These hips? (X-rays) - Page 2

I would send them in.  I have seen hips look this way and passed fair.  Only way you know is to send them off.

I agree--I'd send them in. But I think she'll won't have passing hips, maybe Mild?--I think there's some remodeling of the femoral heads, so it's not just the sockets being slightly shallow.

Sometimes if the hips are right out of the socket, the dog has very little pain because the femoral head and hip socket aren't rubbing together.

And some dogs just have a very high pain threshold.

A case I know of personally:

A breeder had a very expensive German import that she was training for schutzhund. He was doing the 2 metre scaling wall with no problems.

She had a call from someone who wanted to breed to him, so she decided to get his hips done.

The minute the vet came out of the x-ray room, she knew there was trouble.

"This dog has just about the WORST hips I've ever seen in my entire career," he said.

She swallowed her disappointment, had him neutered, and rehomed him to a farm. I don't know if he developed problems as he got older or not.

"Sometimes if the hips are right out of the socket, the dog has very little pain because the femoral head and hip socket aren't rubbing together."....Sunsilver That is an opinion held by many vets and I think it's true more often than not.

That dog may never show any symptoms; I've seen 10x worse on sound dogs.

Interesting about the E.German thing. A breeder and I were just talking about that. I have seen a "type" that OFA doesn't particularly like, but the dogs are sound into old age and the hips never get worse- no or little arthritis is ever developed, which makes me wonder why they're "wrong" as far as conformation.

Here are the hips of a dog of mine that NEVER showed lameness, but obviously had HD. This film was taken at 6yrs of age. This wasn't a GSD (American Bulldog), but a still good example of why "oh I don't need to x-ray, my dog walks fine" is never a good thought process.

I have one bitch that is way worse than above, shows no signs and is now 12 years old and still going strong but her hips were trashed all her life.??  Go figure.  I have had some OFA good goods that became very arthritic at 9 and 10 years old could barely walk after that age,  go figure.  Is still a good idea to x-ray and tweek their program if needed for their survival and comfort later in life.  Nan

Just updating.
The dog came back OFA Mild, but 2 weeks after these x-rays were taken she came into heat (early). That said, is it worth having them re-xrayed after her heat cycle as I have read that xrays that close to heat can show extra sublaxation?
Thanks

It could make a difference, but I doubt much.  I've not really seen much difference in dogs in heat or not.

CMills I agree with you. I had my girl's hips done about 3 weeks before she came in--they looked good and she rated a Good.