MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets is providing complimentary eye exams the entire month of May to service dogs during the 10th Annual ACVO®/StokesRx™ National Service Dog Eye Exam Event. Four of MedVet’s medical centers are providing these screenings – Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, Ohio plus Lexington, Kentucky. These screenings are by appointment only. Over 52,000 service animals throughout the U.S. and Canada have been examined since the program launched. There were approximately 7,400 dogs examined in 2016 and almost 60% of those were service animals, with the remainder being therapy animals. More than 150 of those service dogs are examined at MedVet each year.
MedVet’s three board-certified ophthalmologists provide free eye exams the entire month of May to service dogs who dedicate their lives to serving the public. This includes search and rescue dogs, detection dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, therapy dogs, police dogs, and handicapped assistance dogs. “It’s an honor to give back to dogs that help people every day,” says Dr. Terah Webb, the Ophthalmologist at MedVet Columbus. “Whether it’s a search and rescue dog helping a community or a disabled person’s life-line for independence, I love to interact with these dogs. It’s rewarding to detect a potential problem early that may limit their service or their comfort if left untreated.”
In addition to weekday exams the entire month of May, MedVet Columbus & Cincinnati will also be holding a special screening event to facilitate multiple specialty exams to service dogs. The events will be held on Sunday, May 7th at MedVet Columbus and on Sunday, May 21st at MedVet Cincinnati. On this day, service dogs will receive more than just an eye exam from the ophthalmology department. Their appointment will include being examined by doctors from MedVet’s other specialty departments and will include a general physical exam. These screenings are by appointment only.
How to Register:
Online registration for these exams is open April 1-30. To qualify, dogs must be “active working dogs” that were certified by a formal training program or organization or currently enrolled in a formal training program. The certifying organization could be national, regional, or local in nature. Before calling MedVet to schedule an appointment, first go online to register at www.ACVOeyeexam.org. Specific service groups are also listed on the website.
Once registered, please call MedVet’s ophthalmology department to schedule your appointment – Columbus, OH (614) 846-5800, Cincinnati, OH (513) 561-0069, Dayton, OH (937) 293-2714, or Lexington, KY (859) 276-2505. Complimentary eye screenings are held the entire month of May at these four MedVet locations. MedVet is joining more than 270 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists across the U.S and Canada to provide free sight saving eye exams to improve the health and avert potential diseases for thousands of service animals.
About MedVet:
MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets, with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, is a widely recognized and growing group of emergency and specialty referral veterinary hospitals for companion animals. MedVet, whose mission is leading specialty healthcare for pets, is employee owned and veterinary led. MedVet provides specialty referral services for in-depth patient care, as well as emergency services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. More than 100,000 dogs and cats are treated annually at MedVet’s expanding network of medical centers across the country. MedVet hospitals were named the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Accredited Referral Practice of the Year in 2014 and 2016, the only group of practices to receive this award twice. For more information on MedVet’s network of medical centers, visit archive.medvet.com.
Media Inquiries:
For local information and contact for interviews:
MedVet Columbus: Tami Adcock, (614) 431-4400, tami.adcock@medvetforpets.com
MedVet Cincinnati: Joe DeFulio, (513) 561-5600, joe.defulio@medvetforpets.com
MedVet Dayton: Heidi Hill, (937) 293-2714, heidi.hill@medvetforpets.com
MedVet Lexington: Skye Bricarello, (859) 276-2505, skye.bricarello@medvetforpets.com
