We recently received an email from a pet owner, subject line “We need your help.” The message shared was one family’s grief and pain, but at the same time hope to be able to save other pets.
The message they shared:
My name is Frank Dittman, and in just 15 months my family endured the unthinkable — losing three of our beloved dogs to cancer. Each one was far too young, each one deeply loved, and each loss left us searching for answers.
Lola
Lola was our 9-year-old Rottweiler, the queen of the house and big sister to Chester and Sophie. She was strong, healthy, and happy. One Sunday, after what we thought was just a lingering cough, we rushed her to the emergency vet. She trotted into the hospital, tail wagging, excited from her car ride — but within minutes she collapsed. The doctors found a large splenic mass and internal bleeding. My daughters rushed to say goodbye, and in just 15 minutes, our sweet Lola girl was gone.
Jet
Three months later, we lost Jet. He was a shepherd, chow, and pit mix from Tennessee, a rescue with a rough start who overcame abuse to become the boss of our home. At 11 years old, what looked like a simple eye infection turned out to be a tumor behind his eye. The cancer was aggressive, and we had to make the heart-wrenching decision to put him to sleep. Losing Jet so soon after Lola felt like a cruel twist of fate.
Chester
Chester was our dachshund–hound–shar pei mix, our “fiesty nugget.” He was full of personality — sprinting to greet us at the door with a toy, sleeping pressed against us at night, always the clown and always his mama’s boy.
At just 7 years old, Chester wasn’t himself one morning. The ER vet found a splenic mass — the same thing that took Lola. We chose surgery, hoping for the best, but pathology confirmed cancer. His prognosis was grim. Desperate, we turned to a holistic oncologist, who changed everything: Chester came off kibble and was transitioned to a cooked diet of grass-fed beef, vegetables, and targeted supplements. To everyone’s surprise, his bloodwork came back clean — no signs of cancer. For a while, it felt like we had beaten it.
But then one Sunday, Chester again seemed off. An ultrasound revealed internal bleeding and a new mass on his liver. We couldn’t put him through another major surgery, only for cancer to return again. Holding him close, with his sister Sophie by his side, we said goodbye. Sophie leaned down, sniffed him, and gently licked his eyebrows as she always did. It was beautiful — and gut-wrenching.
The Bigger Picture
Three dogs. Three cancers. Three heartbreaks.
I’ve since learned that these splenic and liver cancers are tragically common. And I can’t ignore what I’ve discovered about the food we trusted to keep them healthy. For years, like millions of other families, we fed kibble marketed as “complete and balanced.” Only later did I learn that many of these products contain chemical preservatives, glyphosate residues from pesticide-treated grains, and molds that produce aflatoxins — all of which have been linked to cancer in animals.
Chester’s brief remission after coming off kibble made me realize what a difference food truly makes. It’s not just nutrition — it can be the line between health and disease.
I don’t want other families to endure what we have. Our pets can’t speak for themselves. Someone needs to fight for them.
— Frank Dittman
Frank’s story – unfortunately – will be familiar to so many pet owners. So many of us have walked in his shoes, including myself.
The pet food they trusted…trust betrayed, in the worst way possible.
There is a reason why so many pet owners have trust in pet food:
The FDA and State authorities directly allow pet food manufacturers to deceive consumers.
It is a lot easier to build consumer trust when you are allowed to lie on your product labels and in your marketing. Knowing no regulatory authority will stop you when you use illegal ingredients is huge motivation to keep committing the crime.
Reminder:
This is a direct quote from FDA CVM; “We do not believe that the use of diseased animals or animals that died otherwise than by slaughter to make animal food poses a safety concern and we intend to continue to exercise enforcement discretion.”
Personal story: Several years ago I had a conversation with FDA. I asked the FDA about allowing pet food manufacturers to deceive pet owners, allowing the use illegal ingredients – known as ‘enforcement discretion.’ I shared that my perspective on this is the FDA is allowing pet food to – as an example – rob the bank. I shared that it’s similar to some being allowed to steal millions of dollars without risk of penalty or punishment while others (such as in human food) are penalized for robbing the bank.
The FDA representative responded: “We compare it to speeding.”
My response: Well, speeding is still illegal – and speeding can kill innocent victims.
Which is exactly what happens in pet food. Time and time again. Family after family.
My thanks go out to Frank and his family for sharing their story. They hope to save other pet owners from going through the same heartache they went through. I hope so too.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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