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what age to xray hips and get ofa certified?

7K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  dcg9381 
#1 ·
please move to appropriate section if needed.

my spoiled brat of a pup is now 9 months old....
at what age should i get my dogs hips xrayed to be sent to ofa?
how much does it usually cost?
is there any tips on what to look for when choosing a vet to xray hips?
any other tests recommended since the dog is already sedated?
thanks!
 
#3 ·
The FAQ for the OFA is here.

You can do prelims on puppies over 4 months, but can't get OFA'd until 2 years old. It's $30-$40 to send your X-rays in to OFA. I just used my breeder's vet to do the X-rays, since that is who she always uses.
 
#5 ·
I had my dogs x-rayed when they were under for their spay/neuter surgeries, but sedation is not a requirement. There are check boxes on the OFA form about whether or not sedation was used, and what type. I did prelims rather than wait until 2 years to get a rating since a rating didn't matter to me. I just wanted to make sure hips and elbows were healthy, especially with Halo since I planned on doing a sport with her.

The x-rays will cost more than the OFA fee, which was only around $30 if I remember correctly. I had my regular vet do the x-rays. Prices will vary depending on where you live.
 
#6 ·
The x-rays are only useful if the dog is properly positioned. Many dogs will not like the positioning. There are discussion on the internet about what to look for in a good hip x-ray, but consider having it done by an orthapedic vet that would be used to treat a hip condition... Otherwise, with a poorly positioned x-ray you're not getting much out of the activity.
 
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