PetCure hits 10,000 radiation patients as access to care expands

PetCure Oncology has reached 10,000 radiation therapy patients treated since opening in 2015, marking a notable scale milestone for one of the largest private-network providers of veterinary radiation oncology in the U.S. In its January 7 announcement, the company said the milestone reflects a decade-long effort to make stereotactic radiation more accessible outside major academic hospitals, with eight treatment centers now operating nationwide. (petcureoncology.com)

That framing lines up with the history of stereotactic radiation in veterinary medicine. A 2018 survey published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science described stereotactic radiotherapy as a newer technique that was being adopted across both academic and private settings, but without consensus on best practices. Respondents also called for more transparency around outcomes, side effects, and patient selection, highlighting the tension between rapid adoption and the need for stronger shared evidence. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

PetCure says its network now includes 12 board-certified oncologists and eight supervising veterinarians, and that it treats roughly 1,000 patients a year. According to the company, its stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiation therapy protocols often allow treatment in one to three sessions, which can reduce anesthetic events and shorten the overall treatment timeline for pet parents compared with more protracted conventional radiation courses. The company has also emphasized telehealth support for referring veterinarians and families, positioning remote consultation as part of its access model. (petcureoncology.com)

The broader backdrop is a specialty field that remains relatively small and training-intensive. ACVR notes that radiation oncology residency training typically requires three years of continuous specialty training, reflecting the expertise needed for case selection, planning, image guidance, and follow-up. PetCure’s own veterinary FAQ says that when the company was founded there were fewer than 70 traditional veterinary radiation therapy facilities in the U.S., a figure it uses to illustrate the access gap it set out to address. (acvr.org)

Industry signals suggest PetCure and parent network Thrive Pet Healthcare are still investing in expansion and technology. In November 2025, Thrive and Empyrean Medical Systems announced a partnership to bring the Sirius advanced radiation platform to a new PetCure site at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle, with an early 2026 opening planned. That announcement points to a next chapter that may be less about proving demand and more about upgrading delivery platforms and extending geographic reach. (empyreanmed.com)

There’s also a note of caution in the field’s own literature. The 2018 stereotactic radiation survey found concern among veterinary radiation professionals about overstated prognosis, insufficient client education on late effects, and use of SRT in less appropriate cases. More recently, 2024 reporting guidelines for veterinary radiation therapy were proposed to improve the completeness and consistency of published studies, a reminder that access gains are only part of the story; evidence quality and comparability still matter. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinarians, this milestone is meaningful if it translates into more predictable referral access, faster consultations, and clearer expectations for which cases benefit from radiation, especially stereotactic protocols. It may also help normalize discussions with pet parents who are weighing quality of life, anesthesia burden, travel, and cost. But high case volume alone doesn’t settle questions about comparative outcomes, ideal indications, or long-term toxicity. Practices referring these cases will still want strong communication, transparent protocol selection, and published data they can use in real-world decision-making. (petcureoncology.com)

What to watch: The next markers will be whether PetCure expands beyond its current eight centers, how quickly the Seattle launch comes online in 2026, and whether the company or the wider field publishes more standardized outcomes data that can sharpen referral criteria and strengthen confidence across general practice, specialty oncology, and radiation oncology teams. (petcureoncology.com)