Willow Valley GSD

Canine hip dysplasia is characterized by varying degrees of hip joint laxity (looseness), subluxation (partial dislocation), and ultimately, severe arthritic change. Clinically, the symptoms range from having no clinical signs in some affected dogs to severe and crippling disease in others. The severity of the clinical signs does not necessarily correlate with the degree of radiographic (x-ray) or pathologic changes seen.

Their have been years of controversy sourrounding the question of whether to OFA or NOT OFA. There are many different opinions in regard to the quality, fairness, and consistancy involved with OFA, Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. There are concerns with AKC's direct affiliation with OFA. I'm going to share with you my opinion on this matter, through much research and time dedicated in understanding hip evaluation.

It's true that there are many factors associated in the develpment of hips that play a role in the final outcome of a mature hip. First, age plays a role. A young pup doesn't have "bone" per say as opposed to cartilage. Same holds true for infant children. They don't suffer bone fractures as adults do, they suffer "green stick" fractures which is essentailly cartilage. Large breed pups should be fed an adequate diet and grow SLOWLY. The slower the growth, the better chance the hip has to form. If a puppy grows too quickly, the femoral head (the ball portion of the hip joint) can outgrow the acetabulum (hip socket).

More times than not, hip dysplaisia is related to poor nutrition, too fast of growth, too little excercise, injury and/or environmental issues. The heredity of hip dysplaisa is pretty much non existant. Many website and vets will attest to it being a hereditary disease only. While, possible, not probable. Let's focus for a second on guarentee...

NOTHING is 100%! You have people who will refute the importance of hip testing because, truth be known, you can take the best possible precausions and OFA score, PennHip, or use an over seas rating, like the SV and "A" stamp, use only the animals with the best possible hip rating of "Excellent" and it doesn't eradicate the possibility of two Excellent hip rated parents producing dysplastic progeny. Does it minimize the chances, YES, does it guarentee it?  NO.

1% of GSD's received an OFA rating of Excellent. The chances of them producing mostly GOOD hips is very strong. Possibly producing Excellent could happen, FAIR ratings are possible and even HD somewhere could pop up. What I'm saying is that it's a crap shoot. HOWEVER, I personally hip test and believe that if I'm trying to produce superior quality GSD's that it's better to gamble with animals rated well, from the beginning, than to make excuses and assign responsibility for not testing on some asinine concept like "it doesn't matter". If you test and in your career produce a bad hip, heck, it's excused, it happens, and you make it right. No one can point the finger and say you didn't breed with the utmost possible discretion. I have heard breeder say 100 times over, "It doesn't matter because even if I rate hips they can still produce puppies with HD". I think it's a cop out and if you believe in the strength of your line, health and longevity, it's an automatic.

There are different methods, as I mentioned above, OFA is kind of the "GodFather" of hip rating, Pennhip is a fairly new procedure that measures the laxity (looseness) of the hip and the posibility that, at some point, that particular dog "could" develop HD. This test can be done as early as 4 months of age, which is a draw for people to use it over OFA. HOWEVER, again, you CAN do a Preliminary exam/xray at 4 months of age and send it to OFA for rating. Because it's also true that the hips don't stop maturing until into their 2nd year, OFA doesn't "certify" the hip or give a final evaluation until 24 months of age or on. That doesn't mean that OFA won't look at films and issue a prelim report under 24 months of age to give you an idea of where you're at. I do Prelim, and have dogs Prlim GOOD at 9 months of age before the hip is finished growing.

I see many people use every method possible. Blaming OFA for inconsitancy in issuing a Fair or Dysplastic report. Alot will do an OFA Prelim, if they don't pass, turn to PennHip, if they don't pass, turn to some of the foreign organizations that do hip ratings. I do believe OFA can be inconsistant. You can submit different films, taken by different vets of the same dog, on different days, and can get a different score from OFA. I guarentee you will find inconsitancy with ALL TESTING of ANY KIND! If you send films to OFA and get a failing score...it's obvious...A BAD HIP IS A BAD HIP!!!  Period! If you get a score of "Fair", sure, perhaps the postitioning by the vet wasn't correct, which will make the hip look differently. If you use a vet that is well versed on proper positioning your chances of getting a correct reading is good. If you get a non-passing score, perhaps, instead of blaming the inconsistancies on OFA, we should encourage our vets to take their time, be well educated on the importance of proper positioning instead of just cramming them into any other film taking slot on their appointment book, snap a film to get it done, and hand them over. I HAVE had this happen and have refused to send in films that are ill- positioned.

To give the best chances for proper and healthy hip formation, Keep your dog at a healthy weight, Excercise daily, giving oral supplements can help. I do supplement, but that's a different discussion as there are those out there who don't believe there is any benefit to supplementation.

In conclusion, I do Hip Test, and believe it's a very useful tool when trying to produce top quality GSD's. I also believe that there are many things you can do to assist in good hip formation and growth and will continue to stress the importance of breeding for good hips.

Please see...You may do research of your own beginning here...

www.offa.org (OFA)

http://research.vet.upenn.edu/Default.aspx?alias=research.vet.upenn.edu/pennhip (PennHIP)

British Veterinary Association (BVA/KC)

SV issues "A" Stamps in Germany

**I have many bookmarked websites, articles and documentation regarding hips. I'm not going to list them all on here, if you're interested in learning more, please contact me and I'll be happy to foward you what I have.***