Patton Veterinary Hospital Offers PennHIP Screening for Dogs

Patton Veterinary Hospital Now Offers PennHIP Screening

               Hip dysplasia is a common problem in large breed dogs.  The hip is a “ball and socket” joint where the ball of the femur fits into the cup or socket on the pelvis.  In dogs with hip dysplasia, the socket is very shallow and the ball does not fit tightly in the socket.  As a result, the cartilage wears away from the improper fit and it can become very painful when the bones grind against one another.  Dysplasia can vary from mild to severe and can occur in very young dogs or symptoms may not appear until later in life.  Both genetic and nutritional factors contribute to this problem. 

               We can do some things to reduce nutritional causes by feeding a good quality diet, not allowing pets to become overweight, and feeding specially formulated large breed puppy foods to large breed dogs to ensure that the skeleton does not grow too quickly.  But what about genetic factors?  This falls to the dog breeder and it is recommended that large breed dogs such as Labradors and German Shepherds be screened for the presence of hip dysplasia before breeding so as not to pass on the traits for this disease.  

               There are two main methods of screening dogs for hip dysplasia, but both involve sedating the dog and taking digital radiographs (x-rays) of the hips.  The traditional method of screening is called the OFA method and was founded in 1966 by John Olin.  There is a newer way of screening called the PennHIP method founded by Dr. Gail Smith at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. 

 With OFA, (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) the sedated dog lies on his or her back while a technician or doctor extends the hind legs while rotating the knees inward and a radiograph is taken of the pelvis.  The dog must be perfectly straight.  The films are then sent to the OFA for evaluation by radiologists who look for specific criteria to determine if there is any level of dysplasia and to provide a rating for the hips.  Dogs cannot be fully evaluated until they are two years old and only dogs with ratings of good or excellent should be bred.

               With the PennHIP method, the sedated dog is placed on his or her back and a plastic device is used to aid in taking two radiographs—one with the femoral heads (ends of the femurs or “balls” of the ball and socket joints) pushed as far into the socket as they will go, and one with them pushed as far out of the sockets as possible.   The radiographs are then read by certified radiologists at Antech Laboratories and measurements of the hip joints provide what is called a distraction index.  Normal values vary by breed.  PennHIP is thought to be somewhat more accurate than OFA and dogs can be screened much sooner than with OFA.  In fact, puppies can be certified as young as 16 weeks of age!  Doctors must be specially certified in order to perform radiographs for this service. 

               Patton Veterinary Hospital is proud to announce that Dr. Stephanie Edwards has become certified in performing PennHIP radiographs.  Dr. Edwards successfully completed online coursework and submitted sample films to the PennHIP program demonstrating her understanding of the program and her ability to properly perform the compression and distraction of the hips required for proper films.  If you are a breeder and need to certify your dogs as being hip dysplasia free, please contact us for information about PennHIP screening.

               This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.