Resubmitting OFA Hip Results - Page 2

I hear so many contradictons re x-raying bitches on heat. Does it really make a difference ?

i sent in and got a mild bitch was in heat. came in the day after.. she coming in heat every 3 months.. took another set and sent them in and they gave her mild again but the paperwork said luxcation the first and second time. we  did take new set of films.. they are being very sticky about rating and even if you do send them in again they are unlikly to change there first rating because  they dont want to look dumb. So do what you think best and or send to a stamp. It is realy hard to get a good x-ray of a dog that comes in heat every 3 months...

By the way you may want to see why they came back mild was it luxcation or somthing elce???? that has  lot to do with it,

Weberhaus- yes subluxation was checked as the reason for mild. Reread my posts and you'll see further information from my conversation with Dr. Kelly at the OFA.

To be clear she was not in heat when xrays were done on March 4 but is expected in the next week or two last heat was started October 8 2007, and her 2nd birthday was March 4.

The vet who did the xray told me yesterday that she was coming out of anestethia when they did the hip xrays! They did the elbows first and when she looked at her on the table to do the hips she was looking at her eyes open!  Could have something to do with it??? I don't know how much she was still under when they did the hips at that point.

How do you submit to the SV? I have only used the OFA. Do they take film or digital?  I think just film right? And how does it compare price wise?

Thanks DH for your information I will look into that.

Weberhaus what did you do with the bitch who didn't pass twice?  Spay her?, place her in pet home? keep her and incur costs the rest of her life? clearly sell without registration but let them spay her?  How would you price her knowing she has mild dysplasia, are people willing to buy a dog with this condition even mild?  I feel as though even though this is mild/sublaxation if it ends up being that again it's like a death sentence for her . I would never put her down she is a fantastic dog and I even turned down offers to buy her at one time but that was before this mild dysplasia rating. But I can't breed her now if it does end up being this rating. I guess these are dilemas everyone faces.

I will xray again and post xrays when I get them back.

Thanks everyone

Tasha,

Have you considered re-doing the Xrays with the PennHIP method?  If laxity of the hips is the primary concern, PennHIP is a more capable method than OFA in some cases for measuring laxity.  Lots of controversy on "OFA vs. PH" but worth looking into the method if you're not familiar with it.

www.pennhip.org is their official web site.

Yvette

also a Penn-Hip certified vet will also be trained in how to position the dog properly for OFA x-rays, so finding a Penn-Hip vet is a good choice whichever method you choose.

molly

Hi Molly,

TO clarify (I need hips done soon) find a Penn Hip certified vet to do your OFA xrays?  That  the penn hip vet knows how to do both?  I just want to make sure to go to the right person as the xrays are not cheap and it seems *every* vet I've spoken to claims they can do the Xrays - but I'd prefer someone who's really good at it if I'm going to drop that kind of coin.  Also, is there an option to have hips "certified" without going through the full expense of OFA, Penn?  I'm not going to be breeding my girl - but will get her hips done for my piece of mind.  It would be nice if there was an acredited but cheaper alternative.

-Calvin

I've been looking for a different vet to do my dogs' x-rays, after putting the money down and getting the x-rays without the straight positioning I want - sending them in anyway and getting the ratings I think were not deserved, due to the positioning.  So I have already decided to not pay for "substandard" and sometimes paying TWICE for re-dos, only to get more substandard.  I'm now going to a board-certified vet for x-rays - he is certified/trained for Penn Hip and therefore he also knows how to do correctly positioned OFA views (I only use OFA, not Penn Hip).   I will recommend him to you however he's "up here" in PA not 'down there" in VA.

Personally I think getting the correctly positioned x-rays are worth the extra $$$ since you are trying to see what your dogs hips really look like, not trying to figure out if they don't look so great because of positioning, or because they aren't so great. 

you can contact me privately if you would like the name of this vet - otherwise I would recommend you search for a vet in your area who is certified in Penn Hip to do your OFA x-rays - and on top of that, make it clear when you bring your dog in that you are expecting the positioning to be perfectly straight, knees in, and clear, don't stop taking x-rays until they are right - you are only paying for the ones that are done right.

molly

what sedative did the vet use to take the xrays?

We use Domitor/Torb and the dogs stay asleep long enough to take the xrays.  Also, when dogs are sedated their eyes will be open.  Same with us, the dog may have been blinking at them.  You won't notice that their eyes are "closed" unless they are in rather deep sedation. 

will be interested to see the positioning on the xray. 

speaking of positioning, do you think that it's worth submitting these.  legs are not totally parallel.  Of course I shot them months ago, and have been sitting on them!  Dog was 6 years old for this xray and was "a" normal at a year.

the legs should be extended down straight and knees should be turned in, they are turned out.  If the positioning was correct, the hips would look even better than they do without proper positioning - as it is, they do look good, but may go excellent with better positioning.  Obviously they would pass with these x-rays though.

molly

Thanks Molly,

I may go ahead and redo them.

I got the positioning a bit better on my female.  I've refined my technique more, since taking my boy's.   We recently shot a Large Male Bernese Mountain Dog for OFA.  Talk about having to crank the knees in.  I think my arms were sore afterward.