That's your honest opinion. That doesn't make it a fact. Differences in grades also consider angle and thickness of femoral neck, shape of acetabular rim (not just coverage) and many other elements. I know a lot of people who "thought" their dog would receive an excellent rating based on coverage but didn't get it due to one of the features I just listed. It isn't as simple as some people try to make it. A lot of thought goes into grading radiographs, which is why the three opinions don't always agree - people don't always think alike. Just like us.

That said, I agree that positioning is important. The rotation of the femur so that it is "midlined" is a feature that some vets don't seem to be able to get. I know that my vet has said my big, muscular boys are sometimes hard to get aligned as he would prefer - even with anesthesia, which we always use.

I have a vet that is very experienced with OFA positioning and tries very hard to get the knees lined up. That being said...some dogs have so much thigh muscle that she has a very difficult achieving this. It has not seemed to affect our evaluations any when this happens. I had a girl earlier this year...very muscular thighs that we could not get the knees lined up as preferred. She still got an Excellent on her final.

We always go over them before we send them in. Look at coverage but also joint formation, length of neck and signs of djd and arthritis.

Pulling from one of her original questions, should the knees be pointed upward or out ? And understand about the thick thighs.

I reread my post to Need Honest Opinion and I apologize if you think that I implied you were lucky to get a Fair considering the positioning. I just got so fired up and angry for you and all of us. Personally, I thought your dogs hips looked lovely and I was annoyed for you that your dog only got a Fair. Wow, an 1/8 of an inch difference in coverage changes everything, doesn't it! Regardless if we can be more or less cavalier about these ratings, it makes us rethink running on a dog we love. And that is such a shame. It is tough enough just breeding a good one and then to make decisions based on such unbelievable subjectivity makes me angry and sad.
How many times have I read on this Forum that x-rays are resubmitted and the ratings have changed? Why. . . because on the new set of x-rays, the hip, on the day is sitting a little deeper in the socket or what the radiology saw on the elbow the first time just disappeared? You would think that radiologists with all their training would be accurate about whether Degenerative Joint Disease is present or not. And this is how paranoid, I am and anyone can correct me if I am wrong. I want to be wrong. I think that the OFA relies on resubmissions to make a little more money AND I think there are PETA sympathizers among the radiologists who read the reports. I wish we all could say we won't take it anymore, but we're sort of stuck with this system.
I apologize again to Need Honest Opinion if I offended you. I have been in the same boat.

"It is tough enough just breeding a good one and then to make decisions based on such unbelievable subjectivity makes me angry and sad."

I hear your anguish, but in the final analysis ALL decisions we make about breeding are based on subjectivity. In fact, even thinking you bred a good one is subjective to a great extent. For many people, the most desirable reason for breeding their dog is that it is THEIR dog

OFA isn't perfect, but it is more objective than just getting one opinion, even if we don't always like the outcome. As long as humans are involved in the process at any point, you can't prevent subjectivity - or errors.

No worries at all, no offense was taken. I was actually just grinding his nails down for his weekend of showing, so yes full steam ahead we go! My boss/his vet did tell me she really had to crank on his legs to get them positioned, due to the fact he had so much muscle. Not sure why she turns the knees out. I will ask her Monday when I go back to work. Now off to my fun weekend with my beautiful boy doing something we both enjoy!

Geez- I didn't mean to start such as buzz. I do think it's helpful though seeing these xrays, and wished others posted as well so we could all learn and see the difference in them. If any one were interested I would be happy to post his elbows for the same reasoning.

I agree and please don't think I was saying my boss was complaining. In fact I think her positioning was very good. She just was saying he really had alot of muscle, and it was difficult to get him where she wanted. She is no dummy either she graduated number one in her class at U of Penn, yes she's no an ortho but she is very competant. FYI he was under propfol.