Does anyone else see big red flags when- - Page 5

 I did not say xrays LIE and you should never do them because they mean nothing.  It was in response to xraying all your dogs regardless.  I stated clearly if you intend on breeding or your dog is having issues, you should xray.  My entire point with x-rays lie is that if  you're using them to dictate activity or using them solely to make a diagnosis you are greatly missing the boat.  almost a 3rd of the population is walking around with disc herniations demonstrated on MRI that when shown to an orthopedist without any other history would be sent for a surgical consult immediately.  Yet they've never had a symptom and they most likely never will.  and MRI is far more sensitive than an xray.  x-rays can often show things that look like something but will never affect the dog in any way shape or form for its entire life.

Molly, 
Thank you, yes, this is directed only at GSD's.  I just cannot buy
that someone would shoot only hips and certify and not elbows.
One can try and shuck and jive all they want. Same goes for claims
to 'a stamp' etc. Most of the cons running this sort of game just take 
it for granted that no one will check. Especially on USA born dogs that
people claim are 'a stamped' because the dog was bred before 24 mos 

I'm with Jenni...if you're interested in the dog, just ask?  Or, if you know the name of the dog, it's not that hard to look up the OFA or a-stamp.  I just remembered last week that one of my dogs got a new OFA certification over a month ago and I never updated it.  goD forbid someone look at my website between then and now, lol.

I hope that only novices buy GSD's from breeders who have not certified hips and elbows on both parents. I myself take that a step further and would not buy a puppy from a litter where there was no hip or elbow information on siblings of the parents. I've been down that road too many times with another large breed and no certifications or xrays I can see, no sibling evaluation is deal breaker for me. It's really not asking so much, other breeds do it and by doing so have reduced the incidence of HD and ED to almost zero.  A large sector of the GSD world is an entity all to itself marching to it own drummer. It's really not a mystery why this breed still has a higher than expected percentage of HD while many other large breeds also prone to HD don't anymore.

Frankly., Jenni, The fact that you're claiming to administer Adequan  or 'something similar' to all your big dogs is indicative of how unfamiliar you are with the product. 

"I x-ray German Shepherds, but I don't x-ray my pets unless there's a reason to."  You said you couldn't see any reason to x-ray the hips & elbows of pets; that's your opinion.  I merely stated MY opinion why doing so is beneficial to both the breeder of that pet as well as the pet itself. 

 

I think part of the issue is that the consumer aka "puppy buyer" has only asked about hips in the past.  Once the issues with elbows become more well known, partly through threads like this which serve to educate consumers then it will be done.  If the people visiting the breeders start asking the right questions and demanding to see proof people will start doing the bare minimum of sell their pups.  You will always have the "slick" ones that hope people get "intoxicated" by all the little balls of fur running around that they simply forget to ask all of the important questions about hips, elbows, titles, certifications, etc.  You will still have those breeders that don't need to certify hips because they can read x-rays better than the OFA or SV staff.  The same ones that don't title their dogs because their dogs are "PP" dogs.  Then they show you some pictures of their daughter taking a bite with a sleeve from the stud or the dog does super secret stuff that no one can talk about.  That is all that is needed to prove working ability, soundness and temperament.  

The best thing one can hope for from a forum or a thread like this is that it causes to people to ask questions and demand proof.  References are another good thing to check, google can also be very effective.  When it comes to google and the internet, just be very wary of the source.  Just as you need to be wary of breeders with lots of excuses and double talk.  

VKGSD,
I am in no way referring to the people that simply have not got around
to updating a web site. I am referring to the type that will only list what
the dog passed. Then dance around why for example elbows aren't done etc.
And people do ask, and when they seek to verify the answer, they find out
the truth. Kind of like someone listing a dog as 'xrayed good', would that be
a red flag to you? Or would you simply take someones word and breed to 
the dog or buy a pup from it? I bet not 

Slam, 
Thank you! You got 'it'! 
For many years hips were the biggie. Now elbows factor in,
among other things 
 

The entire point of my personal anecdote was to show that in fact, some people do have reasons to not x-ray their PETS.

Sometimes you will see only elbow results in the OFA database for older GSD's  because those dogs were A stamped for hips before the SV evaluated elbows. After the SV began to include elbows, some of those owners had their A stamped dogs' elbows done.

If you are looking for a particular dog in that database, don't think it's not there just because  you can't find it  using the entire name. There are a number  of misspellings. Always try again by using a part of that dog's name that is unique. Searching for Dingo v Haus Gero? Search using Dingo or Gero for example.