Hip and joint issues can be problematic in larger size breeds like golden retrievers. Windy Knoll Goldens utilizes both Penn Hip and OFA tests to screen for joint health in all of our upcoming breeding dogs. While the recognized standard for evaluating potential arthritis and hip dysplasia risk, these two tests are not the same. Penn Hip measures joint laxity (looseness) while OFA documents ball and socket conformation. Together, both tests provide a comprehensive and complimentary picture of current and future joint health.
The Penn Hip is a proactive x-ray screening developed by the University of Pennsylvania and administered by trained technicians. This procedure can be done as early as 16 weeks of age. While sedated, a series of 3 x-ray images are taken of deliberate uniform force applied to the hips. The degrees of measured separation are evaluated on a Distractive Index scale. A measurement of 0 indicates the tightest possible joint reading and a measurement of 1 the loosest. Scores of 0.4 and below indicate a very low future risk of hip dysplasia or arthritis. A range of 0.4-0.7 indicates mild to moderate risk. Scores above 0.7 confirm that hip problems/degenerative joints are inevitable. Penn Hip is objective, quantitative, and precise.
With the OFA test, radiologists evaluate a single standard x-ray image. They observe how the hip fits into the socket. A subjective 7-point grade, ranging from excellent to poor, is issued. This test can only be performed on mature dogs 24 months or older. Grades from excellent, good, to fair generally indicate normal hips while borderline, mild, moderate or severe ratings raise red flags and confirm abnormal or degenerative hips. These grades are reported using a alpha-numerical code. AKC certification is based on OFA scores and confirms earlier Penn Hip evaluations.
In general, the poorer the OFA conformation score and/or the greater the Penn Hip distractive index, the higher the likelihood of arthritis or hip dysplasia. Windy Knoll Goldens only breeds dogs with strong healthy scores. We share all breeding male and female Penn Hip scores in the individual biographies under the Our Dogs tab on our website. If you are interested, OFA scores for specific dogs may be requested.
