Last Updated on: 11th November 2013, 10:42 am
Some people probably think I’m crazy for doing this, but what the heck?
The ACVO or American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists is conducting a week’s worth of free eye exams for service dogs from May 4 to May 8. I’m sad to say it looks like owner-trained service dogs are excluded…unless they have some kind of therapy dog certification. Here are the qualifications a dog needs to be eligible.
Because their website needs some serious work, I’m posting the registration page as well as the searchable database of vets doing the exams. there aren’t too many Canadian ones, but there are a few, including one in Guelph! I figure since Trixie is a guide dog, and eyes are kinda important to the job, why not get a baseline of how her eyes are doing so we have something to go by when she gets older? I have registered, and tomorrow I’m going to call the clinic and set up the appointment. Heck, it’s free, and they have a goal of examining 5000 service dogs this year, so why not? One thing is the poor booboo dog can’t guide for 3-5 hours after the exam. Guess who’s comin’ home in a cab?
So there’s some info. I heard about this a while ago, but never looked into it until a fellow handler in Guelph said that she was getting it done. Good on the ACVO for doing this. I think it’s awesome.
