Resubmitting OFA Hip Results - Page 1

I just received my  24 month old females OFA hip/elbow score back. The elbows are normal but the hips show Mild Hip Dysplasia    and subluxation is checked on the Radiographic findings. My vet thought they would go good as my other females have all been good/normal.  I'm no expert at reading films so I sent them in and am dissapointed as you can imagine.

I have film not digital and did receive xrays back. Should I resubmit the same xray or a different reading, have redone altogether and if so when or just forget it and except the verdict they  gave.  All dogs in her 5 generation pedigree have good/normal ratings. She's a beautiful girl from Ursus lines.  What would you do?  If I do resubmit the same xrays or different ones how long a time period should pass?  If they know she has been rated previously why would they say any different and contradict another vet's opinion?  Just asking I don't know how they work at the OFA.

Thanks for your experienced advice.

is there a way to post the x-rays here for us to see?  If the positioning wasn't correct the luxation may be due to that.  In which case yes, re-xraying (with another vet who can get the positioning straight and correct with knees turned in) can make the hips look better and the rating better, if the positioning is the problem.

molly

I guess I'll ask the dumb question- would holding them up to the window and then taking a digital photo work to show them to you?  And then how do I go about getting the image on this post?

Note- xrays were done by the other vet in the office, my good luck charm vet is pregnant and had to have her partner take films now with a baby on the way.

can't see if the positioning is the problem or if your dog actually does have problem hips, without seeing the x-rays.  If I were you and I couldn't get an opinion (unbiased, not from the vet who took the x-rays) then I'd get them re-done and make sure the positioning was perfectly straight, then resubmit to OFA.

Yes, you can take a picture of the x-ray with light behind it (ideally, x-ray light box at the vet) and save the picture to your computer (downsize it) and then you can share it here - the yellow box with mountains in it in the reply box will help you do that.

molly

If you resubmit get a new xray.

I have had good luck taping the x-rays to a window and taking a digital picture.  Make sure the window is clean and there is nothing behind the picture outside (shoot toward the sky)

Just got off the phone with OFA Dr. Kelly. He said xrays were sent back today so I won't have them for a few days. He also said the positioning was great on these and he sees everyone that comes in to OFA:(  All 3 vets agreed with the same exact results on her. He said of course I could resubmit after her heat cycle 12 weeks about but felt the heat cycle had nothing to do with her rating and the positioning was very good.  She is due to come in heat in a week or two but xrays were done 20 days ago.

Doesn't sound too great for me for much to change with future xrays based on what Dr. Kelly has told me. Anyone had similar results that came back different when resubmitting? I hate to hold out hope if I'm "beating a dead horse" so to speak. Maybe I just need to cut my losses and move on...

With this just being a mild case she should live a normal happy life shouldn't she in a pet home?  You sure would never guess she is the most agile "Houdini" dog I've ever had and not a pound over 62 pounds soaking wet and by the way she swims a lot and gets NUPRO.

Maybe with summer coming up and all the swimming she does that will help her hip score???  Just wishful thinking I don't want to let her go.... 

 Concur with Eichenluft. Just have a second set taken and submit. If there was incorrect positioning, the subluxation may be from that and in fact, she may have a better rating next time. Also, if she was in or near heat time, it would be good to re-do anyway just in case there was laxity that might be less at non-heat time period.

the only reason a resubmit would get your dog a better rating is if the previous x-rays were poorly positioned and the new x-rays are positioned better.  If the first x-rays are indeed positioned correctly, then the rating won't change -

never hurts to get second opinion though, when you get the x-rays back show them to an ortho specialist or a vet trained for Penn Hip (and therefore for correct OFA positioning as well) and see what they say.

molly

Tasha, not many weeks pass that I don't hear of a dog that fails OFA with a mild one day and gets a number the next. Happened to me two times with littermates, not GSD's. We had them redone and both got goods. Same thing happened to a friend and another thought her dog should have received  a better rating than a fair, did him again and he came back with an excellent.  As Molly said, try to post the xray when it comes back.

If this were my dog, I wouldn't think twice about having her done one more time. I am no longer a big fan of OFA; I once supported them 100%, I would probably use a board certified radiologist  or the SV for hip evaluations if I were still breeding.