What is OFA Certification?

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What is OFA Certification?

In 1996, John M. Olin founded the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) as a private not-for-profit foundation to evaluate and determine if a dog will have problem hips. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a genetic condition that primarily affects larger breeds but can be diagnosed in a few smaller breeds as well. Hip dysplasia typically develops because of an abnormally developed hip joint but can also be caused by cartilage damage from a traumatic fracture. Cartilage damage or an abnormal hip joint, over time will lose its thickness and elasticity of the existing cartilage. This will eventually result in pain with any joint movement. Radiographs taken by a licensed veterinarian (DVM) is the only way to diagnose hip dysplasia or certify the hips free of any problems. OFA maintains a database for hip dysplasia and is classified into seven different categories:

Categories

• Excellent: Superior conformation; there is a deep-seated ball (femoral head) that fits tightly into a well-formed socket (acetabulum) with minimal joint space.
• Good: Slightly less than superior but a well-formed congruent hip joint is visualized. The ball fits well into the socket and good coverage is present.
• Fair: Minor irregularities; the hip joint is wider than a good hip. The ball slips slightly out of the socket. The socket may also appear slightly shallow.
• Borderline: Not clear. Usually, more incongruency present than what occurs in a fair but there are no arthritic changes present that definitively diagnose the hip joint being dysplastic.
• Mild: Significant subluxation present where the ball is partially out of the socket causing an increased joint space. The socket is usually shallow only partially covering the ball.
• Moderate: The ball is barely seated into a shallow socket. There are secondary arthritic bone changes usually along the femoral neck and head (remodeling), acetabular rim changes (osteophytes or bone spurs) and various degrees of trabecular bone pattern changes(sclerosis).
• Severe: Marked evidence that hip dysplasia exists. The ball is partly or completely out of a shallow socket. Significant arthritic bone changes along the femoral neck and head and acetabular rim changes. teacup cavalier king charles spaniel puppies for sale

The hip grades of excellent, good, and fair are within normal limits and are given OFA certification numbers. This information is accepted by AKC on dogs with permanent identification and is in the public domain. Dog showing signs of hip dysplasia are often treated with anti-inflammatory pain relievers, while some require surgical correction. OFA hip certification is conducted on dogs 2 years of age and older but preliminary evaluations are available for dogs over 4 months old. cavalier king charles spaniel puppy for sale near me

Additional OFA Certifications

While OFA started and continues to focus on Canine Hip Dysplasia, they have dedicated themselves in the advancement in canine health and have expanded into other inherited diseases. Their mission is “To improve the health and well-being of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease.” Additional OFA certification vary by breed, but the most common include:

• Elbow Dysplasia: Is osteoarthritis found in the elbow joints of a dog’s front legs. Elbow dysplasia can be inherited or can be caused by environmental factors. Treatment for elbow dysplasia range from anti-inflammatory pain relievers, while some require surgical correction. Dogs 2 years of age and older can have their elbows certified “normal” if no signs of osteoarthritis are evident.
• Patellar Luxation: In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position. Bilateral involvement is most common, but unilateral is not uncommon. Although, primarily found in small breeds, large breeds can also be prone to patellar luxation. This is usually diagnosed between 6-8 weeks of age and graded on a scale from 1-4. As a puppy develops, they could potentially grow out of a grade 1 or 2 luxation. A grade 3 or 4 could reduce in severity but could require surgery to repair the knee. OFA will issue a certification number to any dog found to be “normal” at 12 months of age or older.
• Cardiac Disease: OFA developed a Cardiac Database to collect data regarding various heart disease found in dogs. Cardiac certification allows OFA to identify which dogs are phenotypically normal prior to breeding. OFA uses two separate databases: The Basic Cardiac Database and the Advanced Cardiac Database. The Basic Cardiac exam is conducted by a veterinarian with expertise in the recognition of canine heart disease, in accordance with their outlined procedures. The Advanced Cardiac exam is a two-tiered clearance for normal dogs: congenital cardiac disease and adult-onset cardiac disease and is conducted by a veterinary cardiologist. Preliminary evaluations are normally conducted on puppies between 8-10 weeks old but can be done before 12 months of age. Since acquired heart disease may develop later, these evaluations are valid for 1 year from the time of examination and annual exams are recommended. A breed registry number is issued for any dog found to be “normal” for cardiac disease.

DNA Tested Diseases

• DNA Tested Diseases: OFA works exclusively with the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in researching diseases that can be passed by DNA. This test is non-invasive and a sample can be collected at home. OFA records results of approximately 120 DNA tests, all of which are currently “direct mutation” tests, meaning that the test results are 100% accurate and not subject to interpretation. For direct mutation tests, OFA will clear by parentage for one generation. That means that if both parents have been DNA tested clear for a disease, OFA will declare offspring clear by virtue of the fact that the parents tested clear. However, DNA-based screening is an evolving science, and OFA policy is subject to change as technology and science advance.
• Legg-Calve- Perthes (LCP): Most often seen in miniature and toy breeds, LCP is a disorder of the hip joint conformation. Know as the death of bone cells, this is caused by the blood supply being interrupted to the femoral head causing avascular necrosis followed by a period of revascularization. This process of bone cells dying, and fracturing followed by new bone growth and remodeling of the femoral head and neck, can lead to stiffness and pain. LCP is believed to be an inherited disease, although the mode of inheritance is unknown. Treatment ranges from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to surgery to correct. Dogs must be a minimum of 12 months of age on the date of the radiograph to be eligible for an LCP number. cavalier king charles spaniel puppy for sale near me

Thyroid

• Thyroid: Thyroid testing allows OFA to identify dogs that are phenotypically normal for breeding programs and to gather data on the genetic disease autoimmune thyroiditis. Dog with hypothyroidism are not producing enough of a hormone called thyroxine that controls the metabolism. Symptoms include weight gain, obesity, and suffer from hair loss and skin problems. Autoimmune thyroiditis is the most common in dogs but tends to clinically manifest itself at 2 to 5 years of age. Dogs may be clinically normal for years, only to be diagnosed at a later date. If hypothyroidism is a concern for an owner’s dog, then it is recommended to have them tested every year or two to confirm. The good news is, hypothyroidism is not life-threatening, easy to diagnose, and inexpensive to treat with a daily thyroid supplement.
• Shoulder OCD: The shoulder database of the OFA is a voluntary program established to evaluate shoulder radiographs and to identify films showing no radiographic evidence of osteochondrosis (OCD), degenerative joint disease (DJD), or other orthopedic problems in dogs 12 months or older. Osteochondrosis is a disruption in ossification of the cartilage mold beneath the articular cartilage of the shoulder joint. A dog will develop aseptic necrosis causing articular cartilage fractures which results in lameness. OCD is common is larger breeds and seen more frequently in males. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory medication, joint supplements, and passive range of motion exercises (PROM). In severe cases, surgery would be required to remove diseased cartilage to relieve inflammation and pain.
• BAER Testing: The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) is the only accepted method to fully diagnose or rule out deafness. OFA highly recommends that the test be performed by board certified veterinary neurologists, but will accept test results from experienced veterinarians, neuroscience professionals, and audiologists. BAER testing can be done as early as 35 days old and one test will suffice for the dog’s entire life. A dog is required to pass a bilateral hearing test. A dog that fails testing will be diagnosed with unilateral (one) or bilateral (both) deafness.

What is CHIC?

OFA partnered with parent (breed) clubs to create the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC). The purpose was to research and maintain information on the health issues prevalent in specific breeds. By creating CHIC, OFA was able to establish a recommended protocol for breed-specific health screenings. Any dogs tested in accordance with that protocol are recognized with a CHIC number and certification. CHIC’s philosophy is that each breed has different health concerns and not all diseases have known modes of inheritance or have developed screening tests. The CHIC Program has customized requirements to the needs of each breed with the input from the parent club prior to the breed’s entry into the program. Teacup cavalier king charles spaniel puppies for sale, cavalier king charles spaniel puppy for sale near me