OFA Hip & Elbow

OFA is the acronym for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. This organization was founded in 1966 with the goal to lower the incidence of orthopedic and genetic diseases in companion animals.

There are many popular dog breeds that can be prone to problems with both their hips and elbows passed along through genetics. In order to ensure that your pet is an ideal candidate for breeding, the OFA reviews radiographs to check for hip and elbow dysplasia.

The process is relatively simple. Highland Pet Hospital will take radiographs of your pet following strict standards recognized by the AVMA and OFA. The radiographs and application will be submitted to the OFA for their review. The results usually come back within three weeks- and your pet’s hips or elbows are given a grade ranging from Excellent to severely dysplastic.

If you wish to schedule an appointment for OFA Hip/Elbow radiographs, please keep the following in mind:

OFA appointments at Highland Pet Hospital book well in advance. It is not unusual to wait one month or longer for an OFA appointment. A deposit is required to hold your appointment and will be collected at the time of scheduling. Your deposit will be applied to your account and credited at the time of service. Changes to your appointment or cancellations within 72 hours of your appointment will result in the forfeit of your deposit.

For the best radiographs and presentation, appointments should not be scheduled one month prior to- or following a heat cycle- or whelping- as hormones can affect joint laxity.

In order to best serve you, please fill out the OFA form in it’s entirety and bring it with you to your scheduled appointment. The OFA Hip/Elbow form can be found here.