While dogs don’t wear glasses, they do need to have their eyes checked regularly, especially if they are a registered service or therapy animal. May is National Service Dog Eye Examination Month, and many board-certified diplomats of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, like me, will offer free screenings for these hard-working and caring creatures throughout the month.
In addition to dogs, other service and working animals ranging from cats and horses, to miniature horses, ponies, donkeys, alpacas and chickens can receive these free sight-saving exams. They just need to be a registered service animal!
We know how important it is for these animals to have healthy eyes. Our staff is happy to provide free exams for qualified service animals not only in May, but every month of the year. It helps us detect signs of ocular disease early, allowing these animals to keep up their important work without missing a beat.
In addition to screening service animals in our examination room, we enjoy taking our practice on the road to see and perform eye exams on animals where they work. Each spring, we visit the City of Virginia Beach K-9 Police and Sheriff working dogs on site at the Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Agency, as well as the Virginia Beach Sheriff Department’s mounted patrol horses at their stable grounds near Pungo. We also enjoy examining and providing ocular care for the horses of Untamed Spirit, a Virginia Beach-based non-profit organization that provides equine-assisted activities for individuals who have mental, physical, emotional, and social or learning disabilities.
To qualify for the exam, service animals must be active working animals that are certified by a formal training program or organization, or are currently enrolled in a formal training program. If you have a service animal and would like to schedule a free screening, call us today at 757-749-4838. And not just in May, but at any time throughout the year.
