Testing & Diagnostics

OFA Evaluation

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals radiographic screening system that grades hip and elbow health in dogs. OFA certification at 24+ months is the standard pre-breeding health screen for orthopedic conditions.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is a non-profit registry that evaluates and certifies health data for dogs used in breeding programs. OFA evaluation is the most widely used orthopedic screening system in the United States.

Hip Evaluation

OFA hip evaluation requires radiographs taken with the dog in a specific extended-hip position (ventrodorsal view) under sedation or general anesthesia. Radiographs are submitted to OFA and evaluated by three board-certified veterinary radiologists.

Hip grades:

GradeDescription
ExcellentSuperior hip joint conformation; tight, well-seated femoral head
GoodSlightly less than perfect conformation; minor irregularities
FairMinimal joint space widening or slight femoral head flattening
BorderlineAmbiguous; cannot be classified normal or dysplastic; retest recommended
MildEvidence of hip dysplasia; slight joint laxity or femoral head/acetabular changes
ModerateSignificant hip dysplasia; obvious joint space changes and bone remodeling
SevereExtreme hip dysplasia; marked subluxation, degenerative joint disease

Excellent, Good, and Fair are considered passing grades for OFA certification. Dogs with Borderline, Mild, Moderate, or Severe grades are not OFA certified and should not be bred.

Elbow Evaluation

OFA elbow evaluation uses radiographs in specific views to detect fragmented coronoid process, osteochondrosis dessicans, and ununited anconeal process. Graded 0 (normal), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe). Only Grade 0 is OFA certified.

When to Evaluate

OFA provides preliminary evaluations from any age, but official certification requires evaluation at 24 months or older when the skeleton is fully mature and growth plate changes are complete. Preliminary evaluations can be performed at 12–18 months to guide breeding decisions or identify severe dysplasia early.

OFA vs. PennHIP

PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) measures passive hip laxity using a distraction radiographic technique — considered by many orthopedic specialists to be more sensitive for detecting early hip laxity. PennHIP can be performed from 16 weeks of age. Both OFA and PennHIP are valid screening tools; some breeding programs use both.