The research behind KetoPet
The studies, journal articles and people our approach is built on. All free to read, and worth sharing with your veterinarian.
Before you read them: most of these studies were done in people or in mice, not dogs. They explain the science behind our approach. They are not proof that a diet will work for your dog.
If your dog is unwell, please read them alongside your veterinarian, not instead of them.
If your dog has cancer and you're looking for practical next steps rather than research papers, start with our guide.
Ketogenic Diet for Dogs with Cancer →KetoPet in the IVC Journal
A three-part series on the work at the KetoPet ranch, where dogs with cancer were cared for from 2014 to 2017.
The veterinarians we work with
Dr. Loren Nations, DVM
Veterinary oncologist
One of the most senior veterinary oncology consultants KetoPet has worked with. Dr. Nations served on the board of the Epigenix Foundation, which carried out the original KetoPet research.
Dr. Alice Villalobos, DVM
Founder of Pawspice
A leader in quality-of-life care for pets with cancer. Her quality-of-life scale is the basis of our Quality of Life Score.
Diet, glucose and cancer
- The Ketogenic Diet is an Effective Adjuvant to Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma
- Ketogenic Diets as an Adjuvant Cancer Therapy: History and Potential Mechanism
- The Warburg Effect in 2012
- Ketogenic Diets: From Cancer to Mitochondrial Diseases and Beyond
- Fuel Metabolism in Starvation
- The Effect of Carbohydrate Restriction on Prostate Cancer Tumor Growth in a Castrate Mouse Xenograft Model
- Acetoacetate Reduces Growth and ATP Concentration in Cancer Cell Lines Which Over-Express Uncoupling Protein 2
- Targeting Insulin Inhibition as a Metabolic Therapy in Advanced Cancer
- Causes and Consequences of Increased Glucose Metabolism of Cancers
- Anti-Tumor Effects of Ketogenic Diets in Mice: A Meta-Analysis
- Enhanced Immunity in a Mouse Model of Malignant Glioma is Mediated by Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet
- The Inhibition of Malignant Cell Growth by Ketone Bodies
- The Role of Metabolic Therapy in Treating Glioblastoma Multiforme
- Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on Tumor Metabolism and Nutritional Status in Pediatric Oncology Patients
- Growth of Human Gastric Cancer Cells in Nude Mice is Delayed by a Ketogenic Diet Supplemented with Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Medium-Chain Triglycerides
- Ketone Supplementation Decreases Tumor Cell Viability and Prolongs Survival of Mice with Metastatic Cancer
- Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on the Quality of Life in 16 Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Pilot Trial
- Treatment of Glioma Patients with Ketogenic Diets: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature
- Role of Glucose and Ketone Bodies in the Metabolic Control of Experimental Brain Cancer
- Is the Restricted Ketogenic Diet a Viable Alternative to the Standard of Care for Managing Malignant Brain Cancer?
- Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: Implications for Novel Therapeutics
- Metabolic Therapy: A New Paradigm for Managing Malignant Brain Cancer
- Understanding the Warburg Effect: The Metabolic Requirements of Cell Proliferation
- Ketone Bodies, Potential Therapeutic Uses
- On the Origin of Cancer Cells (Warburg, 1956)
- The Ketogenic Diet Alters the Hypoxic Response and Affects Expression of Proteins Associated with Angiogenesis, Invasive Potential and Vascular Permeability in a Mouse Glioma Model
- Metabolic Management of Glioblastoma Multiforme Using Standard Therapy Together with a Restricted Ketogenic Diet: Case Report
Hyperbaric oxygen and cancer
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Cancer: A Review
- The Ketogenic Diet and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Prolong Survival in Mice with Systemic Metastatic Cancer
- Non-Toxic Metabolic Management of Metastatic Cancer in VM Mice: Novel Combination of Ketogenic Diet, Ketone Supplementation, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Diet and epilepsy
- Anticonvulsant Mechanisms of the Ketogenic Diet
- Seizure Control by Ketogenic Diet-Associated Medium Chain Fatty Acids
- Dietary Therapies for Epilepsy
- Ketogenic Diets: New Advances for Metabolism-Based Therapies
- Adenosine, Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy: The Emerging Therapeutic Relationship Between Metabolism and Brain Activity
Diabetes, inflammation and metabolism
- Dietary Carbohydrate Restriction as the First Approach in Diabetes Management: Critical Review and Evidence Base
- Comparison of Low Fat and Low Carbohydrate Diets on Circulating Fatty Acid Composition and Markers of Inflammation
- Ketone Bodies as Signaling Metabolites
- Beta-hydroxybutyrate: Much More Than a Metabolite
- Multi-dimensional Roles of Ketone Bodies in Fuel Metabolism, Signaling, and Therapeutics
- Suppression of Oxidative Stress by Beta-Hydroxybutyrate, an Endogenous Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor
- The Therapeutic Implications of Ketone Bodies
- Low-carbohydrate Nutrition and Metabolism
- A Review of Low-carbohydrate Ketogenic Diets
- The Ketone Metabolite Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Blocks NLRP3 Inflammasome-mediated Inflammatory Disease
Podcasts and books
- Super Human Radio: canine cancer rates, and why there is hope
- Ketovangelist: keto for dogs
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Cancer as a Metabolic Disease, Thomas Seyfried
- Tripping over the Truth, Travis Christofferson
- The Ketogenic Bible, Jacob Wilson and Ryan Lowery
- Keto Clarity, Jimmy Moore and Eric Westman
- The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney
- Fight Cancer with a Ketogenic Diet, Ellen Davis
Start with something practical
If your dog has cancer, our guide Ketogenic Diet for Dogs with Cancer explains what the research means for your dog and how to start safely with your veterinarian.
Our free guide, What's Really in the Bowl, explains how to read a dog food label, why net carbs matter, and how to feed your dog well at home or from a bag.