Since everyone is talking about OFA I have another scenario for many to consider or even those that may have been through this?

I know that some breed on Preliminary OFA Hip and Elbows Clearances and then retain pups from these breedings for your program. What do you do or would you do if you had Sire or Dam who was cleared at Prelims but then when finals were done came back with a Grade I or Grade II elbow? Or even a Change in Hips Status from Fair to DJD?

Do you place the Bitch/Dog?

Do you place their off-spring that you kept to run on?

Do you change your contract or price of the older puppy or adult to reflect the potential problem?

I am just wondering as everyone has been talking so much about OFA's changing what does everyone do in this scenario?

What do you do or would you do if you had Sire or Dam who was cleared at Prelims but then when finals were done came back with a Grade I or Grade II elbow? Or even a Change in Hips Status from Fair to DJD? Depends on whether it is unilateral or bilateral for the elbows. If the vet is seeing DJD already in the hips, the dog would be retired.

Do you place the Bitch/Dog? If I know it is not positioning related, then yes. If its questionable I might re x-ray in 6 months.

Do you place their off-spring that you kept to run on? It depends how important that pedigree is to me. If its the last offspring of my 3rd generation of bitches then yes I would run on the offspring, especially if there is a solid orthopedic background behind that offspring.

Do you change your contract or price of the older puppy or adult to reflect the potential problem? For the adult with dysplasia, yes. For the offspring with no outward issues, no I use my same contract that already warranties against hip and elbow dysplasia.

This happened to me the last time I bred to a dog based on prelims. That's why it was the LAST time

I notified all the puppy owners of the problem with the sire's final report (elbow DJD) and watched my own keeper for any signs. Four of the nine pups in the litter did develop elbow dysplasia (I'd say that was very hereditary!) including mine. I placed him and replaced the others that were in show or breeding homes.

The dog I used was cleared at 16 months. Both hips and elbows received poorer scores on finals. It makes one really think about the practice in other countries where dogs are x-rayed only once at about a year of age. OFA may have its issues, but I think its age policies help to protect us and many breeds from our own haste.