CHESTERFIELD, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As we honor those who have served this Memorial Day, the board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists at Midwest Veterinary Referral Center (MVRC) in Chesterfield are paying tribute to another type of soldier. During the month of May, qualified service animals including guide, handicapped assistance, detection, military, search and rescue, and registered therapy animals, are receiving free screening eye exams.
As part of the 7th Annual ACVO®/StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam Event, MVRC joined veterinary specialty practices throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico that have donated their time and resources. The event is sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and Stokes Pharmacy, as well as many industry sponsors.
“Military working dogs like Hapy play a vital role in the safety and well-being of their handler and the community they protect, and we’re glad we can support their mission through our participation,” said Nathan Kice, DVM, DACVO, a MVRC Ophthalmologist [click here for photos].
Since the program’s launch in 2008, nearly 22,000 service animals have been examined. In addition to dogs, other service animals including horses and even a service donkey named Henry have received free sight-saving exams.
“Early detection and treatment are vital to these working animals,” said Stacee Daniel, ACVO Executive Director. “Our hope is that by screening their eyes early and annually, we will be able to help a large number of service animals better assist their human friends.”
For more information about early detection and/or care of ophthalmic conditions in animals, visit acvoeyeexam.org.
About the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists is an approved veterinary specialty organization of the American Board of Veterinary Specialties. Its mission is “To advance the quality of veterinary medicine through certification of veterinarians who demonstrate excellence as specialists in veterinary ophthalmology.” For more information, visit ACVO.org.
About Stokes Pharmacy
Stokes Pharmacy is a national, full-service compounding pharmacy specializing in the art and science of the custom formulation of prescription medicines for humans and animals. Leading the way in innovation, Stokes invites veterinarians to prescribe compounded medications securely, quickly, and accurately via iFill, a cloud-based prescription management system. For more information, visit stokespharmacy.com.
