hip x ray incentive - Page 1

A friend of mine just bought a lab pup. The breeder gave with the pup a voucher for $100 to be redeemed when the hips are xrayed and submitted to OFA, OR toward a spay/neuter if hip problems surface in preliminary xrays prior to 2 years of age. This was apart from the clause about replacing a pup that might have dysplasia. Now, I'm sure the breeder factored the cost of the rebate into the price people paid for the pups, but it seems like a really nice way to encourage all owners to xray and get the films evaluated. It also offers a little support in the event that a dog shows problems before the age of 2, but after 2 requires that the films be submitted for official analysis with OFA. Found it interesting. Anyone else know of incentives the breeders offer to encourage hip x rays?

That's a good idea. Or perhaps a reimbursement could be done for hips that were xrayed within a certain time frame, a copy of the OFA report or PennHip report sent and then a rebate paid. How many people are going to do an OFA, even when someone has paid half of it, I wonder? How many pet owners get it done? I once gave away a litter of five kittens, with EVERY ONE having half of the cost of the spay or neuter pre-paid at local vet clinic. I gave the veternarian money, and they put it on account for that litter of kittens and their owners. Two years later, no one had ever taken advantage of the half-paid service (which was also very reasonably priced to begain with). I ended up using that money on account on vet services for my own dogs.

The breeder for one of my dogs pays for prelim hips and elbow Xrays for all dogs (even pets) and also offers $$ back when each title is earned. I think this is a fantastic idea as it gives her more information for her breeding programme. Afterall, what is the claim "all passed" in a litter when only 4 out of the 8 puppies produced were ever tested. She also offers a partial refund if prelim testing reveales Borderline or worse/Grade 1 or worse OR a replacement puppy if the owner so chooses. I wish I saw more of this in working GSDs...

Our GSD club (Birmingham & District GSD Association) UK have had in place for many years, an incentive for members to score their dogs by giving £5 cash to the owners who use the scheme. We also give £5 cash to any breeder member that tattoo`s or microchips their litter before it leaves for a new home. Strangely, although we have breeders and exhibitors in our club that use the system, not many remember to collect their £5 incentive - however, its there and in place if anyone wishes to use the scheme. Mo Lakin - Mascani

For pet owners who would not normally bother to do adult OFAs on their dogs bred by me, I offer to pay the cost of x-rays - because they would be doing it for my benefit, they don't care if their dogs have HD or not, they are spayed/neutered anyway and would not part with their pets for any reason. So the x-rays and OFA evaluation would be for my benefit - so I offer to pay for them. molly

Hi Molly, may I ask how many people do take you up on this offer? I have thought of offering a hip incentive or payment, but I haven't worked on the idea yet. I go ahead and pay for the microchipping. I have offered to simply pay for it when the owner takes the puppy in to their vet, but I may just take all 11 current pups in at the same time and get it done myself this time. I can get a discount that way. AVID will let you purchase a hand held reader for a reasonable amount of money as well. In my opinion, the price of the microchipping and other services are not necessarily "factored in", as people will only pay just so much for a pup from a particular litter, and all the extras don't mean that much to them. They will only pay a fair market value for the pup.

I have Homeagain microchips and scanner here, and I microchip and tattoo all of my puppies before they leave here, unless the owner prefers to have it done by their vet. I require my name/contact info as alternate contact, as payment for the microchip (I do it for free for my puppies, and at cost for friends/family/others who want one). The x-ray incentive - most of my puppy owners get their puppies x-rayed at one year old or thereabouts, because the hip guarantee has that age limit. But I offer to pay for those that don't, because most pets are spayed/neutered and their owners don't see the need to have x-rays done - they wouldn't part with their dogs if they had bad or good hips. But for my program, I like to see how the hips and elbows look. I only have a few "pet" owners who have not had their dogs' x-rayed - and most of those have x-rayed them at my request, and refused to let me pay for it. But I will continue to offer, because I do want to see how the hips/elbows look on my puppies whenever possible (so far so good, my program has consistantly produced VERY nice hips, and only a very VERY few non-passing but non-severe, non-surgical). molly