Canine Hip Dysplasia

PennHIP & OFA Evaluations 

There are two distinct methods used in evaluating dogs for the development of canine hip dysplasia, a degenerative joint disease. Our hospital offers both PennHip and OFA radiograph screenings & testing.

OFA

OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) is an organization that was created to aid breeders in helping reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia and other genetic diseases. There are multiple DNA tests that can be performed to determine whether genes for certain genetic diseases are present. The screening method follows the American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines for specific radiograph positioning to evaluate pelvic or coxofemoral (hip joint) conformation. We offer a few of the tests that OFA provides, and for the remaining ones, we recommend visiting a specialist for evaluation and submission.

The tests that we can perform for screenings are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and thyroid testing. We do use sedation to obtain the proper diagnostic views needed for submission. Per the OFA guidelines, hip and elbow screenings are done at 2 years of age or older, and the thyroid test is done at 1 year of age or older. Screenings can be done prior to these ages, but they are considered preliminary, and are not given an OFA registration number until they have reached the appropriate age and the test has been completed again at that age.

OFA hips and elbows results are reported as: excellent, good, fair or dysplastic. OFA grades can change as the dog ages. It is recommended that the dog be screened multiple times throughout its life.

If you would like to know more about OFA please visit the website at www.ofa.org.

Things you need to do after scheduling an Of A appointment at our clinic:

1. Go to www.ofa.org/applications-forms and fill out the form needed for the test you are requesting. You can submit the form online but make sure to print out finished copies and bring the copies to the appointment. You will pay OFA directly for test submission fees.

2. Please bring your dogs AKC registration, microchip and completed OFA forms to your appointment. If vaccinated elsewhere, please bring copies of vaccination history.
3. We will submit the radiographs and forms electronically to OFA.

PennHip

Penn Hip is a radiological diagnostic tool for evaluating hips in dogs and determining the likelihood they will develop hip dysplasia in the future. PennHip testing can be done in puppies as young as 16 weeks of age. This means dogs with dysplastic hips are identified much earlier in their development. This can help breeders make informed decisions about which dogs to keep in breeding programs. The PennHip method of evaluation is considered the most accurate tool to predict the development of osteoarthritis, the degenerative joint disease that is the hallmark of canine hip dysplasia. For PennHip testing, the veterinarian must be specifically trained and certified, and specific equipment must be used. Dr. Miles is certified to perform and submit PennHip images.

We do use sedation to get the series of radiographs that are needed for submission. Penn Hip results are then reported as a percentile of the distraction index compared to all other dogs of the same breed that have been tested.

If you would like to know more about Penn Hip you can visit the website at www.pennhip.org.

Things you need to do after scheduling an PennHip appointment at our clinic:

1. Please bring all AKC registration paperwork and microchip information the day of the procedure. If vaccinated elsewhere, please bring copies of vaccination history.
2. We will submit all paperwork and x-rays to PennHip for evaluation.

Schedule a Consultation Today

Please call us at (630) 584-7404 if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule a consultation for your dog.