There are many orthopedic disorders that can affect our pets, from hip and elbow dysplasia to luxating patella, also known as a dislocated kneecap. Since these disorders are more likely to appear in certain breeds, it’s important to screen your pet to make sure that he or she will not pass them down to future generations.
Standiford Veterinary Center is pleased to be one of the few animal hospitals with veterinarians who are certified in performing the PennHIP methodology. PennHIP screenings test the laxity of the canine hip joints to determine how loose they are. The looser the hips, the higher the probability that a dog will develop hip dysplasia.
Because hip laxity doesn’t change once a dog reaches the age of 5 months, screenings for hip dysplasia can be conducted much earlier using this method. In addition, it has been found to be a more accurate predictor of the disorder than previous screening methodologies.
OFA evaluations are used to identify a variety of orthopedic disorders in pets, ranging from hip and elbow dysplasia to spinal and knee disorders. During these screenings, digital X-rays are produced and sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for evaluation to determine whether a pet is likely to develop a disorder and potentially pass it on to his or her offspring.