HIP RATINGS

Hip Dysplasia – As with many other large breeds, Shilohs can also be susceptible to hip dysplasia, a genetic disorder characterized by incomplete growth of the hip. While more rare, there have been some instances of osteochondritis, a condition where a piece of bone or cartilage breaks away, causing pain and stiffness in the affected joint. Skeletal disorders often require long term treatment and therapy.

>> return to “BONES/JOINTS” [HERE] or our HIP HALL OF FAME [HERE]

Hip International Ratings Matrix

OFA Hip Grade Classifications:

The OFA classifies hips into seven different categories: Excellent, Good, Fair (all within Normal limits), Borderline, and then Mild, Moderate, or Severe (the last three considered Dysplastic).

• Excellent: Superior conformation; there is a deep-seated ball (femoral head) that fits tightly into a well-formed socket(acetabulum) with minimal joint space.
• Good: Slightly less than superior but a well-formed congruent hip joint is visualized. The ball  fits well into the socket and good coverage is present.
• Fair: Minor irregularities; the hip joint is wider than a good hip. The ball slips slightly out of the socket. The socket may also appear slightly shallow.
• Borderline: Not clear. Usually more incongruency present than what occurs in a fair but there are no arthritic changes present that definitively diagnose the hip joint being dysplastic.
• Mild: Significant subluxation present where the ball is partially out of the socket causing an increased joint space. The socket is usually shallow only partially covering the ball.
• Moderate: The ball is barely seated into a shallow socket. There are secondary arthritic bone changes usually along the femoral neck and head (remodeling), acetabular rim changes (osteophytes or bone spurs) and various degrees of trabecular bone pattern changes
  (sclerosis).
• Severe: Marked evidence that hip dysplasia exists. The ball is partly or completely out of a shallow socket. Significant arthritic bone changes along the femoral neck and head and acetabular rim changes.

FCI (European) Results Summary:

• HD A (=negative): your dog is free of HD based on the X-ray; this does not mean that your dog cannot be a “carrier” of the abnormality.
• HD B (transitional form): the photos show small changes that are the result of hip dysplasia.
• HD C (=slightly positive) or
• HD D (=positive): your dog shows clear changes that fit in with the syndrome of HD.
• HD E (=positive in optima forma): the hip joints are severely deformed.

Keep in mind that an HD A result does not mean that your dog will never suffer from HD. Conversely, obvious deformities also do not mean that the dog will definitely suffer from them. It is wise to make sure that you do not put (the hip joints of) your dog too heavy. If in doubt, you can discuss this with your vet.

• OFA on Hip Dysplasia {https://ofa.org/diseases/hip-dysplasia/}
• Hip Dysplasia: Diagnosis – Treatment – Prevention {www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1569&articleid=444}
• Hip Dysplasia Research, Finland 2005 {http://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/1/13}
• Surgery for hip dysplasia {www.thepetcenter.com/sur/fhn.html}
• Surgery and other treatments for HD {www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1687007}
• Unilateral Hip Dysplasia from Breeder Vet {www.showdogsupersite.com/hips.html}
• What 1,000 German Shepherds Taught Us About Hip Dysplasia by Healthy Pets {http://healthypets.mercola.com}
• The 10 Most Important Things to Know About Canine Hip Dysplasia {http://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/the-10-most-important-things-to-know-about-canine-hip-dysplasia}

Reference Links:

• Art of Reading Hip Xrays {www.leerburg.com/hipart.htm}
• Comparing PennHip and OFA {www.workingdogs.com/ofa_penn.htm}
• OFA, Orthopedic Foundation for Animals {www.offa.org}
• PennHip, University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program {www.pennhip.org}
• OVC, Ontario Veterinary Hospisal {http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/cfmx/hip-elbow/search/}
• Slocum Enterprises, Inc. {www.slocumenterprises.com}
• Managing Polygenic Disease : Canine Hip Dysplasia as an Example {www.uskbtc.com/article.php/155}