OncoK9® – The Liquid Biopsy Test for Dogs™ mirrors that of leading multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests for humans.

OncoK9 is recommended as an annual screening test for dogs at higher risk of cancer due to age and/or breed; it is also recommended as an aid-in-diagnosis for dogs in which cancer is suspected based on clinical signs or other clinical findings.

OncoK9, the first and only "liquid biopsy" test for the detection of cancer-associated genomic alterations in veterinary patients, is currently recommended as an annual screening test for dogs at higher risk of cancer due to age and/or breed, and as an aid-in-diagnosis for dogs in which cancer is suspected based on clinical signs or other clinical findings.                                      Given the prevalence of cancer in these canine patient populations, the test's positive predictive value (PPV)–which describes the probability that a patient with a positive OncoK9 result does in fact have cancer–is estimated to be 76-80% in the screening use case and 94-97% in the aid-in-diagnosis use case.       

Benefits of OncoK9 Cancer Screening for Dogs

Since cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, it is important to test your furry friend, especially as they enter their senior years. Our veterinary clinic provides cancer screening through the use of PetDX: OncorK9. The benefits of screening for cancer include:

• Increased Chance of Curing or Slowing the Cancer: When cancer is diagnosed earlier, it is much easier to find an effective course of treatment for cancer. At the very least, it will help slow down the progression of the cancerous tumor.

• Prolonged Life of Your Dog: Your pet can receive treatment sooner. This means that it is likely to live much longer because the cancer won't have progressed as far and it can be slowed or cured. Therefore, your pet will live longer.

Cancer is by far the leading cause of death in dogs, with approximately 6 million new cases diagnosed each year in a population of approximately 90 million pet dogs in the United States. Currently there are no established cancer screening guidelines for dogs, and the majority of cases are diagnosed only when dogs start to show clinical signs, by which time the cancer is often advanced and the chances of achieving a cure or long-term control are low.



For more information on PetDX: OnocK9 please contact University Animal Hospital at 336-279-1003 or visit https://petdx.com/