I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for creating such a wonderful and amazing food! I've been feeding my French Bulldog a raw diet for almost all of her one-year life, but it's been tough finding a pre-made product that doesn't have fillers or fruits and vegetables in it. Consequently, I've been forced to order bulk meat and tripe and spend hours in the kitchen putting patties together. You've changed my life and have given me back time to spend with my dog. For that, I cannot thank you enough. And to say that she loves your food is a total understatement. She's tiny but mighty, and has a killer vertical jump - which she exhibits whenever a bag of nibblets or mini-patties is opened. We pick up our first order of chubs next week. It's Christmas for her *and* for me! Again, many thanks - and don't ever stop what you're doing!"

- Kim

Phlint the Whippet races in Indiana and is powered by Vital Essentials. He eats VE Wild Boar and Beef Tripe. “To run well you gotta eat well”.

- Frank A. | New Jersey

Our Boston Terrier "Cricket" loves all of the Vital Essentials Line and her Coat has looked wonderful ever since moving her over to your Frozen Raw Patties. Thank you so much for making a wonderful product and answering all of my questions!

- Ray

"We travel coast to coast competing in dog agility, and Vital Essentials is always on hand to keep Rikki and the rest of my crew fueled up and at peak performance from start to finish at every event. We usually feed the ground chubs as meals, and the dried nuggets are great for training treats at home or on the road!  My dogs love the variety and I love the quality.  Thanks, VE, for fueling my crew!"

- Emily

Greetings!!  It’s me Eddie. I am a one year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. My human’s spent 6 months researching my breed. They wanted perfection in the breeding. I have over heard them say “They would have traveled anywhere in the USA to find the right breeder.” What my diet is made up of, My human’s insisted that my meals have no grain, no byproducts. Made in the USA. They started me on Vital Essentials 2x a day. I am thriving on wonderful pure food. Fresh water in my bowl. Outrageous amounts of hugs and kisses. Sincerely,

- Eddie

My cat, Holly, usually struggles with stomach issues and threw up most foods I gave her, from dry food to canned. Ever since I started using your food she has had ZERO stomach issues. I love your ingredients and how simple everything is!

I just want to say THANK YOU. We have had Milo for 5 months and absolutely no food has worked for him. I started him on the rabbit freeze dried mini nibs about 5 days ago, and within 24 hours of the switch he finally had a solid stool & made it to the litter box.. Your food has saved him so much discomfort and me as his mom a lost less guilt and clean up!

A while ago I sent a testimonial about my cat, Luna. I have found Luna a friend named Phoenix. When I got him he was very overweight and had a lot of skin problems such as dry skin, dandruff, and hair loss. After putting him on a raw diet (they like the freeze dried toppers), he has lost weight and all of his skin problems have cleared up. He says thanks!

- Sarah

LilyRose is an IBD kitty and has allergies to most gums and proteins. She tolerates rabbit if it is clean and Vital Essential Rabbit Nibs has saved her life. She has lived 4 of her 5 years with intermittent bloody diarrhea and now that she is eating your food she feels better than she ever has! No more exhaustive trips to the vet with no answers! Thank you!

I recently found out about your products when we had an emergency with one of our cats. His name is Louie and he is 12 years old. He has been prescribed Hills Prescription C/D Cat Food for almost 9 years now. He has had some bad crystal issues in the past, but has been doing great in that aspect. Because he hasn’t had crystal issues, we overlooked the fact that he was losing weight and throwing up his food on an almost daily basis. We were told this was normal from our vet. Louie was losing a half a pound a year.

Recently, when we bought a new bag of the Hills we noticed both of our cats REFUSED to eat it; that was not normal. Then, Louie got sick, he hid from us for a day, absolutely not normal for him to do. Louie is very active, talks a lot, he is a lover. We rushed him to the vet where his bladder was inspected, and had blood work done. Everything appeared normal. They wanted us to still rule out pancreatitis.

When we brought him home he still refused to touch the food. so, off we went to Bark Avenue Pet Supply, here in Mesa, Arizona. An employee there, Ben, was SO informed about your products! We picked a few bags of the Freeze-dried treats, and a few other different items from other companies, so we could see if Louie would eat anything.

He LOVES treats, and he took to your treats oh so greatly! For the first time in 5 days, he are dry food. It’s not been 8 days, and he has gained half a pound, his diarrhea is gone, and he has not thrown up once. Last week I was a mess. This cat is our lives; we love him more than we love ourselves.

I have been doing a lot of research this week, and I feel confident in feeding both my cats your products. Family owned and USA made is very important to us. Your products have given me confidence, and most importantly HOPE! We plan on going back to Bark Avenue and purchasing more of your wonderful products.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We will forever be indebted to you! Thank you for helping my baby feel better!

Thank you so much,

Sienna Kitchen and Louie

I adopted Edgar about 6 months ago now. He is 14 years old, and only has two top teeth left. When I got him we were feeding high quality kibble and canned food. Shortly after switching my dog to raw, I decided to try it out with Edgar. He now devours the Vital Essential Freeze-Dried Mini Patties. I love giving them to him! Cats are obligate carnivores, so finding a freeze dried and frozen raw food without the extra potatoes, fruits, and veggies was important to me. Every morning when I wake up, Edgar runs to his food bowl and impatiently waits for more.

Once, I ran out of Vital Essentials and tried to give him a different brand of freeze dried raw (I actually tried two different brands because our regular pet store was closed) and he turned his nose up to both.

Edgar is doing great, especially for a senior kitty. He runs around, jumps from piece of furniture to piece of furniture, and plays with The dog. I have to attribute most of it to a Good quality Alpha-Prey model diet!

Thank you Vital Essentials! - Jordyn

I just had to tell you thank you! We have a 4 year old Maine Coon cat who has major medical issues - a heart murmur and severe food allergies. He has never been able to eat much of anything, except for your food. Before we discovered Vital Essentials, he was very close to death. He had massive bleeding sores all over his body, he was completely lethargic, and we couldn't get him to eat or drink anything. Once we started him on the Vital Essentials frozen patties, it was just a matter of a very short time that he made drastic improvements. Today, his fur is shiny and thick, he has tons of energy, and he does nothing but play all day long. He is my baby, and I'm so very, very grateful to you that he is thriving and has a full life ahead of him now thanks solely to your frozen patties.

- Melissa

Charizard has always been the pickiest eater. We can never seem to get him to eat anything other than his bland, dry cat food, which is a problem, as he’s had urinary issues in the past due to a lack of wet food in his diet. Vital Essentials Frozen Mini Patties and Chubs are the first raw food he has ever tried and he loved it! We’re So happy to have found a healthy diet to supplement his dry food and give him a healthier life.

- Nicole

Nova is a 3 year old tabby that I have raised since she was about four weeks old. I noticed when she was a kitten her mouth area would flare up and hot spots would appear behind her legs. I did a lot of research and tried all of the best cat kibble and wet food, but no matter what I tried her food allergies would persist. Despite giving her quality kibble and canned food, I was still weary because of the ingredients that I had no clue what benefit they had for cats. I decided to try raw food because it made perfect sense looking at a much smaller ingredient list that I could cut out what she was allergic to. It was not easy to transition her to a raw diet; it took about two months of persistence! It paid off when I noticed no more flaring up or itchy skin, it was like night and day; I had finally figured it out. She has tried Rad Cat, SmallBatch and Primal, but I know her favorite is Vital Essentials, because there are no fruits or veggies in any of their recipes. Recently, Vital Essentials was kind enough to send us a voucher so she could try the Vital Cat Frozen Rabbit Entrees, and she loved them! I mean seriously once she tried rabbit she was hooked, and any time I would open the fridge she was meowing at me to give her more! Thank you Vital Essentials for being such a great company, and giving Nova the best diet that I feel 100% positive feeding to her.

-Teresa

Teddy Pancakes and Bo have long been huge fans of the Vital Essentials Rabbit Mini Nibs and treats but, they recently tried the Vital Cat Frozen Rabbit Mini Patties and they ABSOLUTELY love them! The patty portions make it so convenient to feed my boys a healthy raw diet, and an all rabbit diet has been key in dealing with food allergies and itchy skin. Thank you Vital Essentials for making such an amazing product to help me keep my boys healthy and happy for many years to come!

- Karen

I tried the Vital Cat Frozen Rabbit Entrees after receiving a coupon for a free bag. My cat, Greyson, has been eating a primarily raw diet for approximately 2 years, but this was his first time trying Vital Essentials. Greyson is a rescue cat and I fostered him for about 6 months before adopting him. He has skin issues around his mouth and food allergies may be the cause. I have been trying to stick to limited ingredient diets with a single protein; this food fits that description perfectly! I was so impressed by this food. My cat loved the taste and I loved how easy the patties were to thaw and serve. Greyson is a happy, healthy, raw fed cat and I will definitely be purchasing Vital Essentials again.

- Cassandra

Thank you so much, Vital Essentials. My little Ember is still learning which foods are her favorite, and many of her CONSISTENT choices have Vital Essential food and treats. She really likes the Duck Nibs and Rabbit Nibs. She absolutely loves the Frozen Mini Turkey Patties. Thanks for always providing high quality, healthy food options for my fur-baby. I also greatly appreciate the consistently friendly, and above-and-beyond customer service I received. Thank you for all you do to make the world a healthier place for pets.

- Josie

Our kitty Zuzu absolutely loves the Vital Cat Duck Frozen Chub Entree. Vital Essentials seems to be a lot more bloody and fresh looking than the other brands, as it should be! Zu ate it up super quickly, and she seemed very pleased. I will definitely be purchasing more of this and the other varieties in the future.

- Zoe

My cats love Vital Cat Frozen Entrees! I like that the patties are 2 oz each; one patty per cat per meal is the perfect portion for my crew! The chubs are a tiny bit trickier to deal with, but the price per oz is better, plus I need exactly 16oz per day for 4 cats, so one chub per day. I like to take the wrapper off before it is fully thawed, then let it finish thawing in a container in the fridge. They like the Chicken & Rabbit the best.

- Heidi

We started out kittens on the raw patties from Vital Essentials from the first week we adopted them as kittens. They love all the flavors, and I love feeling that I am feeding them a very healthy diet!

- Nicole

Scout is the pickiest eater; she refuses to eat any wet food and only eats a small amounts of her dry food. I switched her over the Vital Essentials Frozen Mini Patties, in hopes that she would like a healthier alternative to her current food. It took a few days for her to get used to the different food, but now she loves it. She is actually eating her food and hasn’t had any stomach issues since switching to Vital Essentials. Also, Her coat is looking much healthier. I’m so happy I switched her to Vital Essentials because I know she’s eating a healthier diet.

- Samantha

I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to you and the Vital Essentials crew for sending Cha some treats! We are just so blown away by your kindness. I can’t thank you enough for sending my sweet girl a little package! Her IBD has been a huge struggle for me as I hate to see her in pain and I’ve never experienced something like this but knowing she has meals that cater to living a natural life is so gratifying! Not to mention a company who cares as much as we do! Thank you so much, you all are doing wonderful work! Lots of love,

- Erika & Cha

Thanks Vital Essentials for making high quality products my cats love and this momma can trust. This was our first time trying the prepared kitty raw diet. My crew was crying for me to hurry as soon as I opened the bag of Turkey Mini Patties. My kitties devoured those patties like they hadn't eaten in weeks. I caved and gave everyone an extra portion! I love watching my beloved cats enjoy life.

- James

We adopted Ivy and Ella from the same foster home when they were 4 and 5 months old. As soon as we brought them home, we began transitioning them to a Vital Essentials raw food diet. It didn't take much transitioning though because they absolutely loved the chicken and rabbit patties! They also snack on all of Vital Essential chicken and rabbit treats and go nuts over the chicken hearts. They have the silkiest, shiniest coats and have never had any serious health problems and I attribute it to their diets. Thank you Vital Essentials!

- Mariah

We recently lost our 15 year old Tortie shell persian to lung cancer and shortly after adopted 3 sibling rescue kittens from a high kill shelter through a rescue organization. they are a little over 5 months old. we decided to get them off of dry/wet food and on to vital essentials. in just a little over a day i can't believe the difference in their poop. before, i felt like scooping poop was a part time job not to mention the real bad stink. now, they poop so much less, smaller and barely any odor. they absolutely love all of the patties you make and we feel so good about what we are feeding them. thank you so much for a wonderful healthy product! pictured are ginger and storm (shadow is black).

- Jeffery

I got Forest as a little kitten. He was raised on raw. My dogs eat the VE raw beef chubs so he ate the dog food for a while. I did chicken for him. Now he enjoys the VE cat patties. He enjoys them. He has eaten a few other raw foods but I always seem to go back to VE. My dogs do well on your food and I know it's a brand I can trust.

- Nicole

I have been giving my dog Bentley VE products for months but my cat Bella was getting jealous of his tasty treats. I got Bella a few of her own and she loves them! The wild alaskan salmon & minnows are her favorites. VE is so raw and natural and it keeps Bella healthy and her coat shiny. We also share the meal toppers with her (they are made for both cats and dogs) she runs to her bowl the second the bag opens! Thanks VE for making such high quality products to keep my pets happy and healthy!

- Jennifer

The picture shows how much my cat Shelby loves the treat. Pictured: Freeze-Dried Vital Cat Rabbit Bites.

- Aza

I got my cat Maisie when she was about 9 years old, around 3 years ago. Last summer she started sneezing, and the sneezing never responded to any medication. Finally had to face the fact that this was probably serious, and took her to a specialist: Maisie had cancer, a nasal adenocarcinoma. She had lost weight and had no appetite, since she couldn't smell her food. The store where I buy my cats' food often gives away treats, and I picked up a sample of VE's freeze-dried minnows. Oh my goodness, Maisie went insane for them. She will eat them when nothing else tempts her. I've lost count of how many bags I've bought so far. She can have as many as she wants. Thank you for this apparently really tasty product!

- Batya

"Captain Cowboy has a sensitive stomach.  He eats whatever is in front of him, but then he'll show me he ate it by distributing it all over the house.  The Vital Essentials Duck and Rabbit blend not only has never yielded an upchuck response, but he eats it with such enthusiasm and vigor it's obvious he's loving every bite!  It is definitely our favorite food!"

- Emmy

"Vesper is a vibrantly healthy five-year old cat who has been raised on Vital Essentials raw since I adopted him at just under a year old.  He loves the beef and rabbit patties. He is kind enough to share the food with my dog, who loves them too!"

- Katherine

I recently got an adorable new kitten named Luna. I decided to feed her a raw diet because my friend feeds his cat the Vital Essentials brand and I have always been amazed at how healthy and happy his cat looks and how soft her coat is. I am happy to say that Luna is a huge fan of her new raw food diet. Her coat has gotten very soft and shiny and she has lots of energy.

- Sarah

"Leeloo was a stray kitten near garbage cans when she found me. We have a very strong bond and now her life is awesome with me. She loves all of VE products. She will usually get really excited and meows along when I am preparing her meals. Pure happiness."

- Shirley