OFA Hip and Elbow Testing in Dogs: What the Scores Mean and Why They Matter

An OFA Excellent rating is not just a trophy — it is information about the genetic health of the next generation

Hip and elbow dysplasia are among the most common orthopedic conditions in dogs, causing pain, reduced mobility, and often requiring expensive surgery or long-term medication. Both conditions have significant genetic components, which is why hip and elbow evaluations are among the most important health certifications to require in a stud dog.

What Is the OFA?

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the largest canine health database in the United States. It maintains records of genetic disease testing and health evaluations across hundreds of breeds, and it provides a free, publicly searchable database at ofa.org.

OFA evaluates radiographs (X-rays) submitted by veterinarians and board-certified radiologists, then assigns ratings based on the findings.

OFA Hip Evaluation: The Rating Scale

Dogs must be a minimum of 24 months old for an official OFA hip rating (though preliminary evaluations can be done earlier). The rating is performed by three OFA-approved radiologists who independently grade the X-ray, and the final rating is determined by consensus.

Passing Grades (Certifiable):

• Excellent — Superior hip joint conformation. The femoral head fits perfectly into the acetabulum (hip socket) with no evidence of subluxation or degenerative changes.
• Good — Slightly less than perfect but still well above average. Minor deviations from ideal joint formation.
• Fair — Minor irregularities but still acceptable. Adequate joint conformation with some minor changes.

Not Certifiable:

• Borderline — Insufficient evidence to definitively classify. Dog should be re-radiographed in 6-8 months.
• Mild Dysplasia — Evidence of hip joint malformation with mild subluxation.
• Moderate Dysplasia — Significant malformation and subluxation, often with early arthritic changes.
• Severe Dysplasia — Marked remodeling, subluxation, and degenerative joint disease.

Only dogs rated Excellent, Good, or Fair receive an OFA certification number and are listed in the public database as certified.

OFA Elbow Evaluation: The Rating Scale

Elbow dysplasia is actually a group of conditions — including ununited anconeal process, fragmented medial coronoid process, and osteochondrosis — that cause abnormal elbow joint development.

Like hips, minimum age for official certification is 24 months.

OFA Elbow Grades:

• Grade 0 (Normal) — No evidence of elbow dysplasia. Certifiable.
• Grade I (Mild) — Minimal bone changes. Not certifiable.
• Grade II (Moderate) — Moderate bone changes, joint space abnormality.
• Grade III (Severe) — Marked bone changes, significant joint pathology.

Only Grade 0 elbows receive OFA certification.

How to Find OFA Results

The OFA public database at ofa.org allows anyone to search by:

• Dog's registered name
• AKC number or other registry number
• Owner name
• Breed

Any dog with a passing (certifiable) result will appear with their OFA number, rating, date of evaluation, and veterinarian who submitted the films.

Dogs with failing results may or may not appear in the database — owners must opt in to have non-passing results listed publicly. This means the absence of a record does not confirm the dog was never tested.

Ask for the dog's OFA number directly and verify it on the database. Do not accept verbal assurances or copies of reports without cross-referencing the official database.

What Stud Dogs Should Have

For medium and large breeds, OFA hip and elbow certifications are standard expectations for responsible breeding:

• Hips: OFA Good or Excellent preferred; Fair is acceptable but scrutinize pedigree
• Elbows: OFA Grade 0 Normal required

Small breeds under approximately 25 lbs have lower rates of hip dysplasia, but elbow disease can still occur. Check breed-specific recommendations from the parent breed club.

Heritability of Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia has a moderate heritability estimate — meaning genetics explains a meaningful portion of whether a dog develops it. However, heritability is not 100%, which means environment (growth rate, diet, exercise, weight) also contributes.

Selecting for parents with excellent hip ratings does reduce incidence in offspring over generations, but it does not guarantee offspring will all have excellent hips. This is why population-level improvement requires consistent screening across many generations — not just one generation of good hips.

PennHIP vs. OFA

PennHIP (Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) is an alternative hip evaluation method using distraction radiography to measure hip joint laxity (looseness). Unlike OFA, PennHIP can be performed on dogs as young as 16 weeks and generates a Distraction Index (DI) score compared against breed averages.

Both systems have value; they measure slightly different things. OFA measures conformational abnormality; PennHIP measures joint laxity as a predictor of future dysplasia. Many breeders with access to a PennHIP-certified radiologist use both.

Summary

OFA hip ratings run from Excellent (best) through Good and Fair (certifiable) to Mild, Moderate, and Severe dysplasia (not certifiable). OFA elbow grades run from Normal (Grade 0, certifiable) to Grades I, II, and III. Verify ratings directly on the OFA public database using the dog's OFA number. Require at minimum OFA Fair hips and Normal elbows in any stud dog for medium and large breeds. Hip and elbow health has a meaningful heritable component — selecting healthy parents improves the odds for offspring over time.