Now that you have read about the OFA and the testing process but you may want to know that these results mean? It needs to be stated that the OFA will only certify with an OFA number Hips that are Normal. Hips that show signs of Dysplaisa are unable to receive certification numbers.

Good
Good: slightly less than superior but a well-formed congruent hip joint is visualized. The ball fits well into the socket and good coverage is present.

Fair
Fair: Assigned where minor irregularities in the hip joint exist. The hip joint is wider than a good hip phenotype. This is due to the ball slightly slipping out of the socket causing a minor degree of joint incongruency. There may also be slight inward deviation of the weight-bearing surface of the socket (dorsal acetabular rim) causing the socket to appear slightly shallow (Figure 4). This can be a normal finding in some breeds however, such as the Chinese Shar Pei, Chow Chow, and Poodle.

Borderline
Borderline: there is no clear cut consensus between the radiologists to place the hip into a given category of normal or dysplastic. There is usually more incongruency present than what occurs in the minor amount found in a fair but there are no arthritic changes present that definitively diagnose the hip joint being dysplastic. There also may be a bony projection present on any of the areas of the hip anatomy illustrated above that can not accurately be assessed as being an abnormal arthritic change or as a normal anatomic variant for that individual dog. To increase the accuracy of a correct diagnosis, it is recommended to repeat the radiographs at a later date (usually 6 months). This allows the radiologist to compare the initial film with the most recent film over a given time period and assess for progressive arthritic changes that would be expected if the dog was truly dysplastic. Most dogs with this grade (over 50%) show no change in hip conformation over time and receive a normal hip rating; usually a fair hip phenotype.

Mild
Mild Canine Hip Dysplasia: there is significant subluxation present where the ball is partially out of the socket causing an incongruent increased joint space. The socket is usually shallow only partially covering the ball. There are usually no arthritic changes present with this classification and if the dog is young (24 to 30 months of age), there is an option to resubmit an radiograph when the dog is older so it can be reevaluated a second time. Most dogs will remain dysplastic showing progression of the disease with early arthritic changes. Since HD is a chronic, progressive disease, the older the dog, the more accurate the diagnosis of HD (or lack of HD).

Moderate
Moderate Canine Hip Dysplasia: there is significant subluxation present where the ball is barely seated into a shallow socket causing joint incongruency. There are secondary arthritic bone changes usually along the femoral neck and head (termed remodeling), acetabular rim changes (termed osteophytes or bone spurs) and various degrees of trabecular bone pattern changes called sclerosis. Once arthritis is reported, there is only continued progression of arthritis over time.

Severe
Severe HD: assigned where radiographic evidence of marked dysplasia exists. There is significant subluxation present where the ball is partly or completely out of a shallow socket. Like moderate HD, there are also large amounts of secondary arthritic bone changes along the femoral neck and head, acetabular rim changes and large amounts of abnormal bone pattern changes.

Having said all of this we want to post that Jack received his OFA certification a couple of weeks ago. We have updated our website with the results. Jack is the first Koolie ever to receive OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) certification. Jack holds a Normal rating but is in the Fair category. This rating is not as high as we would have liked. I wish we had the x-rays done when he was younger. Let me stress that the OFA will not issue a Normal certification if there are any signs of Dysplaisa.

I spoke with Dr. G.G. Keller D.V.M., M.S., DACVR the Chief of Veterinary Services for the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and we discussed in detail Jack’s results. Dr. Keller’s opinion is that age is a contributor to this Fair rating, Jack was tested for the first time at 113 months (9 years and 5 months). Dr. Keller stresses that there is no signs of any Dysplasia and that the rating he gave was based on the normal wear of the joints. Dr. Keller also stated that there is no reason that Jack can not be a part of a breeding strong program, nothing he saw in the x-rays would concern him with our breeding Jack. With our goal to provide healthy puppies we wanted to be sure that a Normal Fair rating would provide that.

While there are those who would view our results as possibly less then desirable, I disagree, as does the OFA. The OFA supports the use of Normal Fair scored animals as long as it is done through a responsible breeding program. I went the extra mile to contact the OFA Chief of Veterinary Services to get details of the rating. I have also learned that the OFA is in the process of developing a database of dogs that are being retested at an older age. They hope to be able to track the level of joint wear through changes with age. This Hip Follow Up x-ray is encouraged so that more information can be reviewed.

We will continue to implement proactive testing and certification to help assist us in our venture to have healthy Koolies. While many breeders choose not to invest the time or money in this type of testing we have chosen to follow a path that sets us apart. We have chosen a path that we felt was responsible and right for us. Look for continued updates here and on our website.

Karolina Kool Blu Koolies

Karolina Koolies

Thanks karolinakoolie...interesting reading

Terrific infomation, it is so reasuring to know that Koolies in America have such a devoted promoter and protector.
Well done look forward to many updates and many photos.

I had another post that got lost somewhere in cyber space, it was about what the OFA certification actually is... I am going to repost that information. It will explain what the OFA is and why I tested. I will try to get it up on the site sometime today.

Thanks for the Support. We are trying to do what we can to be sure we are not going to pass on any potential problems. It is comforting to know that Jack shows NO signs of Hip Dysplaisa at all. I will keep everyone posted on how we are doing.

Karolina Koolies

We follow your progress closely Karolina, we can only hope others who choose to import the Koolie will approched it with the same care and appreciation of their obligations to this great breed as you yourself demonstrate.
You continue to go from strength to strength, and I am honoured to play a small part as a supporter in your efforts.