a minus number), and preferably with a confidence rating of at least 60%.
Ideally breeders should use dogs that that have an EBV which is lower than average (i.e. This service is unique worldwide in dog breeding and is underpinned by the close working relationship between The Kennel Club and BVA. By linking this data together and looking at a dog's surrounding family it helps us estimate the types of genes a dog has and those that could be passed on to its puppies. This links information about a dog's family (its pedigree information) with data from the BVA/KC health schemes. Hip scores of both individual Kennel Club registered dogs and their relatives are published online via our health test results finder and are used to produce our estimated breeding values resource for the most commonly scored breeds. Since dog breeds vary widely in the incidence of hip dysplasia, this allows individual dogs to be compared with others in the same breed, showing whether they are average, or better or worse, in their hip status. The total hip scores are published and can be compared with the median score for the breed (the score of the average dog in that breed, with equal numbers of dogs scoring higher and lower). The final appeal score is therefore based on the professional opinion of five scrutineers The radiographs are re-scored by a different pair of scrutineers who are unaware of the original score, and then reviewed by the chief scrutineer. Appeals process – The BVA/KC scheme has a robust appeals process that is open to any breeder who disagrees with the score/grade for their dog.Breeders can also ask their vet to sign them up for automatic email updates on the status of their submissions, so they are kept informed on its progress. New faster online submission - The new canine health scheme online submission portal means breeders can get their dog’s results returned to them within one week of payment.Random selection of scrutineer pairs ensures that there is continuous peer review within the panel at each scoring/grading session This ensures consistency and continuity of results over time. The panel of scrutineers meet annually to discuss the findings of a quality control exercise and to review a sample of appeal radiographs. Quality and consistency – We only accept high quality radiographs and these are reviewed using high-definition radiology-grade equipment and Visbion imaging software.Two scrutineers – Radiographs submitted to the scheme are simultaneously assessed by two scrutineers working together as a team, whether side-by-side or remotely, and reaching a consensus on the score/grade.They are extremely experienced in the assessment of hip and elbow radiographs, scoring and grading over 16,000 each year Highly qualified and experienced vets - The scheme currently has a panel of ten scrutineers who are all veterinary surgeons with advanced professional qualifications in veterinary radiology and/or orthopaedic surgery.The schemes also contribute to The Kennel Club’s unique database of hip scores, which in turn are used to create our estimated breeding values. Learn more about how Big Barker beds help dogs with hip dysplasia.The BVA/KC hip dysplasia schemes operate to the highest standards of expertise, quality and consistency, which means breeders can have complete confidence in the rigour and accuracy of the scoring and grading processes. So if they find signs on the physical exam that are consistent with hip dysplasia, then it’s more likely that that is the way the hip dysplasia is going to be diagnosed. The other way it’s diagnosed is in conjunction with the x-ray findings, what the veterinarian finds on the physical exam. You can also diagnose hip dysplasia via a CT scan or MRI, but since both of those tests cost anywhere upwards from 800 to $1,000, most people elect to have the x-rays done. With PennHIP, you can test puppies, and if there are problems, get them taken care of sooner. For OFA, dogs have to wait until they’re two years old to be certified hip dysplasia-free or have their hips graded. There’s also a new way to diagnose hip dysplasia, called PennHIP process, and it can only be done by people who are certified in it, but the advantage of the PennHIP diagnostic testing is that animals can be diagnosed much younger than the Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA). It can also be diagnosed in very young dogs, by a physical exam test called an Ortolani sign, which involves putting the dog on his back and rotating the hips to see whether the ball and socket joints, if the two hip joints will pop in and pop out.