Mastiff Health
Cystinuria
Below is a copy of the Lay Summary for the most recent Cystinuria Grant # 919 that ended on 12-31-09. As you can see, we've made significant progress in the past 6 months! It's been a group effort and we appreciated the Mastiff Community and other breeds for participating in the research!
Dr. Henthorn will be submitting an Acorn Grant this month to the AKC CHF to continue her Canine Cystinuria Research. We are hoping this will lead to a DNA test for Cystinuria in Mastiffs and other breeds and help us identify which dogs are at a higher risk of developing stones. We are also hoping the research will help us better understand the disease and help us decrease stone formation in those dogs...
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CHF Grant 919 - "Molecular Genetic Characterization of Canine Cystinuria
for the Development of Carrier Tests"
Lay Summary (Non-confidential)
Cystinuria is an inherited disorder that causes kidney and urinary tract
stones in dog, man and other animals and has been documented in over 60
breeds of dogs. In humans, mutations in the protein coding regions of
two genes (named SLC3A1 and SLC7A9) are found in affected individuals.
In humans, cystinuria is primarily inherited as an autosomal recessive
trait, with some instances of somewhat more complex inheritance
patterns. In many dog breeds, cystinuria appears much more complex.
While our data rules out simple autosomal recessive inheritance of
mutations changing the proteins produced by SLC3A1 or SLC7A9, our most
recent data suggests that in at least one breed of dogs (Mastiffs), DNA
changes near one of these genes are associated with cystine stone
formation. There is also evidence that gender and reproductive status
may affect the level of cystine in the urine. Taken together and if
confirmed in a more comprehensive study, this most recent data suggests
approaches that can be used to reduce the incidence of cystine stone
formation in the Mastiff breed. Additional studies can be pursued to
determine if the conclusions reached in Mastiffs can be extended to
other breeds, and may help identify the underlying biological processes
leading to cystine stone formation in several dog breeds.
Central Kentucky Veterinary Center www.vetmail.com Georgetown, KY 502-863-0868
Beechwold Vet and Reproductive Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 614-268-8666
This is Bella's story.
Our journey began on October 7, 2006. We lost our GSD of almost 13 years back in May and I thought it would be a very long time before I could find enough love in my heart for another dog. But, by the grace of God, I woke up that Saturday morning, came downstairs, and told my husband, "I have to have a puppy today!" He looked at me quizzically and gave a long "okayyyyy". So our search began in the local newspaper. I really wanted another Shepherd, but there were none listed. Tim kept searching and he said, "Hey, what about a Mastiff?" Now the only dealing I had ever had with a Mastiff was seeing a couple of them hauled around in the back of a pickup by a guy in the little town we lived in. And, we had no idea there was a difference between a Mastiff and a Bullmastiff! So, after a phone call or two later, we were on our way to go look at this person's puppies. She had 3 puppies remaining to choose from, 2 fawns and an apricot. We wanted a fawn female, but the only fawn female kept running away and hiding under the table. This cute little apricot girl just kept coming up to us and really just stole our hearts. So, we paid the lady and came home with our girl! At the time we were told she was 8 weeks old. We were calling her "Bella" (pronounced Bay-ah) which is Spanish for beautiful. Upon filling out the registration papers, we noticed that her date of birth was 8/22/06, which put her at only 6 weeks old. The "breeder" was from Eastern WA but had these pups over in Western WA for the past 2 weeks trying to get them sold. This means they had been away from their mother since 4 weeks of age. (This should have been our first red flag)
After having her home for 6 days she began having diarrhea and vomiting. We ran her in to the Emergency Vet who immediately ran a test for Parvo. Thankfully she was negative! They suspected some kind of bacterial infection. After giving her a bolus of fluids and $180 later, we brought her home with instructions for a special diet. She recovered fully after a few days. Approximately a week later she began urinating blood. Her diagnosis was cystitis, for which she was given antibiotics. Two days after finishing her round of antibiotics, we were back at the vet with cystitis again. By the end of October we had spent approximately $1,719 on her. Her urinary tract issues continued into November with another 3 vet visits totaling approximately $191. Bella continues to have chronic urinary tract infections for which we make several trips to the vet for per year.
In January of 2007, we noticed that Bella had some strange, cloudy spots on her corneas and that she was having trouble navigating the stairs in our house. It was recommended that she see a Canine Ophthalmologist. We had heard about Mastiffs being one of the breeds prone to have PRA – Progressive Retinal Atrophy – and we were praying that this wasn't the case with our sweet girl. We took her in to see the Ophthalmologist and her diagnoses were: endothelial dystrophy (white plaques on the corneas), juvenile cataracts, CMR (Canine Multifocal Retinopathy), Micro-ophthalmia, retinal dysplasia, and entropion. We sent blood off to Opti-Gen to be tested for PRA and CMR. She tested "normal" for PRA, but "affected" for CMR. Needless to say we were heartbroken to find out that our sweet girl will eventually be totally blind, not because of the CMR, but because of the combination of the cataracts, the CMR, and the retinal dysplasia. She is not a candidate for cataract surgery because of this. She is at high risk for developing glaucoma. She is now almost 2 ½ years old and almost completely blind. To date we have spent over $800 on her ophthalmology visits and medications. Attempts to phone or email the person who sold Bella to us have gone unanswered.
Around this same time, my husband had read an article about a blind horse and how that horse was able to find its way around the pasture by following another horse which had a bell hung on its halter. The blind horse would follow the ringing of the bell. We figured "if this works for horses, why couldn't it work for our dog?!" So our search began for a "seeing-eye companion" for Bella. My husband began researching reputable Mastiff breeders to find a healthy, life-long companion for Bella. His searches brought him to a Breeder in our state and they began a series of correspondence. She was very gracious to answer all of our questions and she helped a great deal in educating us in the importance of health testing on Mastiffs. She never tried to "sell" us on one of her dogs. She places her dogs according to their temperament and where they will fit it best with family dynamics. She absolutely does not place according to gender or color of the dog. It was very clear to us that this person has a great deal of love for her dogs and wants to find homes for them with people who are willing to keep in contact for the entire duration of the pet's life. This was appealing to us because we felt like in Bella's case, we had so many questions left unanswered. She, in turn, had questions regarding Bella's diagnoses in order that she could get a more clear picture of what our needs were and what Bella's needs were going to be, so that she could make an informed decision on whether or not she would even have a puppy for our home.
She had a litter in February, 2007, and informed us that she would watch them closely as they began to mature, for the temperament that might match our home. She ultimately chose a little boy puppy for us. She described him as being "very serious and very quiet." We picked him up when he was 8.5 weeks old and brought him home. He was absolutely adorable and just as she had described him. Even as a young puppy he just seemed to "know" that there was something "different" about Bella. As he grew and their relationship grew, it became very apparent that he knew his job was to take care of her. We've never had to formally train him to be her eyes or to protect her. It's as if he's always known that she needs him. If they are out in the yard and he feels she is too far away from the house, he will "bump" her with his shoulder to redirect her toward the house, almost as if he is "herding" her. If she's defiant and continues on, he grabs her by the scruff of the neck and pulls her back. Most of the time though, he just follows closely behind her. When we call them to come inside, Boaz will either wait for her near the door, or in the case that she doesn't come quite fast enough for his liking, we say to him, "Go get Bella," and he will run off to herd her back inside. He never comes inside without waiting for her. It is really something quite phenomenal to watch. One would think this would only frustrate Bella, but in reality she looks to him for security. We've come to realize that Bella does not do well if we try to take her out anywhere without Boaz. She becomes frightened and once back home, sinks into a depression where she doesn't want to eat or even come out of her bed (kennel). An example of this is when she went in for her yearly vet check and vaccination booster. In the past she has always loved the attention she gets from everyone in the vets' office. This last time she was scared, shaking, and unsure of her steps. When we got home, it took her two days to recover enough to want to even ambulate around the house! So as an experiment of sorts, the next time we took her out, we took Boaz as well. She was confident, happy, and not insecure at all. Once we were home, she didn't exhibit any signs of being depressed. The way the two of them wrestle and play is another example of Boaz sensing her needs. He knows that her vision is limited so he's very good at not running away, asking her to pursue, but instead stays in close proximity so she can feel his whereabouts. They wrestle like a couple of kids! If she whines or barks for any reason, he is right there beside her for protection and comfort.
We wish we would've been more responsible in our education of health testing and what questions to ask and what red flags to look for. But we cannot imagine what our home would be like without Bella.
Mastiff Standard
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Mastiff Breed Standard
Working Group
General Appearance
The Mastiff is a large, massive, symmetrical dog with a well-knit frame. The impression is one of grandeur and dignity. Dogs are more massive throughout. Bitches should not be faulted for being somewhat smaller in all dimensions while maintaining a proportionally powerful structure. A good evaluation considers positive qualities of type and soundness with equal weight.
Size, Proposition, Substance
Size--Dogs, minimum, 30 inches at the shoulder. Bitches, minimum, 27½ inches at the shoulder. Fault--Dogs or bitches below the minimum standard. The farther below standard, the greater the fault.
Proportion--Rectangular, the length of the dog from forechest to rump is somewhat longer than the height at the withers. The height of the dog should come from depth of body rather than from length of leg.
Substance--Massive, heavy boned, with a powerful muscle structure. Great depth and breadth desirable. Fault--Lack of substance or slab sided.
Head
In general outline giving a massive appearance when viewed from any angle. Breadth greatly desired.
Eyes set wide apart, medium in size, never too prominent. Expression alert but kindly. Color of eyes brown, the darker the better, and showing no haw. Light eyes or a predatory expression is undesirable. Ears small in proportion to the skull, V-shaped, rounded at the tips. Leather moderately thin, set widely apart at the highest points on the sides of the skull continuing the outline across the summit. They should lie close to the cheeks when in repose. Ears dark in color, the blacker the better, conforming to the color of the muzzle.
Skull broad and somewhat flattened between the ears, forehead slightly curved, showing marked wrinkles which are particularly distinctive when at attention. Brows (superciliary ridges) moderately raised. Muscles of the temples well developed, those of the cheeks extremely powerful. Arch across the skull a flattened curve with a furrow up the center of the forehead. This extends from between the eyes to halfway up the skull. The stop between the eyes well marked but not too abrupt.
Muzzle should be half the length of the skull, thus dividing the head into three parts-one for the foreface and two for the skull. In other words, the distance from the tip of the nose to stop is equal to one-half the distance between the stop and the occiput. Circumference of the muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured before the ears) is as 3 is to 5. Muzzle short, broad under the eyes and running nearly equal in width to the end of the nose. Truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off square, thus forming a right angle with the upper line of the face. Of great depth from the point of the nose to the underjaw. Underjaw broad to the end and slightly rounded. Muzzle dark in color, the blacker the better. Fault snipiness of the muzzle.
Nose broad and always dark in color, the blacker the better, with spread flat nostrils (not pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with the septum and sufficiently pendulous so as to show a modified square profile. Canine Teeth healthy and wide apart. Jaws powerful. Scissors bite preferred, but a moderately undershot jaw should not be faulted providing the teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck powerful, very muscular, slightly arched, and of medium length. The neck gradually increases in circumference as it approaches the shoulder. Neck moderately "dry" (not showing an excess of loose skin). Topline--In profile the topline should be straight, level, and firm, not swaybacked, roached, or dropping off sharply behind the high point of the rump. Chest wide, deep, rounded, and well let down between the forelegs, extending at least to the elbow. Forechest should be deep and well defined with the breastbone extending in front of the foremost point of the shoulders. Ribs well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back. Underline--There should be a reasonable, but not exaggerated, tuck-up. Back muscular, powerful, and straight. When viewed from the rear, there should be a slight rounding over the rump. Loins wide and muscular.
Tail set on moderately high and reaching to the hocks or a little below. Wide at the root, tapering to the end, hanging straight in repose, forming a slight curve, but never over the back when the dog is in motion.
Forequarters
Shoulders moderately sloping, powerful and muscular, with no tendency to looseness. Degree of front angulation to match correct rear angulation. Legs straight, strong and set wide apart, heavy boned. Elbows parallel to body. Pasterns strong and bent only slightly. Feet large, round, and compact with well arched toes. Black nails preferred.
Hindquarters
Hindquarters broad, wide and muscular. Second thighs well developed, leading to a strong hock joint. Stifle joint is moderately angulated matching the front. Rear legs are wide apart and parallel when viewed from the rear. When the portion of the leg below the hock is correctly "set back" and stands perpendicular to the ground, a plumb line dropped from the rearmost point of the hindquarters will pass in front of the foot. This rules out straight hocks, and since stifle angulation varies with hock angulation, it also rules out insufficiently angulated stifles. Fault--Straight stifles.
Coat
Outer coat straight, coarse, and of moderately short length. Undercoat dense, short, and close lying. Coat should not be so long as to produce "fringe" on the belly, tail, or hind legs. Fault Long or wavy coat.
Color
Fawn, apricot, or brindle. Brindle should have fawn or apricot as a background color which should be completely covered with very dark stripes. Muzzle, ears, and nose must be dark in color, the blacker the better, with similar color tone around the eye orbits and extending upward between them. A small patch of white on the chest is permitted.
Faults--Excessive white on the chest or white on any other part of the body. Mask, ears, or nose lacking dark pigment.
Gait
The gait denotes power and strength. The rear legs should have drive, while the forelegs should track smoothly with good reach. In motion, the legs move straight forward; as the dog's speed increases from a walk to a trot, the feet move in toward the center line of the body to maintain balance.
Temperament
A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility. Dignity, rather than gaiety, is the Mastiff's correct demeanor. Judges should not condone shyness or viciousness. Conversely, judges should also beware of putting a premium on showiness.
Approved November 12, 1991
Effective December 31, 1991
Click on links:
WHAT IS IT: "Hip dysplasia" simply stated means an "abnormal formation" of the hip joint. Think of the condition first as a looseness in a joint that should be snug - then most of the problems attendant to hip dysplasia are a result of this "looseness".
The normal anatomy of the hip joint is a classic Ball and Socket joint. The head of the femur (the "Ball") is supposed to match the acetabulum (the "Socket"). A good hip joint has a neat, snug fit between the ball and socket - that is, the head of the femur should not be slipping and slopping around somewhere in the neighborhood of the acetabulum! There are infinite variations of dysplasia - ranging from only very slight changes from normal to complete dislocation. Consequently, no two dogs will be affected by CHD exactly alike.
HOW IS CHD ACQUIRED? This is one disorder that has been proven, positively, to have a genetic basis. How much of a genetic origin in each case can vary from 25% to 85%. A condition that is completely determined by genetics, for example gender, has a Heritibility Factor of 1. A condition totally unaffected by genetics, for example a broken leg, has a Heritibility Factor of zero.
Studies have shown that CHD's Heritibility factor ranges from .25 to .85; this is a significant genetic contribution. So the Heritibility Factor for a given dog is the result of a combination of the Heritibility Factors from each parent. Simply put . . . if the parents are carrying genetic material for hip dysplasia - so will the offspring. And the greater the genetic contribution for loose hips or malformed bone or abnormal muscle mass (Heritibility Factor) from the parents, the greater the chances for hip dysplasia in the offspring.
The expression of hip dysplasia in any dog has other determinants, though; genetics play only a varying role in the total picture. The effect of the developing dog's environment does play a role in the clinical (observable) signs of dysplasia, although just like the genetic component the effects of environment are variable and not completely understood. To illustrate the complexity of the environmental issue, listen to this: It is possible for a dog with known genetic components for hip dysplasia (called genotype) to not show any clinical signs of trouble if the environmental factors are favorable. So the dog can be dysplastic and not show observable signs of it until middle or old age. This is seen commonly in practice and it is always an important issue with breeders who assume that their dog is normal just because it hasn't shown any signs of hip trouble. Why take pelvic x-rays for dysplasia when the dog has always acted perfectly fit, they reason. There is no excuse for NOT taking pre-breeding x-rays. If two dogs that have the same genotype (genetic makeup) are exposed to different environmental conditions, their expression of hip trouble can be quite dissimilar. Little wonder that the topic has such a wide range of information and misinformation regarding it.
Some of the environmental aspects that can affect the observable expression of hip dysplasia are the following:
1. Nutrition - There are reports that in puppies a restricted calorie intake could restrict the growth rate, and in turn will lessen the potential for the dog to develop hip dysplasia. (Do NOT do this to any pup... it makes as much sense as stealing money from your own checking account!) The problem is that some restricted diets restrict the fat and protein content and increase the carbohydrate content of the food. Bad! The real goal should be to keep growing pups from becoming OVERWEIGHT. Restricting fat and protein in a growing pup can be a disaster. A high quality, meat-based diet is absolutely necessary for growing pups, just don't feed so much of it that the pup becomes overweight.
2. Physical Activity - In a young, growing dog with a genotype (genetic makeup) for CHD who will eventually develop some trouble because of it, will develop more arthritis and have more eventual difficulty if it is highly active physically. Climbing stairs, jumping into and out of pick-up trucks, running with other normal dogs can all subject the growing hip structures to unwarranted stress and trauma and increase future discomfort for the dog. The effects of this excessive activity is worsened in an overweight pup. (In a normal, growing dog, all these activities will not cause hip dysplasia!) There are many activities that a fast-growing mastiff pup should not do, but this has nothing to do with CHD.
3. Bedding - There is no scientific proof, but lots of observational conclusions, that pups reared (especially during the nursing period) on slippery surfaces such as newspapers will be prone to hip difficulties. That is not to say that smooth concrete, wood or newspaper surfaces cause dysplasia, just that they can make a bad situation worse. Better surfaces for newborn pups would be blankets or towels... something they can get a better grip on.
MUSCLE AND CHD: Research has shown that dogs with CHD have significantly decreased sizes of total pelvic musculature surrounding and acting on the hip joint. Whether this is a contributing factor or a result of hip dysplasia remains to be proven.
One muscle that can contribute to worsening of hip dysplasia is the Pectineus Muscle. In dogs with a strong genetic background for CHD, the microscopic makeup and contractibility of the Pectineus Muscle are strikingly different from the same muscle of normal dogs. The theory is that a tight or inelastic Pectineus Muscle causes tension in such a direction that the force tends to pull the head of the femur away from the acetabulum. So the tight muscle creates more looseness in the joint. There have been good results in about 50% of the cases where they have surgically excised a portion of the Pectineus Muscle. The patients were more comfortable and mobile almost immediately. This Pectineal Myotomy surgery has no effect on the arthritic changes in the hip joints; it simply can make the dog more comfortable.
LIGAMENT OF THE HEAD OF THE FEMUR: Attaching to the head of the femur from the center of the hip socket is a tough fibrous ligament called the Ligament of the Head of the Femur. If this ligament is stretched or torn, the hip joint will be less stable . . . and this is exactly what happens to dogs with dysplasia. In fact, some of the first changes to take place in young dogs developing hip dysplasia occur in this ligament especially if the muscle mass of the pelvis is underdeveloped. The ligament swells, develops tiny tears and stretches. In advanced CHD this ligament can totally break down and cause more harm than good.
JOINT CAPSULE: This tissue, which if you could hold it, would feel like the wall of a thick balloon It surrounds the joint and produces synovial fluid to nourish and lubricate the joint cartilage. In addition, the joint capsule provides some support to the joint. In dysplastic joints the capsule becomes irritated, stretched, and scarred. In advanced cases the capsule will lose its elasticity and inhibit a full range of motion in the joint. A large percentage of the pain associated with hip dysplasia originates from inflamed nerve endings in the joint capsule so any pathology here will have a noticeable affect on the dog.
CARTILAGE: The surfaces of the head of the femur and the acetabulum are covered with what is termed hyaline cartilage. In a dysplastic joint the points of pressure and the amount of pressure applied to areas of cartilage surfaces are abnormal. The cartilage is being asked to do things it physically cannot accomplish, so it changes or disintegrates as a response. The changes range from thickening in abnormal areas to thinning in others. Sometimes the pounding it gets erodes the cartilage down to the underlying bone! The outcome is more pain and discomfort, more inflammation, more calcium deposits from inadequate healing attempts and eventual breakdown of the joint as a unit. Nutriceuticals such as Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine may be effective in aiding the repair and maintenance of this articular cartilage.
BONE CHANGES: Since bone is alive it responds to stress and grows in a manner that tends to distribute weight loads evenly. As a result of posture changes brought on by discomfort, the dog's weight bearing forces stress the bone in unnatural ways. The bone does what it is supposed to do as a response and changes its shape. The bone doesn't know that the shape it changes to is abnormal.
Ultimately, this abnormal shape to the thigh bone and acetabulum create more difficulty with stability and a vicious cycle ensues that spells trouble for the dog. The final outcome of bony remodeling in unstable hip joints is Degenerative Joint Disease.
SIGNS OF CHD IN YOUNG DOGS: What you will see first is a pup that runs with both back legs nearly together, almost like a rabbit would run. After exercise the pup will be reluctant to rise, will sit back as if unsteady and will have difficulty climbing stairs or inclines. The pup might look slightly underdeveloped in the rear quarters. When it stands the rear legs may not be parallel, but rather too near each other at the hocks (ankles) called "cow hocked". You might notice a boniness to the pelvic area from lack of good muscle development. Another hint of trouble is an inability to extend the leg backward very far (decreased range of motion). Note: Many pups rest or sleep in a frog-like position with knees extended out to either side - this is a good sign and shouldn't alarm you.
In severe cases of dysplasia, the young dog will rock forward to support more weight on the front legs (which can create trouble in the shoulders and elbows). When dogs do this it seems as if they are tip-toeing or walking very lightly on their rear legs. A dysplastic pup will be reluctant to jump or "stand up" on its hind legs. Signs usually begin between five and eights months of age. But remember, as we learned above, some dogs do not show any signs at all of hip joint degeneration until mature adults.
SIGNS OF CHD IN OLDER DOGS: Some dogs with dysplasia escape pain or simply accept it as a fact of life and don't complain until degenerative joint disease sets in. Affected dogs will sit rather than stand, have trouble arising, run with the rear legs together and not be able to keep up any more on Sunday walks. Every veterinarian has been mystified on occasions where an x-ray of an older dog, who only recently seemed to be having hip trouble, reveals extensive degenerative changes in the hips due to long term dysplasia.
It is very important to keep this fact in mind: A dog can appear normal and yet have hip dysplasia. Just because a four-year-old dog isn't showing signs of trouble is not sufficient evidence to state "it couldn't possibly have hip dysplasia".
DETERMINING THE PRESENCE OF CHD: Dogs with obvious signs of CHD (hip soreness, difficulty arising or climbing inclines, muscle atrophy over the rump, limping) are not a challenge to confirm as such. So this discussion will apply more to the dog that seems to be normal but you are either not sure or need to know for breeding or training/working reasons. The minimum data required is a pelvic x-ray taken under anesthesia . . . PERIOD! You MUST have the x-ray to know if the dog is normal!
PennHIP: (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program)
Commercially available since 1993, this procedure has been and was developed as an objective method of evaluating dogs’ hip structure. It evolved as a direct result of the subjectivity factors and age constraint (maturity) limitations inherent to evaluation and certification of dogs by the OFA and other screening programs. PennHIP research published in peer reviewed journals has shown that different breeds have different susceptibility to osteoarthritis. Therefore, in PennHIP evaluations each breed is compared to its own. Only PennHIP certified veterinarians can do the PennHIP evaluation but many veterinarians are becoming certified in this procedure.
Why is anesthesia required in order to have the dog radiographed? To have an x-ray that yields the information you're trying to discover the dog must be perfectly relaxed. Because the position required to take a diagnostic x-ray is a somewhat unnatural one, even very gentle, cooperative dogs cannot relax enough to be x-rayed properly. Nothing is more frustrating for the veterinarian than to have an owner say "I need to know if this dog has any signs of hip dysplasia. Take an x-ray, but I don't want you to use anesthesia; this dog will do anything you tell it to do, so an anesthetic isn't necessary." Unless at the time of exposure of the x-ray, the dog is positioned precisely, with no movement, the x-ray will not be credible. You won't get the information you need!
Another great advantage of anesthesia is that the veterinarian can only then palpate and manipulate the hips to actually feel the degree of looseness. Also, the tension of the Pectineus Muscle is best assessed under anesthesia. Any grating or grinding from calcium deposits along the hip joints can be evaluated better than attempting to do so on an awake patient. If you need the information, the dog needs the anesthetic.
If the pelvis is tipped only slightly to one side or the other, one hip can appear normal that isn't and one can appear dysplastic that isn't! To complicate things, 10% of dysplastic dogs will be affected in only one hip! Better do the x-ray right!
The importance of radiography cannot be overstated. It can be done early, say five or six months of age, if dysplasia is suspected. If the results are questionable, reserve breeding until a time when the x-rays are conclusive. Generally, by the time the dog is full grown the x-rays will properly reveal the status of the hips. The OFA (OFA.org) will not classify hips in dogs until they are two years of age.
The advantage of radiography in a younger animal is that if you plan on breeding it you can eliminate fruitless time and financial and emotional expense related to breeding if the x-rays show unquestionable hip dysplasia. There have been many disappointed, depressed dog owners whose expectations for breeding were high and were shocked back to reality when their two-year-old dog showed x-ray evidence of dysplasia... two years of planning, training and dreams of great litters down the tube. If only the parents had been x-rayed. If only preliminary x-rays were taken eighteen months ago. Again, the advantage of the PennHIP procedure is obvious since dog over 4 months of age cane be evaluated.
It is very sad indeed for any pet owner to see their special pal affected by the discomfort and mobility problems associated with Canine Hip Dysplasia. Fortunately, armed with knowledge and forethought, highly selective breeding is your best defense against CHD.
Hip Dysplasia
Verification for All OFA testing link:
The OFA’s policy regarding permanent identification is an extension of the AKC’s policy in that the AKC will only accept OFA numbers into their registry for inclusion on registration papers and pedigrees IF the dog is permanently identified. While DNA profiles are able to uniquely identify individual dogs, it is also the AKC’s policy to limit permanent identification for health screening
purposes to tattoo or microchip. The rationale is that DNA profiles are not immediately verifiable, they require a sample to be taken and subsequent laboratory analysis. The AKC’s premise is that tattoos are visually immediately verifiable, microchips are immediately verifiable using a scanner, and that the verification should be done at the time of testing. Until January 1, 2008, the OFA will accept applications regardless of whether the dog has been tattooed or microchipped. Dogs with acceptable permanent id are assigned a PI suffix to their OFA number, dogs without permanent identification are assigned a NOPI suffix. The OFA Policy on Verification of Permanent Identification In order to add a higher level of integrity to the OFA databases, the OFA Hip and Elbow application form has been modified to include an area for the attending veterinarian to indicate whether or not they verified the
supplied permanent identification. The revised application form is available above After January 1, 2008, the verification step must be performed in order for the data to be forwarded to the AKC for inclusion in their records. Dogs with the verification step done will have a suffix of VPI assigned to their OFA numbers.
