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VCA Colonial Animal Hospital
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VCA Colonial Animal Hospital
607-257-3650
Breeding Ophthalmic Examination (OFA and CERF)
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) are two organizations that breeders can register their dogs’ annual ophthalmic breeding exams. Owners and breeders can have a breeding eye exam perform by a boarded veterinary ophthalmologist (DACVO). These examination findings can then be presented to the one of these organizations and in turn a registration number will be issue for that dog. This number can then be used to show potential buyers, breeders and researchers that this dog was free of heritable ocular disease. This certification is good for one year and the information from these exams is compiled to give ophthalmologists, researchers and breed clubs statistical data on the prevalence of specific ocular disease in a breed. The purpose of the breeding eye exam is to help breeders limit the number of dogs bred with heritable ocular conditions. The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists currently supports the OFA for breeding eye exams. For additional information about OFA, please visit www.offa.org. For further information about CERF, please see www.vmdb.org. An OFA or CERF examination can be arranged for your pet through our hospital.
PennHIP Evaluations
PennHIP represents the non-profit veterinary health service University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program that developed a multifaceted radiographic methodology to more accurately measure and assess canine hip quality and joint laxity and the existence or likelihood of developing osteoarthritis (OA) also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD), the hallmark of hip dysplasia (HD).
The PennHIP method consists of three separate radiographic images: the distraction view, the compression view and the hip-extended view. The distraction view measures hip joint laxity; the compression view obtains hip joint congruity readings; while the hip-extended view provides OA readings.
Radiographs made by certified PennHIP members, such as our own veterinarians, are sent to the PennHIP Analysis Center for evaluation. The information is also stored in a medical database for scientific analysis. The scientific findings are shared with veterinarians, breed clubs and in publications, such as scientific journals and pet-related publications.
Dr. Cortright graduated from The Ohio State University. After a rotating internship at Purdue University, she completed her Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency at Cornell University Hospital for Animals.
Dr. Cortright’s professional interests include endocrinology, liver disease and renal disease. Her resident project at Cornell involved Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Scottish Terriers. Dr. Cortright is a board certified member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Dr. Cortright lives with her husband, step-daughter Lauren and son William in Ithaca. They share their home with a Labrador named Indiana, a cat named Tom Hanks and the world’s greatest Boston Terrier, Cosmo. Her hobbies include volunteering with Cosmo, singing, swimming, and hiking.
Why Internal Medicine?
If your veterinarian has already diagnosed your pet you may be referred to an Internist to confirm their diagnosis and ensure proper a treatment protocol is established. It is also common to be referred to an Internist if your pet has been diagnosed with a condition which your veterinarian has limited or no experience in treating. If your veterinarian is having difficulty reaching a diagnosis or current treatments are not effective, then an Internist may be able to come to the correct diagnosis or adjust treatment plans to help get your pet healthy again. The following examples are some conditions and symptoms which may lead to your veterinarian referring your pet to an Internist:
What to Expect At Your Appointment
Dr. Cortright will perform a thorough physical examination of your pet and may discuss additional diagnostic testing when indicated. Additional testing may include testing of blood and tissue samples, diagnostic imaging such as ultrasound and radiography, biopsies of masses, internal organs or bone marrow, and endoscopy including; bronchoscopy (lungs), cystoscopy (bladder & urethra), colonoscopy (colon & small bowel), gastroduodenoscopy (stomach & upper intestines), rhinoscopy (nasal cavity), laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery for biopsies of internal organs).
