Lisa shared Sommer's story with KetoPet in 2019, and we've kept her words as she wrote them. A few notes from KetoPet, added in 2026:
- Some statistics and explanations in the story come from what Lisa was reading at the time. KetoPet can't confirm them, and some are not supported, including the idea that a diet can "starve" cancer on its own.
- Lymphoma is one of the cancers that often responds to chemotherapy. Every family's choice is their own; please talk through all the options with your veterinarian or a veterinary oncologist.
- KetoPet no longer suggests home blood testing. Ask your veterinarian for a blood glucose reading before changing your dog's diet, and again at about two and four weeks.
- Please don't change your dog's diet during cancer treatment without your veterinarian.
- Lisa mentions Visionary Pet Foods. KetoPet and Visionary Pet Foods are under common ownership.
Through sadness, there is hope. Always.
My name is Lisa Olver. I am not a doctor, nor a scientist. I am a pet parent who embarked on a journey that changed my life forever. I am humbled and grateful for the people who were put in my path during this journey. They gave their time, their resources and advice but most of all, they truly loved Sommer and lived her milestones in beating Lymphoma with us. Fourteen months that we would have never had if it weren’t for stepping out of the box and trying something different. This is her story...
The signs were subtle. Our golden retriever, Sommer, started sleeping a lot. We didn’t think much of it as the vet would say at her checkups, “She’s 8 years old and is now considered a senior.” Until one day, the groomer told me she had a knot on her neck and that I should probably get it checked out. To the vet we went and were given antibiotics and told to come back in a week for a recheck. We did and this time, he got my attention when he suggested we test her for Lymphoma. What? Not the “C” word! She is only eight years old! The breeder assured us she would live at least twelve to fourteen years! Three days later, the labs came back. I remember where I was and as the words came over the phone, “Sommer has T-Cell Lymphoma,” I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Fighting back the ocean of tears that were welling up inside, I knew I needed to get more information. What can we do? How long if we don’t do anything? I was totally unprepared for the vets’ response. “She may have 30 days. I would have a party, take lots of pictures and let her eat whatever she wants.” I can remember those words like they were said yesterday. The vet further went on to say that we could begin chemotherapy immediately.
I was crushed. My family was crushed. After much discussion, we decided we were not going to put Sommer through chemo and the reasons were many. I decided to take her to Dr. Marjorie Lewter, a holistic veterinarian here in Blacksburg for hospice guidelines. What I walked out with were guidelines and a tiny sticky note that Dr. Lewter put in my hand and said, “You might want to check this out. It is just making its way into the holistic world and you might be interested.” Those three words, Dog Cancer Series were game changers.
I got home and went straight to the computer and typed in dogcancerseries.com. What followed made my jaw drop. Rodney Habib, a pet parent, and Dr. Karen Becker, a wellness veterinarian came together and produced a series on canine cancer. Rodney Habib’s journey started much like mine. His beloved dog, Sam got cancer. He, too, was told to enjoy the time he had left and it would be over soon. I attach a link that tells his story and how he began his search for information not realizing that it would lead him to produce a video series. It gave me hope and courage to step outside of my comfort zone and seek answers so that I, too, could save Sommer. I think this video short is important to include in my story as this series became the basis for our protocol.
The New World of Understanding Canine Cancer
There was so much information to digest but I knew that time was not on my side. I did take the quiz on what kind of lifestyle/environment Sommer had exposure to that would have put her at risk to develop cancer. We didn’t score so well.
And I went on to learn that:
- Life expectancy in dogs is going down. Not up.
- In 1973, one of every ten dogs got cancer. Today, one in every two dogs and cats will get cancer.
- Canine and feline cancer is now considered an EPIDEMIC.
- Puppies as young as 13 weeks are showing up with cancer!
What in the world is going on? Lifestyle and exposure. It is estimated that 10 percent of all dog cancers are genetic and 90 percent are caused by our dog’s lifestyle and exposure. What are we talking about?
- Pollution
- Water treated with chlorine creating chlorinated organic compounds
- Chemically treated fabrics
- Household chemicals
- Smoke
- Beautiful yards treated with chemicals and herbicides
- Overbreeding
- Over-vaccination
- Spaying and neutering too early
- Flea and Tick Prevention
- Many dog food treats tainted with chemicals. Watch how rawhide is made.
- Dog Food - high in carbohydrates and fillers
Dog Food: The 30 Billion Dollar a Year Industry
It is a sobering thought to think that all of these well-meaning things we do for our dogs combine to set them up for the perfect storm! CANCER!
Dog Food? I fed Sommer a dried kibble recommended by the breeder never questioning its nutritional value. In this journey, I learned that dogs really have no nutritional need for carbohydrates. So why is dog food so full of carbohydrates? In two words? CHEAP! CONVENIENT! Isn’t that a winning combination for pet food companies and pet parents? You bettcha! But, what about our dogs? How do they win? I remember all the times I dutifully went to buy kibble for Sommer, thinking she was getting everything she needed nutritionally.
Fact: Dog food can be made very cheaply with carbohydrate laden fillers. The average dried dog food (kibble) is 40-70 percent carbohydrates and companies are NOT required to list the amount of carbohydrates on the dog food label. That job is left to the pet parent like me to find out that answer. I fed Sommer dried kibble so in this case, you add 4 ingredients together to get total carbohydrates. Protein+Fat+Moisture+Ash and subtract from 100. Sommer’s food