Ronin's Story - I'm Still Standing
Sep 06, 2026
Most of the emails we get at Visionary are practical. Feeding amounts, transition questions, whether a particular dog can eat a particular thing. Occasionally somebody writes to tell us how their dog is doing, and once in a while one of those stories stops us in our tracks.
Ronin was diagnosed with bone cancer in his hock. For many dogs with that diagnosis, the leg is the first thing to go. They stop bearing weight on it, and that is often the sign that tells owners where things are heading.
Six months in, Ronin is still standing on it.
His owner, Angie, wrote to us twice. We asked if we could publish what she said, and she agreed. Her words are below exactly as she sent them, because we would rather you hear this from her than from us.
In Angie's words
Hey, thank you. I wanted to get ahead of it this time since there were issues last time. I have half a bag, but I have the keto recipe from the keto ebook that I can use till it gets here.
Also, wanted to give you an update on Ronin, the dog we started using this for when we found out he had bone cancer. We did 5 rounds of chemo, changed to the keto food, and have him on the herbal supplements that the oncologist from Memphis gave us. He is doing great. The spot in his hock is still there, but it's not growing. They said it's stable, and his bone has actually gotten stronger, so we took 2 months off chemo to let his body rest and will start back in September. My vet is surprised at how well he is doing and is even recommending this treatment plan to some of his patients. I have told him about you too. Thank you for having this food and for all your help. I truly believe that even though he wasn't on kibble before, the diet I had him on and now have him on is playing a huge part in giving us more time with him!!
Angie wrote again a few days later, after his most recent scans.
My vet even said he is going to share what we've been doing with others. Here's a good pic of him too. My vet said he didn't think he would still be here now, and most dogs that have this type of bone cancer usually don't put any weight at all on their leg. We did X-rays on Thursday, and there is some slight growth, but nothing as they all thought. We are 6 months in, and he is doing amazing.
What this does and doesn't tell you
We want to be careful here, because this is exactly the kind of story that gets oversold.
Ronin has had five rounds of chemotherapy. He is on a protocol from a veterinary oncologist. He also changed diet. All three of those things are happening at once, and there is no way to pull them apart and say which one is responsible for where he is now. Angie believes the diet is a meaningful part of it. She may well be right. But she is describing one dog, and one dog is a story, not evidence.
What we can say with more confidence is narrower and less dramatic. Dogs going through chemotherapy often lose appetite, lose weight, and lose condition, and a dog that keeps eating and holds muscle through treatment is in a better position than one that doesn't. Nutrition is the part of this picture we can actually help with. It is not a cancer treatment, and we will not describe it as one.
If you want the underlying research rather than a customer's account, we have published it: the peer-reviewed science behind Visionary sets out the blood glucose and ketone data from KetoPet Sanctuary, where ketogenic diets were fed and monitored in hundreds of dogs. Sierra's story is another owner's account, from a dog with osteosarcoma.
If you are reading this because of a diagnosis
Then you are probably in the first few days, looking for something you can do.
Start with your vet and your oncologist. Any dietary change during cancer treatment should be something they know about and agree with, and that is doubly true if your dog has pancreatitis, kidney or liver disease, or is on medication that food can affect.
Beyond that, you don't have to work it out alone. The KetoPet Facebook group has around 47,000 members covering every cancer type, and most of them have been where you are right now. It costs nothing, and it is the single most useful thing we can point you toward.
KetoPet also publishes a free ketogenic feeding plan, and if you would rather ask a person, email us at info@visionarypet.com. We answer these ourselves.
If you are considering a ketogenic diet for your dog, our ketogenic dog food range is formulated to be under 1g net carbs per serving, and every bag sold funds KetoPet's research.
Not sure Visionary's right for your dog? Start with a bundle and take 17% off your first order. If your dog turns up their nose, you get a full refund. No risk.
And in the words of Elton John: "Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid. I'm still standing after all this time."
Thank you, Angie. Give Ronin a hug and a scratch from all of us.
A note on this story
Angie's account is published with her permission and reproduced without editing. It describes one dog's experience and is not a claim about what a ketogenic diet will do for any other animal. Ronin's care has been directed throughout by his veterinarian and a veterinary oncologist, and has included chemotherapy.
Visionary Pet Foods produces food. We do not treat, diagnose, or prevent disease, and we do not recommend supplements. This article is educational and is not veterinary advice. Always consult a licensed veterinarian before changing the diet of a dog undergoing treatment for any condition.
