Raw Essentials

Raw Essentials has definitely become quite popular with a lot of pet owners however as a vet nurse I have also seen a few downfalls of this diet (that is if the pets are on a complete diet using raw essentials). We must be careful with this as domestic animals (dogs and cats) have evolved in such a way where their bodies & digestive systems require certain nutrients that can either be found in several foods or, as we know it today — in cat/​dog food (store/​vet bought products). Cats are in fact carnivores (meat eating) and dogs are omnivores (plant & meat) therefore cats actually need a lot more protein than dogs. Also, cats need a supplement of taurine in their diets as they cannot produce it, which can only be found in red meat and poultry — However large amounts of these foods is needed to meet the requirements.
Also, it must be noted that there has not been enough scientific testing to say that a raw diet is better than commercial foods. I have dealt with cases where chicken frames/​necks/​bones have had to be surgically removed from dogs and cats have been diagnosed with blindness, heart problems and impaired reproductive and fetal development based on being on raw diets alone.
I definitely advise doing your own research before adopting the raw diet for your fur babies. Otherwise, as treats, they are great!

We only recently discovered Raw Essentials but it’s A W E S O M E! We were looking for some where easily accessible to get Luca’s chicken necks (he’s obsessed) and stumbled across these guys. They easily have the largest range of raw meat and bones for pets that i’ve come across plus they really knowledgable about what you should be feeding your dog in order to make sure it’s still getting a balanced diet if you decided to go down the «raw» route.
I highly recommend you checking them out. They’ve now got 7 stores across Auckland!

I started my two dogs on Raw Essentials tonight. I’ve never seen them so excited — one of them was literally jumping in the air … All four feet off the ground
I’d like to thank the very knowledgable staff at Raw Essentials Howick for taking lots of time to talk me through everything and being so helpful and supportive. I think this is gonna be a great relationship!

It doesn’t get much better that this in regard to the needs of your high maintenance pets. Not saying that my dog fits that category, for now lets just pretend he’s a little spoiled.
Following the recommendation of another dachshund owner I came here to first see what they offered, more importantly their price range. Titus and I walked in to a teeny little space filled with ice cream freezers in all corners. Each freezer is filled with either bone, or ground meats such as lamb, turkey, duck and tripe. Have a cat that enjoys fish? Look no further than the ice cream freezer filled with whole mackerel and salmon. Yum! I had salmon for dinner last night too.
Do not hesitate to ask questions about their food. Koodo’s to Alicia for being fully equipped with knowledge on mixing foods, keeping away from bad treats and the overall health of your dog while following a raw diet.
In need of a vet? Well guess what, they have one on site every other day who is fully capable of addressing all the basic needs for your pet i.e. vaccinations, treatments and the like.
I spent $ 35.00 and walked away with what appears to be a months supply of food! Fairly certain we have found our local pet food store.