Prelims - How accurate has your vet been with his reading vs OFA? - Page 1

Hello everyone.  Hope you're all having a nice evening.

I just took Apache (my 14 1/2 month old in for her prelims).  I've been nervous and excited all day long.  ugh... It's like a huge test in school. 

Anyway, my vet has been doing this for over 30yrs and he says, it's been a long time since he's seen hips like this on a gsd and he would be absolutely shocked if OFA failed them.  He said as he sees it, they should get a least a "good".  Elbows looked good too.

And, cudos to my girl, she was very pleasant with all who dealt with her.

They did use anesthesia (SP?) on her to get the best view.  (I was nervous about that, too!)lol

Anyway, I have minimum of 6wks to wait for the OFA's readings.

In your opinions, how correct have your vets been in reading the xrays compared to what OFA's radiologists said??? 

I'm on pins and needles...

Thank you in advance.

Dawn

Our former veterinarian of choice was 100% accurate when it came to passing hips. Elbows? Wow, those are a very complex subject all their own.

There are simple and quick measurements and estimation methods that can be done by an experienced eye in less than five (5) minutes with any hip radiograph. But about all one can determine is a "pass", "maybe", or a "failure". I have been fooled once with one of mine, as I thought she would definitely get a "fair" but she received O.F.A. "good". I had two (2) bitches and one (1) dog being examined that day so my thoughts were based on what I saw with the preceding dog (O.F.A. "good") and his sister (O.F.A. "fair") and were possibly clouded a bit as I had just looked at the second female.

So, let's hope for the best and may you get the coveted O.F.A. "Excellent."

Regards,

Bob-O

Bob-O,

Isn't that what we all dream of?  I know that would be an excellent Christmas present for me!!

Thanks for the reply!

Don't mean to scare you but OFA is a crapshoot plain and simple. I have submitted xrays that were good and received fair. I have submitted xrays that I and the vet thought would fail (for relacepment dog) they came back good. It all depends on who looks at them first. I think all the other vets go with the first ones opinion. Your best bet is to have copies made or digital ones and if you do not agree resubmit them.

Our vet has been 100% correct on pass/fail, but OFA really is a crapshoot.  As a test my vet took the same xray and sent it in three times, once came back mild D., second fair and third excellent.  Same exact xray.  He has it hanging in his office with the different results posted beside it.   I trust his opinion more then OFA!

I did my female at about 15 months.  The vet said they looked very good and that she would most likely go at OFA good for her prelims, and she did.

Of course about 2 weeks after we did the x-ray she had her first heat (yes...late bloomer!).  Her second birthday is in January and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the x-rays might look even better between heat cycles and go excellent...that would be great, but I would be happy with good again :)

Here is her OFA good prelim x-ray if anyone is interested...

Good deal mine actually looked similar maybe better and came back fair. You deserved a good!

I have two pictures here 1 normal and one HD early stage. I like to compare and contrast. Hope this helps.

                              Normal                                         Earl stage HD        

Yours looks pretty normal but I am no expert.                 

I've only done 1 dog, but my vet hit it  right on the head. my girl's dam was an OFA excellent, & I was hoping for the same, but they said 'not quite excellent. but a solid good', and she was...OFA good, elbows normal. Now I'm trying to decide if I should prelim Beckett, or just wait until he's 2....oh the suspence...jh