# Question about Hip certification



## slefferd (Jan 11, 2011)

Im wanting to take my pal in to the vet to get him OFA certified/rated. My question is how old should he be to get this done, and what could I expect the cost to average?

He is 7 months old currently and 65 pounds


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

2 years is the minimum age for OFA grade, younger you can have prelim's done, but the ratings will be just that, preliminary.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> 2 years is the minimum age for OFA grade, younger you can have prelim's done, but the ratings will be just that, preliminary.


 
In addition, you also have to take the registration to the vet plus have the dog either tattooed or microchipped. If you choose to do SV's at 12 months, you have to be a member of a SV participating club such as the UScA.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

How much it costs to have your dog's hips x-rayed for the Orthopedic Foundation of America depends upon your vet. My last two dogs were x-rayed for about one hundred dollars each and then we sent the thirty dollar fee to the OFA in the envelope with each film. My friends have had to spend close to or just over five hundred dollars for their vets to do the same thing. It really depends upon your vet's practices, your geographic area and, to some degree, your dog. Some vets are now doing the films on CDs and then mail the CD to the OFA with the thirty dollar reading fee.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Almost 2.5 years ago, I was quoted around 1200, was charged 1800 and whittled it down to just under 1600 for three dogs to be ofa'd, hips, elbows, cardiac, and thyroid, microchipped, and tested for vWd.


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## slefferd (Jan 11, 2011)

Whew! Pricey!


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Breeding dogs is not for the faint of heart.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Andaka said:


> Breeding dogs is not for the faint of heart.


Yeah, and unfortunately not just because of the $$$ factor.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Well the microchips were $40 each = $120
The blood tests were each about $90 x 2 per dog = $540
They charged an office call for each dog instead of the cardiac $40 = $120
Which left approximately $800 for three sets of hip and elbow x-rays, or $267/dog.
Some of that was for OFA fees $150 considering litter fees for each of the tests, which knocks the cost of the x-rays H/E -- I had them look at spines too, themselves down to $217/dog. 

Not cheap, but not overly pricey either.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Andaka said:


> Breeding dogs is not for the faint of heart.


or pocketbook. 

But forking over cash for tests is great compared to watching your bitch undergo a c-section, and then losing some of the puppies. 

Trying to keep a puppy going, and then when puppies go to their new homes, hoping you made a good decision.

Taking a puppy back that has been teased by the son, tethered and seriously injured, _trained_ for doggy manners by being put in with a _trainer's _three adult dogs for three days, and then diagnosed for hip dysplasia with NO x-rays being taken. (Glad I have her back.)

I know of other people who have lost their bitch, I do not want to even think about that, because there is NO way to prepare yourself for that. We are talking a young healthy bitch, else you would not have bred her. And losing her because you chose to breed her. 

But breeders will risk that (albeit we weigh the risks), but it is certainly not for everyone.


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