Hip dysplasia - Page 7

Rose, using an NZ or a fast normal is basically left to the descretion of the person doing the breeding. This is a topic all breeders are never going to agree on. The SV and OFA don't agree, The SV says it's OK to use dogs with hips that are not perfect, the OFA recommends only breeding the best hips to the best hips which seems to discourage using any dogs that are not eligible for an  OFA number. Hips are one part of the breeding picture. How a big a part is up to the breeder too.  I wouldn't use a dog with an NZ unless I could see the xray, same for a fast normal, but that's me. Others will not agree.

The SV and the OFA don't always concur when rating hip xrays. The one posted in this thread is a great example. The SV rated this dog a1, their best hip rating while OFA called them fair, their worst hip rating for a dog to get a number.  To me the dog looks good and I would rexray it and submit a new xray if I felt strongly enough about the rating not being what it should be. I've often said here I don't get hung up on hip rating because OFA makes mistakes, always have. I can't speak to the SV's margins of error, but they are probably not always spot on either.

Hey Blitzen, I saw that you had replied to me, just wanted to say thanks!

I have a Quantum grandson and he is prelimed excellent.

I know the vet can tell you if a dog is a genetic HD or enviroment. Most are environment!!! People who think their GSD must be so stinking big are mainly the blame. And, argue all you want, a unilateral HD is NOT genetic. This is not a bone disease....

Most breeders in Germany will tell you there is no guarantee and the reason is that so many owners are to blame for the poor health of their dogs. Maybe not intentional but it really should be addressed...obesity, over excersizing a young pup, allowing it to jump from heights, etc. Your pup/dog can most the time be his own worst enemy.

Good luck with the xrays...please post the results.

You're welcome, Golden Eagle.

I posted my dogs hips to prove a point I learned the hard way. Jetta was certified at 1 yr old through the SV and recieved "a" normal. Her soreness started when she was 2 1/2 yr old. I took her for an x-ray(PICTURED BELOW) thinking it was her spine. I was told by my old vet that she could have cauda equina, not the case. At the time she had her x-ray by my old vet he said her L hip did not look good.( I was told by someone and not any vet)not to worry about her hip because she has already been certifed and it can't be her hip) I took her to a chiropracter and he stated she had an extra vertabrae near the base of her tail. Jetta was doing much better but recently she was showing ALOT more discomfort so I took her to my new vet and the x-ray that was posted in my previous post was taken. Jetta was examined by my vet but was shopwing alot of discomfort with the physical exam so he decided to sedate her for the x-ray. When I went to see the x-ray he explained to me that when he was positioning her she still felt pain even with the sedation. I know it is not a perfect x-ray but the end result is still the same moderate HD in the L hip.

The lessoned I learned is NEVER x-ray a dog until they are 2 or 2 1/2. Alot of changes can occur in 1 yr. Jetta's sire did have NZ hips and quite a few of her littermates also have HD. I do blame myself for not doing my homework when buying a puppy. I also blame myself for not x-raying her sooner because I did continue to work her. Jetta also had a litter way before I knew this but since I did all the right things before breeding I thought all was well. I did search for the right stud because of Jetta's back ground in regards to hips but if I would have had her x-rayed sooner I would have never bred her.

When I am ready for another pup I will be checking for hip scores as far as I can check.I will only go with "a" normal or OFA Good.That includes sire,dam,siblings. I know that is still not a guarantee but it is better then the alternative. As far as the person who said HD is environmental if only in one hip is just WRONG. I did all the things you were suppose too to help her as she was growing. I kept her lean and she is still that way now. I am sure doing schutzhund this whole time did not help but it is not the direct cause of her HD. Jetta is now retired from comeptition but I do let her have leg bites here and there to keep her happy.

This is the x-ray I was referring to in the above post.

 I'm just thinking back to some x-rays I've seen posted about the web and not any dog specifically.

Barb

Fillyone, I think that unilateral HD can be the result of an injury or genetic in nature. Most injuries would probably be obvious on the xray.