BE AWARE - - Any reputable breeder should be able to answer your question about canine hip dysplasia and other genetic disesases and if they can't or won't take the time to find out then you might be better off buying elsewhere.

Do take into consideration that most all large breed dogs are
susceptible to this disease!

Many breeders state that their puppies are guaranteed to not have CHD (Canine hip dysplasia). YOU need to understand these Facts.

• FACT ONE - - Breeders can have their adults tested through diagnostic methods of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) only when the dog reaches an age of 24 months (2 years) are they certified free from this disease if they pass the test!

NEW RELEASED INFO - Preliminary Evaluations
A recent publication* compared the reliability of the preliminary evaluation hip grade phenotype with the 2 year old evaluation in dogs and there was 100% reliability for a preliminary grade of excellent being normal at 2 years of age (excellent, good, or fair). There was 97.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of good being normal at 2 years of age, and 76.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of fair being normal at 2 years of age.

Reliability of preliminary evaluations increased as age at the time of preliminary evaluation increased, regardless of whether dogs received a preliminary evaluation of normal hip conformation or HD. For normal hip conformations, the reliability was 89.6% at 3-6 months, 93.8% at 7-12 months, and 95.2% at 13-18 months. These results suggest that preliminary evaluations of hip joint status in dogs are generally reliable. However, dogs that receive a preliminary evaluation of fair or mild hip joint conformation should be reevaluated at an older age (24 months).

• FACT TWO -- There is no guarantee that the adult will not pass on the genetic disease through its offspring. The best guarantee is that the breeder gives you a 1-2 year health guarantee. Meaning if your puppy develops this disease or any other genetic disease they'll replace your puppy with a new one.

I know its a fact that breeders use this guarantee as a credibility ploy, fact is they have to by law comply with this, with any breed! This is called the Lemon Law

• FACT THREE -- Radiologists were asked to grade hips based on the OFA rating system (excellent, good, fair, borderline CHD, mild CHD, moderate CHD or severe CHD), non-OFA readers agreed with an OFA reader in fewer than 50% of the cases. The most disturbing revelation was that when each radiologist was asked to rate certain cases a second time, each radiologist gave the same rating that he had given the first time on less than half the radiographs.

If the testing is not a reliable source for determining the facts then how much better off are we to have gone through it?

• FACT FOUR -- Studies conducted with Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherd Dogs it was found that restricting calories and limiting food consumption resulted in lower incidence of CHD compared to dogs who were fed high-calorie diets or were allowed to eat as often as they chose. Even in groups of dogs genetically predisposed to CHD (offspring of CHD afflicted parents), restrictive diets yielded a lower incidence of CHD.

Can environment or food cause hip dysplasia?
No, hip dysplasia is a multiple gene, inherited disease. Environmental factors, like high caloric diet during the rapid growth phase, may exacerbate changes in dysplastic hips but will not create hip dysplasia. There also is no evidence in the scientific literature that supplements (i.e Vitamin C) will prevent hip dysplasia. Reduced caloric intake and glucosamine products in immature animals genetically predisposed for hip dysplasia may lessen the pathologic changes associated with hip dysplasia.

We certainly do not have all the answers, but will try to answer any questions you have about any genetic disease.

REFERENCES for my statements can be found online here:
Wing and Wave Labradors

Listing of Genttic Diseases

Orthopedic Foundation of Animals

Canine Health Information Center

Please feel free to call us about our dogs and puppies. We take pride in raising a few litters a year for our enjoyment and yours.

Richard and Beth Siess

You can view our adults and read their OFA Ratings here.