VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital Hosts Free Eye Exams Event for Service Animals

 

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital (VCAHAH) in collaboration with Animal Eye Guys (AEG) of South Florida is proud to announce a one-day Free Eye Exams Event for Service Animals. This event, scheduled for Sunday, May 19, 2024, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, aims to provide valuable eye care services to qualified working dogs in South Florida.

As part of the ACVO National Service Dog Eye Exam program, VCAHAH and AEG will offer free eye exams to service animals, including BSO K9 Patrol Officers, Humane Society of Broward County Therapy Animals, Memorial Regional Hospital, Broward County Court House Canines, and more. These exams will be conducted by qualified veterinarians specializing in ophthalmology.

WHO/WHAT: 

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital and Animal Eye Guys of South Florida to host Free Eye Exams Event for Service Animals.

WHEN: 

Sunday, May 19, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

WHERE: 

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital
2864 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33020
954.920.3556

HOW:  Early registration is key to providing these exams.  

This event is part of the ACVO National Service Dog Eye Exam program, which has been providing free eye exams for service animals for 15 years. The program is conducted by 250 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists from across the United States and Canada, including Puerto Rico.

 To qualify, qualified service animals must register online April 1-30th at https://www.acvoeyeexam.org/. Once registered, call 754-732-1792 to schedule an appointment.  

Who is eligible? Any active working animal that has been certified by a formal training program or organization or are currently enrolled in a formal training program. The certifying organization could be national, regional, or local in nature.  

Examples of active working animals are guide dogs, handicapped assistance animals, detection dogs, therapy animals, emotional support animals, and search and rescue dogs. Pre-Registration is required 

 When are the exams? Exams are offered throughout the month of May and during this dedicated one-day event on May 21st at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital. 

Pre-Registration is required. 

 How to schedule an exam? Register online- April 1- 30th at www.ACVOeyeexam.org   

Then call 754-732-1792 to set an appointment.   

 "We are thrilled to be part of the ACVO National Service Dog Eye Exam program and to provide free eye exams to our local service animals," said Dr. James Herrington, Medical Director at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital. "This event not only ensures the health and well-being of these dedicated animals but also celebrates their invaluable contributions to our community."

Media representatives are encouraged to attend this event to capture stories and photos of our local service animal community.

About VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital: 

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital is a leading veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical, and dental care for pets. With a dedicated team of veterinarians and support staff, VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital is committed to promoting responsible pet ownership and providing exceptional veterinary care.

About Animal Eye Guys of South Florida: 

Animal Eye Guys of South Florida is a specialized veterinary ophthalmology practice dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions in animals. Led by experienced veterinary ophthalmologists, Animal Eye Guys of South Florida offers advanced eye care services for pes, including service animals.

What you need to know about your new puppy or kitten!!!

Do you have a new puppy or kitten? 

One of the first things you should do when you bring your new pet home is to introduce them to your local veterinarian. Puppy and kitten visits offer a unique opportunity to start you and your new pet off on the right paw! Even if you are a very experienced pet owner and have had puppies or kittens before, each pet is unique and offers an opportunity to learn something new. The more educated you are about your pet, the better you will be able to care for them. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Spaying and Neutering:

We recommend that all dogs and cats not intended for breeding be spayed/neutered, as these procedures can provide a number of medical and behavioral benefits for your pet. Pet neutering can prevent pet testicular cancer, marking, and aggression. Pet spaying can prevent uterine infections, heat cycles, and breast tumors. We can discuss the best age to spay/neuter your pet during their visit!

Puppy & Kitten Vaccinations

Young pets typically require a series of vaccinations within their first year to equip the immune system with antibodies. VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital can develop a vaccination schedule for your pet after the initial wellness exam.

Parasite Testing & Prevention

Many puppies and kittens are born with intestinal worms (contracted by their mothers), which can cause a number of health problems if not treated. This is why deworming should be included with your pet’s first visit as well. To protect your pet from parasites (heartworms, fleas, ticks, etc.) in the future, we also recommend that you keep them on a year-round preventive.

We understand that having a pet can get expensive at times. Luckily there is pet insurance! We have witnessed first hand how Trupanion has helped clients from something as minor as an ear infection to something as major as a foreign body surgery!  Click here to find out more information.

Have more questions? Visit our website and schedule an appointment today!!!! 

5th Annual Free Eye Exam for Service Animals Event!!!!

  Love in action is service!

This May, VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital and Animal Eye Guys, will host their 5th Annual Free Eye Exam for Service Animals Event.  Sunday May 7th from 10-4pm will be dedicated exclusively to eye exams for qualified service animals.

Prompted by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist National Eye Exams for Service animals, Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist, Dr. Robert Swinger will be checking for problems including redness, squinting, cloudy corneas, retinal disease, early cataracts and other serious abnormalities. 

“A lot of little things can be missed without all of the proper equipment. Early detection of problems and treatment is vital to the success of these working animals,"

Dr. Robert Swinger l Animal Eye Guys 

To qualify, animals must be active working animals such as guide dogs, handicapped assistance animals, detection dogs, therapy animals and search and rescue animals that have been certified by a formal training program or organization or are currently enrolled in a formal training program. The certifying organization could be national, regional or local in nature. Once registered online, the owner/agent will receive a registration number. Simply call (954) 826-8871 to schedule an appointment.

 

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2017 EVENT:

To qualify for a free exam, animals must be

Owners/agents for the animal(s) must first register the animal via an online registration form beginning April 1^st at www.ACVOeyeexam.org.  Registration ends April 30th. Once registered online, the owner/agent will receive a registration number. They can then simply call (954) 826-8871 to schedule an appointment for the month of May. 

Appointments can be made throughout the month of May through Animal Eye Guys.

 “Our practice has been serving the South Florida for nearly 70 years. We have a commitment to our pets and are honored to provide exams for animals that so selflessly provide support to their people and community. We could not be happier to partner with Dr. Swinger and Animal Eye Guys once again to provide this service.” 

Dr. James Herrington l VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital l Medical Director

February is National Pet Dental Health Month!

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital is offering 20% off a dental cleaning & FREE dental products! Schedule your pet's next wellness exam before March 31st! 

Here are some reasons why dental care is so important for your pet: 

1. A pet with healthy teeth equals a pet with better breath!

2. Dental disease can actually lead to problems with your pet’s organs, such as the heart.

3. Retained baby teeth can cause problems in pets too! Did you know that full grown dogs have 42 teeth and full grown cats have 30 teeth? Before their adult teeth grow in, though, their baby teeth have to fall out. Sometimes, not all of the baby teeth want to come out. This can lead to problems like gum irritation and tartar buildup.

4. Caring for your pet’s teeth can prevent other health problems, saving you tons of money over the long term!

5. You need regular dental care and you brush your teeth everyday – why wouldn’t your pets? Your veterinarian and these handy videos can help you learn to brush your dog's teeth and your cat's teeth.

6. Did you know that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 years have some sort of periodontal disease? It can be caused by the buildup of plaque, so it’s important to go in for regular dental checkups and cleanings. 

7. Pets that don’t get dental care can painfully lose their teeth – this can be terribly painful and cause serious health problems.

8. Your dog and cat are very good at hiding pain – you might never know that your pet has a serious dental problem until it’s very advanced. This is yet another reason it’s important to take your pet in for regular dental checkups.

9. Teeth wear out! Your pets are tough on their teeth. 

10. Periodontal disease affects up to 80% of all adult pets. It is 2.4 times more expensive to treat dental disease than to prevent it. 

Call us at 954-920-3556 and ask us how you can SAVE on incredible dental care and products. 

SOURCE: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-checkups-preventive-care/10-reasons-why-you-should-take-care-your-pets-teeth 

June Patient of the Month- Max!!!

***images attached to the end of this blog may be too graphic for some***another warning is present on the scroll prior to images***

Max, a one year old French Bulldog was discovered by Jamie’s Rescue at Miami Dade Animal Shelter after being abandoned. A regular client of Dr. Shapiro, Jamie brought Max to the clinic for a full evaluation. As his photos indicate, Little Max was a bit worse for wear when he came to our door.  In addition to other ‘expected’ challenges that we anticipate with abandoned animals, little Max had many other things going on. After his exam (and a some extra love from Dr. Shapiro’s technician, Dalila) Max was diagnosed with demodex (mange), a deep ulcer in his Left eye and viral papillomas. 

Demodex is a collection of tiny parasitic mites that live in or near the hair follicles of mammals. It is a common infestation for dogs and diagnosed by analyzing a small skin sample under a microscope. A dip, which includes a highly concentrated insecticide, is most often used to treat demodex however in some cases drugs like Ivermectins can be used. In each case, supervision by a veterinarian is highly recommended because of the potential for side effects.

For Max’s demodex, Dr. Shapiro prescribed oral medication which, while treatment would span several weeks, started the healing process immediately. However the ulcer in Max’s right eye would prove to be more challenging. The viral papillomas growing on his face were too close to his eyes and were obstructing the ulcer and causing additional irritation. With no room for medication to access the area, no healing was possible.   Max was in need of some intensive care.  But, before that could begin, the papillomas had to be addressed. 

One treatment for papillomas, is to remove the growths and begin antibiotic treatment; such as azithromycin which has been shown to hasten resolution of papillomas. Since the ulcer in Max’s eye was covered by the papillomas removing them was the necessary next step. Additionally, Max was an intact male so a routine neuter was on the list. Since the demodex was localized primarily to his head and upper body surgery was possible sooner rather than later. 

Dr. Shapiro and Jamie decided to hospitalize Max to begin treatment. After a day of medical treatment, surgery was scheduled. Dr. Shapiro performed a simple neuter and then went to the task of removing all of the papilloma masses from his eye, his mouth and his face. His recovery from surgery was smooth and for the next 2 weeks Max was our guest, undergoing intensive isolated care which included hourly medications for his eye, intense antibiotic therapy and pain medications. 

 After 14 days of treatment by our dedicated day and night crew, Max looked like a new dog. While his spirit stayed high throughout his stay his skin and eyes were now on the mend. His outside were now more reflective of his puppy like attitude.

 Today, Max is nearly fully healed. He has continued treatment for the demodex and continues to stay away from other dogs while the papillomas resolve but he is by all other accounts: back to normal and looking for his fur-ever home.

It is always a pleasure to be able to see the recovery of a pet that just needs some TLC. Time, love and compassion paired with great medical know how works wonders. We are so pleased with his progress and so happy to highlight him as our June Patient of the Month!

 

**images below are of Max before treatment of the Viral Papillomas***They may be too graphic for some****

Papillomas covering the ulcer in his eye.

Demodex is visible around his eye as well.

Hollywood Animal Hospital Hosted Career Day Today!

Our very own Dr. Irma, Vet Tech- Linda Ream, and Roscoe (our unofficial mascot and personal pet of Dr. Patterson), visited Hollywood Hills Elementary School today! Dr. Irma, spoke with five 2nd grade classes about why she chose to become a Veterinarian, what it's like, and how they too, could become Veterinarians. She also brought stethoscopes for the children to listen to Roscoe's heart and lungs, and left some for the teachers to hand out later! The children loved every second of it! 

Here are some photos of today's event! 

We would like to give a HUGE "Thank you!" to 2nd Grade Teacher, Leslie Binder who organized this awesome event! We had a great time, THANK YOU!