In an exciting initiative spearheaded by MedVet Cincinnati, in conjunction with the annual ACVO^®/EPICUR Service Animal Volunteer Eye Screening, hundreds of service and working animals will be receiving complimentary eye exams throughout the month of May. In addition, on Sunday, May 18, the MedVet Hospital provided total health checks to service dogs completely free of charge.

Maintaining Good Ocular Health and Vision Is Vital

Particularly if you are the eyes and ears of your human, which is why members of the  American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists^® (ACVO^®) choose to donate their time each year to this wonderful cause. Thanks to them, more than 86,000 eye exams have been performed.

For over a decade, board-certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist Vanessa J. Kuonen Cavens, DVM, MS, Diplomate, ACVO, has participated in the Animal Eye Exam Event at MedVet Cincinnati. Her dedication and commitment to this event have improved health and averted potential diseases for thousands of service animals in Cincinnati and surrounding areas.

Not only does dog eye health have a significant impact on their overall health and wellbeing, but it also allows them to fulfil the invaluable role they play in the community. After all, we can’t have a seeing-eye dog that cannot see!

Providing Even More Support For Service Animals

This year, thanks to MedVet, service dogs also had access to a free health exam performed on May 18th by experts in the fields of cardiology, dentistry, and orthopedics. MedVet is the largest independent veterinarian-founded, owned, and led network of specialty and emergency hospitals dedicated to providing exceptional care and support to pets and their families, the MedVet team, and referring veterinarians. They provide over 500,000 patient visits every year across the United States. You can learn more by visiting medvet.com.

To qualify for the free ACVO^®/EPICUR Service Animal Volunteer Eye Screening, service animals must be “active working animals” that have been certified through a formal training program or organization, or currently enrolled in a formal training program, with proof of certification. Active working animals include guide, hearing assistance, drug detection, police/military, search and rescue, therapy, and disability assistance animals. More details are available at www.ACVOeyeexam.org.

Philanthropy At Its Finest

The funding, organization, staffing, and time that goes into an event like this are enormous, relying on the generosity of members and supporters donating time and money to provide this invaluable service. So often, the work, training, and expertise that go on behind the scenes to provide service animals to those in need are overlooked and undervalued. This remarkable event deserves to receive our support and admiration and is an inspiration to the world veterinary community.

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