University of Florida's Small Animal Hospital Offering Free Eye and Heart Checks for Service Animals
Mark your calendar for May 19.
On Friday, May 19, the University of Florida's Small Animal Hospital is offering free eye and heart screenings for licensed service animals. This is part of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists-Epicur Pharma National Service Animal Eye Exam event. That might be a mouthful to say, but the event itself will make these check-ups as easy as pie.
As the UF College of Veterinary Medicine explains, "only active working animals certified by or enrolled in a formal training program or organization qualify for the exam." So if you have a licensed service animal and live near Gainesville, Florida, this pop-up event could be perfect for you.
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Even though "Service animals typically include guide dogs, disability assistance dogs, detection dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, and formally trained and certified therapy dogs," other licensed service animals can also receive heart and eye screenings at this event. Other species such as monkeys, pigs, and miniature horses can also be service animals. Considering that this is at a small animal hospital, though, you might want to call ahead about anything larger than a dog!
Heart screenings will be performed by board-certified veterinary cardiologist Michael Aherne, D.V.M. On the eye care side, professors/veterinary ophthalmologists Caryn Plummer, D.V.M., and Ralph Hamor, D.V.M. will be handling the exams. Service animals deserve the best care possible, and that's exactly what they're going to get!
As Dr. Plummer explains, "Healthy eyes and vision are critical for a service animal to be able to perform to the best of its ability. Regular screening may help detect problems early that are potentially sight- or comfort-threatening, so intervention may be possible.”
There's nothing more important than an animal's health, so don't hesitate to attend this event if your furry friend could use a check-up.
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