OFA and PennHIP, what's your preference and why?

Question

For the reputable breeders here, who actually spend the time and money on testing your dogs... I've been researching this and I am curious to your choices and opinions on this...

Which test do you use and why do you use it?

Do you feel that each one offers slightly different information and so do you do both?

What are the pros and cons of each?

Answer 1

Both... PennHIP is better in my opinion, but I like the rating that OFA gives.

PennHIP is good in my opinion because:
1) It can be done ACCURATELY at an early age
2) I have seen great improvements in White Shepherds by breeders using PennHIP
3) It (supposedly) doesn't change throughout the life of the dog... The score they get at 6 months old should be the same at 8 years old (for example).
4) More uniform "technique" than OFA, and the vets have to be certified to be able to do it.
5) The vets are required to send all x-rays in, so breed statistics are more accurate.

OFA:
1) Good because it gives you a rating
2) Often times is more affordable than PennHIP
3) Bad because it can easily be influenced by the veterinarian's technique and experience.
4) Bad because it can change drastically over time. A dog can be prelimed at "Excellent" then at 6 years old be "Moderate" hip dysplasia.

PennHIP measures the laxity of the hips. Their theory is the tighter the hips the better. They say the tighter they are the less likely the dog is to develope HD later in life. However, they don't "rate" the conformation of the joint. They just say "yes" vs. '"no" if there is DJD found.

OFA just looks at the conformation of the hip joint... How well set it is, how smooth, round, etc. So when they give a "rating" it is based on how the hip looks AT THAT TIME. Have the dog x-rayed 5 years later and they may look the same or much worse. OFA does not predict how the hip will turn out... Just how it is at that time. But I do like OFA because currently they are the only ones I know of certifiying elbows (other than Canada's OVC).

Recently I have been seeing lots of White Shepherds with better PennHIP scores. We are included in the "German Shepherd" breed statistics. The median DI for a GSD is .40. Lately there have been LOTS of Whites being placed in the 80th and 90th percentiles. Even in the past couple of years, I know of 2 Whites (half-siblings) that both came back in the 100th percentile. This is one of the best kennels using PennHIP and seeing great results: http://www.surefireshepherds.com/ On the left you can scroll down the menu until you see "OFA/PennHIP Results". She openly posts them for all to see.

Our White Shepherd Genetics Project is currently doing a great thing. To certain bloodlines they are offering up to $250 reimbursement for having your White Shepherd PennHIP'd. I just had 2 of mine done and soon hope to have 2 more done. Still waiting on the results of the first two.

Here is an article a friend sent to me the other day, but I truthfully haven't had time to read it yet! LOL http://www.workingdogs.com/ofa_penn.htm

And here is an article by the founder of our WS Genetics Project:
http://www.kerstoneshepherds.net/pennhip.htm

So basically, I think that if you can afford both, do both! If you have to choose one... PennHIP. I can get PennHIP in Denver for $200 flat, and back home in KS I have a great vet who does OFA - $50 hips, $25 elbows (does not include OFA fees).

Answer 2

They really can't be compared because they are two totally different ratings and look at two totally different things. The one thing I like about PennHip is the fact the vet who does the x-rays must be trained and certified, with OFA they don't.With OFA any vet can do the x-rays and the x-rays readings are very subjective.
It actually has been proven that you can get two different reading from the same set of x-rays with OFA.
PennHip doesn't dislocate anything and dogs are no more apt to be sore after having PennHip done then they are OFA. The laxisity is the same in a 16 week old as it is a 6 year old it doesn't change so the reading on PennHip is the same.OFA since it looks at a totally different set of x-rays and rates a totally different thing can't be officially done before 2 years of age.

Answer 3

I do both also. I like the views that PennHip takes. I feel it is better for viewing potential DJD. I PennHip pups at 6 months, then if they are not great, I can place that pup. Then I do OFA the hips and elbows at 24 months. I have found this to be a good system for myself and my dogs, and it gives me that added piece of mind.

They do not DISLOCATE the hips during PennHip. IT is a "distraction" view, where the dog is positioned on the distraction device to make the hips naturally as lax as they as they can be. It is just a plastic thing, so it cannot dislocate the hips. If the hips are very lax, is will show that. If not, they will not be as lax. I have never had a dog seem "painful" after a PennHip series. They are fine after the anesthetic. There is NOT someone forcing the poor dogs hips out of the sockets!!!!!!!
That is what OFA lacks. The ability to tell us what dogs have good joint formation, yet have too much laxity in the hips. Too much laxity is thought to be a precursor to DJD. That is why BOTH, when done at the right times, have a great place in diagnosing CHD.

http://www.pennhip.org/

Go there and it will show ONE dog with the three different views taken using PennHip method. It shows WHY the distraction view is so important!

Answer 4

I do both. With larger dogs it is essential, I do the PennHip at one year sooner if I have my concerns.and the OFA at two years. Saints are notorious for DJD. In fact my male is scheduled this Saturday for his PennHip. I really like the PennHip also, because it gives me a heads up so to speak. However, the OFA in my opinion is the defining test.

Answer 5

I think anyone who pays good money for a mutt is an idiot. Giving cross breeds a cute name doesn't make them valuable. That said, there is NOTHING wrong with a good old-fashioned mutt so long as you didn't pay two grand for it. All our fancy purebreds came from something else anyway! My bullmastiff, if you go back far enough, was intentionally bred between an English bulldog and an Old English Mastiff. Their first offspring would be considered mutts. It's a genetic fact that cross breeding generally produces stronger, healthier offspring (rather than limiting the gene pool) so if providing pets that are healthier and live longer is the goal, great. If turning a buck by backyard breeding one cutesypoo dog with another for a profit is the goal which it seems to be in most cases, then I don't know what's more stupid, the people doing it, or the people buying it!

Answer 6

I have had both done on dogs that were possibly going to be bred.
Now that I am not doing any breeding I still have the OFA ratings done as it is a good indicator of how the dogs will hold up long term to the rigors of hunting. My female Weim has not been done yet as she is not showing any problems and has been spayed. She will most likey earn her MH title in the next year or so. She is a great hunter and a wonderful example of the Weim breed but there are just to many in rescue right now for me to consider adding more to the mix so she was spayed.

Answer 7

I do both.
I do PennHip at 16 weeks (because it is predictive by nature) before I spend thousands training and running the dog.
I then do OFA at 24 months (because it is objective by nature) so that if the dog is ever used for breeding the number will be on the puppy's registration.

Answer 8

I use OFA. OFA required the dog to be at least 2 yrs of age before a rating will be given.

PennHIP will do them at a much younger age.

In my opinion, this make OFA better, because the dogs are at their full growth when x-rays are done.

With PennHip, if you x-ray a 6 month old puppy, who's to say something won't develop during final growth stages?!!!

Answer 9

I also like OFA. I do not do it often as I am not a breeder. I just want to make sure the dogs hips are doing well before all the training starts. I have also heard, and i am not sure if this is correct or not, that the PEN HIP option is painfull because they pull the hips out until dislocation occurs. Anyway, I do not usually get dogs that are less then 18-24 months and they have x-rays done before then anyway.