Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs: What It Is, Which Breeds Are at Risk, and How to Test

Elbow dysplasia is one of the most common and debilitating orthopedic conditions in medium and large breed dogs. It is significantly influenced by genetics, and testing breeding dogs is one of the most effective ways to reduce its prevalence in future generations.

What Is Elbow Dysplasia?

Elbow dysplasia is not a single condition — it is an umbrella term for several developmental abnormalities of the elbow joint:

Fragmented Medial Coronoid Process (FCP/FMCP): A piece of bone in the elbow breaks off and causes joint inflammation. The most common form of elbow dysplasia.

Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD) of the Elbow: A defect in cartilage development that causes a flap or fragment to detach within the joint.

Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP): A bone process fails to fuse to the ulna, causing instability.

Elbow Incongruity: Mismatch in the fit of the joint surfaces.

Dogs with elbow dysplasia develop progressive arthritis, front leg lameness, and pain — often evident by 4–12 months of age. Surgical treatment exists but is not curative; most affected dogs develop permanent arthritis.

Which Breeds Are Most Affected

Elbow dysplasia is most common in:

• Labrador Retriever
• Golden Retriever
• German Shepherd
• Rottweiler
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Newfoundland
• English Bulldog
• Mastiff (all types)
• Chow Chow
• Border Collie

The OFA elbow registry shows Rottweilers and Bernese Mountain Dogs have among the highest elbow dysplasia rates of any breed. In Labradors and Goldens, the rate varies significantly between lines.

How OFA Elbow Testing Works

OFA elbow evaluation is performed by three board-certified radiologists who review X-rays of the elbow joint:

OFA Normal: No signs of elbow dysplasia. Normal elbows are graded as Grade I (normal with possible mild change), or simply "Normal."

OFA Grade I: Minimal changes indicating early DJD (degenerative joint disease) — the dog has mild elbow dysplasia.

OFA Grade II: Moderate DJD with osteophyte formation.

OFA Grade III: Severe DJD with significant remodeling.

Only dogs rated Normal (no dysplasia) should be used for breeding. Grade I and above indicates the presence of elbow disease.

Minimum Age for Reliable OFA Elbow Evaluation

OFA recommends elbows be evaluated at 24 months of age for a permanent certification. Preliminary evaluations can be done at 12 months, but the joint may not be fully developed and the result is not permanent.

Some breeders use advanced imaging (CT scan) rather than X-ray for elbow evaluation — CT is more sensitive and can detect FCP fragments that X-ray may miss. The International Elbow Working Group (IEWG) protocols use CT for elbow grading in some countries.

PennHIP vs. OFA for Elbows

PennHIP evaluates hips, not elbows. OFA is the standard for elbow evaluation in the United States.

What to Require From a Stud Dog

Any stud dog in a breed with significant elbow dysplasia risk should have:

• A current OFA elbow evaluation rated Normal
• Results verifiable at ofa.org under the dog's registered name

A stud listing that mentions hip OFA but omits elbow OFA in a high-risk breed is incomplete. Both joints should be cleared.