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A really serious misconception regarding hip certification exists here, and the readily available facts, charts, and information on the issue are being completely misunderstood or deliberately misapplied.

For this article, I started to just re-work my original "What You Don't Know About The "a" Stamp Can Hurt You," but realized that what I really needed to do was cut out the polite euphemisms, quit tip-toeing around and just be blunt. Since it seems no one pays attention any other way, consider this the old "2x4" method of presenting facts!

If you listen to the "conventional wisdom" (hot air of speculation and assumptions) blowing hard about, you'd come to the erroneous conclusion that different countries have differing opinions about what hip dysplasia is. You might falsely conclude that one country's chart, categories, or group of radiologists, their expertise and methodology was superior to all others, and therefore it was the one, true standard by which to judge.  Let's blow that smoke away with fact, and clear up all that nonsense!

There is absolutely no question that excellent radiologists and methodology exist in every country. Qualified radiologists the world over have no problem diagnosing HD, and only infrequently err in judgement or disagree as to what degree of HD is evidenced. This fact is borne out by the resulting publication of the famous FCI Chart - the International radiological agreement "grading" the degrees of hip dysplasia.

This international consortium of radiologists agree that each descending grade listed accurately reflects the progressively worsening evidence of degenerating hip condition. However, radiologists and charts can only identify the grade (or status) of the hips. To make correct use of that information, you have to go to the next, far more important steps.

In order to effect eradication of hip problems through breeding control, you have to set a standard, a range of worsening hip condition (descending categories or grades) that you are willing to accept as still breedable.   You then have to select an authorizing body to provide proof (certification or "a"-stamping) of hips within that range. This is where all the trouble starts and confusion sets in.

Let me restate clearly that the Internationally-agreed-upon physical evidence of the varying degrees of hip conformation has not changed - everybody is still in agreement on what hip dysplasia is.  But, no international agreement has ever been reached on a uniformly valid and acceptable classification and certification RANGE.  Individual countries (and often individual Breed clubs within those countries) have set their own standards and selected their own "certifying" bodies, and these can, and DO, vary - sometimes widely!

In the United States, the impartial and non-affiliated OFA was set up as a certifying body. Those American Breed clubs which impose or accept breeding control elected to use the OFA's categories and certification system as proof of acceptability for breeding. In Germany, the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) elected to use its own categories, certifying body and certification system (the famous "a" stamp issued by the SV-Zuchtbuchamt itself).

The United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USA) has elected to accept and recognize EITHER option: the OFA or the SV system of certification.  Unfortunately, the wording and manner in which this option may be recorded on the Ahnentafeln is causing more problems of confusion than they anticipated.  (See my 22 September 2000 companion article, "Apples and Oranges" for explanation)

To make a meaningful comparison (rather, contrast) of OFA and SV hip certification requirements, refer to the excerpts (with translation) of the following forms/charts:

• The official FCI International Classification of Dysplasia (Fig. A)
• The official OFA criteria for certification (Fig. B)          and
• The official SV hip evaluation and classification form (Fig. C)

COMPARISON CHART

Figure (A)  An excerpt from the 1979 and 1983 FCI charts of grading systems used by several European nations (Brass and Paatsama), shows comparison between OFA HD classifications, those of the United Kingdom (FCI-U.K.), and those of the SV (FCI-SV) at that time. I have appended the official 1996 FCI chart (see also on the OFA web-site) as the right-most column. Nothing has changed in the interim.
 

Fact #1. While it is true that moderately and severely dysplastic German dogs do not usually get "a" stamped and are not allowed to be bred, there is no denying that the SV evidence itself shows that dogs with identified various lesser degrees of dysplasia DO get "a" stamped and ARE bred!

Allowing the breeding of adult dogs which were already dysplastic at/or near one year of age is a major contributor to the continued production of dysplastic dogs and the continued inability of the system to control, or more significantly reduce, hip dysplasia in the breed. Allowing dogs with any degree of dysplasia to breed merely accomplishes the perpetuation of great-looking pedigrees with every dog "a" Stamped, while continuing to pass on varying degrees of hip dysplasia!

OFA CATEGORIES

Figure (B) shows 7 OFA categories of hip conformation. Of he 3 OFA certifiable categories (Excellent, Good, and Fair) two are noted as radiographically free of even a "suspicion" of dysplasia.  The "Minor irregularities" mentioned in the Fair category were cited as referring to possibly 'iffy' things like blood supply, bone density, etc., but there is no suspicion of HD mentioned until one reaches the "Borderline" category. Following "Borderline" come the "Mild, Moderate, and Severe" categories, clearly defining progressively worsening degrees of HD.

Notice that OFA criteria for certification in the Excellent and Good categories matches that of the FCI's A-1 and -2 as being entirely free of any signs of hip dysplasia.  Due to minor irregularities, the OFA's Fair category falls in the upper portion of FCI's Transitional B-1.
 

Figure B
 OFA Radiographic Evaluation of Pelvic Phenotype With Respect to Canine Hip Dysplasia
(***Starred categories indicate those which DO receive OFA certification)

EXCELLENT HIP JOINT CONFORMATION ***        superior hip joint conformation as compared with          other individuals of the same breed and age.	BORDERLINE HIP JOINT CONFORMATION          marginal hip joint conformation of indeterminate         status with respect to hip dysplasia at this time.
GOOD HIP JOINT CONFORMATION ***          well formed hip joint conformation as compared         with other individuals of the same breed and age.	MILD HIP DYSPLASIA         radiographic evidence of minor dysplastic change         of the hip joints.
FAIR HIP JOINT CONFORMATION ***         minor irregularities of hip joint conformation as         compared with other individuals of the same         breed and age.	MODERATE HIP DYSPLASIA         well defined radiographic evidence of dysplastic         changes of the hip joints.
	SEVERE HIP DYSPLASIA         radiographic evidence of marked dysplastic         changes of the hip joints.

Fact #2. While the OFA has always had very stringent requirements and one of the best detection systems in the world, it has had no authority to impose usage on Breed clubs. The SV actually imposed usage of their system. Mainly, it has been this required use of the system that gave rise to the myth of German superiority in the control and reduction of hip dysplasia; not the results of the use, or the quality of the hips themselves.

SV CATEGORIES

Figure (C) shows the 5 SV categories of hip conformation. The left column is the x-raying vet's actual assessment of the hip status (judgment / findings); the right column is the SV's "findings" and assignment of named categories. The SV deems the first 3 categories "a"-stampable (certifiable), even though the x-raying vet's findings in 2 of these categories are clearly listed as "Suspicious for HD" and "Light HD." Only the first category states "No indication of HD." The SV's officially-named categories on the right, however, do not say the same thing as those on the left, nor convey the same message.  The official SV "a"-stampable "findings" are renamed "Normal; Fast Normal (Almost normal); and Noch Zugelassen (Still allowable)."

Note that the SV's criteria for "a"-stamping in the Normal category is the only category falling within that of the FCI's A-1 and -2 as being free of any signs of hip dysplasia. The Fast Normal category falls entirely in the FCI's Transitional B-1 and -2. The Noch Zugelassen category is clearly in the FCI's Dysplastic C-1 and -2.
 

Fact #3. "No indication of HD" obviously equates to "Normal." To point-blank say that Suspicious for HD means the same as Almost normal is stretching things quite a bit. But it's plain RIDICULOUS to paint identified Light HD with a "Still allowable" paintbrush !

How much clearer does the SV have to make it before people acknowledge the fact that hip-dysplastic dogs are getting "a" stamps? That fact is not open to individual interpretation, assumption, speculation, or any other smoke-blowing. That fact is stated on the form.    (***Watch for my new article on this 'naming of categories' issue)

So, how does that fact impact on you as a buyer or breeder of GSDs? It puts your standards of acceptability on the line every time you make a purchase or plan a breeding. Your choices affect the future of the Breed. You can choose to ignore the fact of black and white evidence of the SV's own forms, and you can choose to ignore standard OFA certification and jump on the bandwagon of the new USA/OFA certification program.  But unless you breed or buy only dogs with absolutely proof-positive OFA Excellent or Good (even Fair can be iffy) or SV "a" Normal certification, you're merely facilitating the perpetuation of dysplastic dogs....

Based on the above information and provable facts, one should give very careful consideration to the possible consequences deriving from any hip evaluation scheme which, by lowering the age requirement to one year as in Germany, allows classification to be entered on the dog's pedigree. I am still very much of the opinion I stated in my very first 1986 article on hip dysplasia, "...in any...undertaking, the lowering of standards in order to achieve a goal is the worst of all possible moves."

Before you "lower your standards," take the time to study Figures (A, B, and C). Think about the facts presented. Allow for the errors and failures inherent in any human-devised system. Do your own research.  Call the OFA (573-442-0418) for answers to your questions. But above all, THINK. Ignorance is not "bliss." Ignorance of what the "a" stamp really says can put your breeding program in great jeopardy and do the breed great harm.