Five-Year Partnership Between Petco Love and UW School of Veterinary Medicine Helps Advance Lifesaving Care for Pets With Cancer
Marking the milestone of five years of partnership, the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) is honored to once again be one of the top veterinary oncology programs in the U.S. to receive funds from Petco Love. Petco Love grants subsidize the cost of cancer treatments for dogs and cats, supporting pet parents who otherwise have trouble affording the cost of treating pets diagnosed with cancer. As of spring of 2025, Petco Love’s total support of the SVM reached $400,000, and 95 families who sought care have received support that helped extend or improve the life of a beloved pet with cancer.
“Having a pet receive a cancer diagnosis is extremely difficult on its own, all cost considerations aside,” says Dr. Christen Montesanto, an oncology resident at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC), the SVM’s teaching hospital. “The relief we see when our clients learn that there is an option for financial support thanks to Petco Love is a wonderful gift to be able to share.”
In April of 2024, Wendy Sperloen of Stoughton, Wis., noticed a bump on the shoulder of her 8-year-old hound, Blu, who is part Greyhound and part Pointer. She wasn’t too concerned because Blu was still running and jumping and being his usual active self. Still, she decided to have the bumped checked out. Sperloen was sadly surprised when a local veterinarian diagnosed Blu with Osteosarcoma and referred the family to UWVC.
Because of the aggressive nature of Blu’s case, he was scheduled for surgery and had his paw amputated to remove the cancer. “It’s possible we could have done [the surgery] without the grant, but it would have been financially very difficult,” Sperloen says. “We run a small mechanical shop in a rural area, and business is really unpredictable. The Petco Love funding was a big relief so we could focus on Blu and his recovery.”
Sperloen reported that very quickly after surgery Blu seemed to be free of pain and back to most of his usual activities. “He can still do all his favorites things and doesn’t seem to know or care he’s a ‘tri-pawd.’ He may give you a dirty look if you offer to shake hands, but he’ll stand up on his hind legs to ‘hug’ you.”
Additional testing revealed several concerning symptoms and a diagnosis of large cell gastrointestinal lymphoma. Thanks to the availability of funds from Petco Love, Starr – after much concern and deliberation – was able to initiate more aggressive chemotherapy option available for lymphoma in cats, the UW-Madison CHOP-25 protocol. As of spring 2025, Fergus has received two full cycles of treatment. He is responding well and has a good prognosis.
“Fergus has tolerated chemotherapy extremely well and has been gaining weight steadily throughout his protocol, eating well, and being playful at home,” says Montesanto. “Living on a single income made it challenging for his owner to afford, so it was a significant relief for her to have Petco Love funds available to ensure Fergus got the best care possible.”
The National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research estimates six million dogs and nearly the same number of cats are impacted by cancer each year. At UWVC, Petco Love funds are distributed each year to qualifying clients who apply on a first-come, first-served basis of up to $4,000 per client.
