OFA - Page 1

Well, I didn't like the look of Star's x-ray when the vet showed it to me before he sent it out, and I was right! It's come back as mildly dysplastic (subluxation) on the right side. Elbows are fine, though.

So, I'm putting a call into the vet ASAP to get her spayed. She's due to come in heat around July 11th, and I certainly don't want to go through the hassle if I'm not planning to breed her.

Yes, it's mild, and it's only the one hip...BUT in spite of a really nice pedigree, she also has 'friendly' ears, faded pigment, very little undercoat, and flips her feet when she gaits. She also toes in a bit in front, and her hocks are too close behind. (Not cowhocks, though. They're parallel to each other, but just a bit too close together.)

Yes, I could breed her to a really nice stud, one that will compensate for her faults. But the bitch is 50% of the equation, and if she's not everything you want, why bother??

Ranger, my rescue has a great head, great ears, wonderful pigment, good undercoat, straight legs, and great looking hips,
(Okay, his structure leaves something to be desired: he's upright in the shoulder and has hare feet.) I always jokingly said, "Wouldn't it be ironic if the dog I paid all the money for comes out dysplastic, while the rescue I got for nothing has GREAT hips?

No joke anymore....

BTW, her elbows are okay,

I know how devastating that can be. So sorry about your girl.  How old is Star? Were these her pre-lims or 2 years rads?

She's two, born Jan. 11 2007. She came into heat just after her birthday, so I couldn't get her done right away. I didn't see the sense of paying for preliminary x-rays.

you are doing the right thing for the breed.

She goes in tomorrow. Good thoughts would be appreciated. She has an umbilical hernia, so the surgery is a bit more complicated than usual.

The dog I paid the most for has the weak ear, LOL!  

You have my very best thoughts, Sunsilver, for Star to have an uneventful spay and quick recovery.  I know you had great hopes to one day breed her.  You have shown you walk the walk, even when it would not be hard to rationalize, many do.  I have nothing but respect for you,  not only this difficult  decision, but also  for what you do for and with your dogs.  You are one of the good guys, Sunsilver and we need more like you.

All our dogs start out with all the promise in the world, but eventually reality sets in.  I have been told on more than one occaision what a handsome dog I have - for a malinois!!!!    Even so I count my lucky stars because he is my first GSD with good hips and elbows, but he isn't a super star, and even if he could somehow manage a KKL2, I don't think anyone is going to be lining up to bring their bitches to him - but it doesn't matter, I stil adore him and he is a ton of fun, and that's really all that matters to me anyway! 

Sunsilver
A great pity more do not think the same way as yourself, then we would have a lot less problems with the breed, a responisble owner and a good owner for the German Shepherd breed, I hope the Operation goes well for Star
Steve

She's my first registered dog. I bought her because I liked her topline, her angulation and her bone structure. So, the overall structure is there, and that's what makes this so heartbreaking. One day, I did what Preston suggested. I took a photo of her, cut it out, and placed it over top of one of the GSD's I look at as having ideal structure.

It was a nearly perfect match... 

Her other faults were all fairly minor. Weak ears? Pfft!  So common in the American show ring, no one looks twice at them! As long as they stand erect, you're fine.

Poor pigment? I see German showline bitches that have only a black smudge for a saddle being bred to top studs. The structural faults with her legs and chest? Except for the  front feet, where the nails wear unevenly, they are so minor I never even noticed them until Fred Lanting evaluated her conformation last summer at the Shiloh homecoming!

But the hips, well that's the deal breaker...    I strongly believe the reason we haven't beaten hip dysplasia is that too many breeders are breeding bitches with mild or moderate dysplasia, saying, "Oh, it's mild. It's only the one hip. I've got this really good stud here who will compensate for it...."