Petco launches early detection canine cancer test

Petco’s hospitals will soon offer OncoK9, an early cancer detection test for dogs.

The liquid biopsy test, developed in partnership with PetDx, will be available at Petco’s full-service veterinary hospitals and in select locations beginning May 26.

According to the announcement, OncoK9 enables veterinarians to detect a variety of cancer types with a simple blood draw. It’s recommended as an annual screening test for dogs at a higher risk of cancer based on age or breed, and as an aid in diagnosis for dogs suspected of having cancer based on clinical signs.

After the initial launch this month, Petco plans to roll out the test to its network of veterinary hospitals across the United States throughout 2021 and beyond.

“Cancer is by far the leading cause of death in dogs, and we know from human medicine that early detection saves lives,” said Dr. Daniel Grosu, PetDx founder and CEO. “OncoK9 is the world’s first clinically validated, next-generation sequencing-based noninvasive test for canine cancer detection.”