Health and Certifications
OFA - Overview

• An Important Notice from AKC !!
• What is OFA?
• OFA's Progress
• Does OFA have a website?
• How to contact OFA
  
  

An Important Notice from AKC, effective July 1, 1996:

As of July 1, 1996, The American Kennel Club (AKC) only accepts OFA evaluation results for dogs that are positively and permanently identified at the time of testing. A microchip or tattoo is an accepted means of identification. The dog's AKC registration number and the microchip or tattoo number must be reported to OFA at the time test results are submitted for evaluation. It is also recommended that these identification numbers be noted on the x-rays when they are submitted to OFA.

NOTE: This is an AKC policy. OFA will continue to process dogs without permanent ID.

What is OFA?

OFA is a not-for-profit foundation, established in 1966, with the following objectives:

• to collate and disseminate information concerning orthopedic and genetic desease of animals
• to advise, encourage and establish control programs to lower the incidence of orthopedic and genetic diseases
• to encourage and finance researches in orthopedic and genetic disease in animals
• to receive funds and make grants to carry out these objectives

Currently, the OFA functions as a voluntary diagnostic service and registry for:

• Hip Dysplasia ~ canine and feline
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation
• Craniomandibular osteopathy
• Copper Toxicosis ~ Bedlington Terriers
• Cardiac Registry
• Thyroid Registry
• Von Willebrand's Disease ~ Shetland Sheepdog, Doberman Pinscher, Scottish Terriers, Manchester Terriers
• Phosphofructokinase Dificiency ~ Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy ~ Irish Setter
• Pyruvate Kinase Dificiency ~ Basenji

In addition to its registry activities, OFA also has contributed more than $1.5 million in financial support to research on canine hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and molecular genetics.

OFA's 30 Years of Progress
OFA Data Confirm Dramatic Improvements in Dog Hips

Breeders working with the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals have reduced the rate of hip dysplasia in their dogs by 29.3 percent, and increased the rate of excellent hips by 56.4 percent, according to data collected during the foundation's first thirty years. In nineteen breeds, the occurrence of excellent hips has more than doubled.

G. Gregory Keller, DVM, MS ~ executive director of OFA states:

"The breeders we work with are a subset of the general population of breeders. People who consistently use OFA's services have shown progress in the hip status of their dogs. That means the people who are buying puppies from those breeders have a much better chance of getting a normal dog.

The reason we look at excellent hips as a barometer of progress is the argument that the decreasing percentage of dysplastic hips can be due to prior screening. Prior screening and radiographs of hips that obviously are dysplastic may not be submitted.

But if we just look at the submissions of normal hips, the excellent ratio of normal dogs is increasing significantly. That tells us that there has been considerable progress by breeders who have used the screening process to enable them to breed normal dogs to normal dogs."

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals was founded in 1966 to assist breeders in addressing the hip problems found in many breeds. Since that time it has evaluated the hip status of more than 600,000 dogs. In recent years OFA has expanded its services by opening registries that assist breeders in assessing elbow and patella deformities, copper toxicosis, craniomandibular osteopathy, autoimmune thyroiditis and congenital heart disease. OFA is cooperating with VetGen Canine Genetic Services to offer screenings and registries for von Willebrand's disease in Scottish Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, Shetland Sheepdogs and Manchester Terriers; copper toxicosis in Bedlington Terriers; phosphofructokinase deficiency in English Springer Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels; and pyruvate kinase deficiency in Basenjis.

At the close of the foundation's 30th year, its staff prepared statistics comparing hip evaluations on dogs born in or before 1980 with those of dogs born in 1986-87 and in 1993-94. The analysis covers breeds that had 400 or more evaluations in or before 1980. Under OFA protocols, evaluations are not considered definitive until the dog is two years of age.

The data show that the rate of excellent hips more than doubled in 19 breeds from 1980 to 1993-94: Akita, Airedale Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres, Bloodhound, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Chow Chow, Collie, English Setter, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Golden Retriever, Giant Schnauzer, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, Newfoundland, Puli and Rottweiler.

The incidence of excellent hips grew by more than 50 percent in nine additional breeds: Alaskan Malamute, Bearded Collie, Belgian Tervuren, Labrador Retriever, Norwegian Elkhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Old English Sheepdog, Weimaraner and West Highland White Terrier.

The statistics were developed from a base of 127,315 submissions of dogs born in or before 1980 and 61,322 dogs born in 1993-94.

"In the 1980s we reported about two and a half dysplastic hip reports for every excellent report. Currently our data show that there is an excellent hip reported for almost every dysplastic report. There are more normal dogs, and more of the normals are excellent," Keller said.

Hip radiographs submitted to OFA are distributed to consulting veterinary radiologists across the country for evaluation. Each x-ray is independently assessed by three radiologists. Keller said he is certain that the statistics have not been affected by changes in evaluation standards over time.

"Most of the radiologists who were consulting with us 20 years ago are still with us," Keller said.

OFA also released statistics on its relatively new elbow dysplasia registry. Six breeds have submitted at least 100 evaluations and all show evidence of progress.

When dogs born in or before 1990 were compared with dogs born in 1993-94, elbow dysplasia was reduced 15.1 percent to 21.9 percent in four breeds -- German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Rottweiler and Newfoundland. Dysplasia was reduced 2.9 percent in the Bernese Mountain Dog and 9.3 percent in the Golden Retriever.

Keller said it is too early to determine the significance of the elbow data. "In many breeds the rate of elbow dysplasia still is unknown, but sufficient time has transpired to take a cursory look at the numbers."

You can get more info by visiting OFA's official website.

Contact OFA directly for specific information on the OFA registries:

Orthopedic Foundation For Animals
2300 E. Nifong Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65201-3856
phone (573) 442-0418
fax (573) 875-5073

Dr. R.A. Weitkamp ~ President
Greg Keller, DVM, MS ~ Executive Director

email ofa@offa.org

Health and Certifications
OFA ~ Overview

General | CERF | Bouvier Reports
OFA: Overview | Cardiac | Elbows | Hips | Thyroid