Hip and Eye Scoring....

Halfpass

Halfpass

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Can anyone give me any info on it?
What does it involve?
If parents have good scores are their off spring likely to?
Does age affect the score...ie older dog worse score?

Any info very greatfully recieved
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It's a minefield!

Yes, I believe both diet, age and exercise plays a part on the eventual score.

One of my bitches was fed raw from weaning age, her exercise was controlled and she came out better than her sire but exactly the same score as her mother who was done at a slightly later age than her daughter. I'm looking forward to Lilly and Bly's results around June time.
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No experience of eye scoring, but hip scoring process is generally as follows.
Dog has to be at least 12 months old, most vets like to use a GA but I am lucky in that mine only uses a sedative. You will have to book your dog in with the vet, it is worth finding one who is used to doing hip xrays. You will need to take your dogs registration certificate and fill in a form at the vet with all the reg details. There is also a fee to the BVA/KC for the scoring as well as to the vet. Depending on your vet you may or may not be allowed ot stay, the dog will be lifted onto a cradle on his back, hind legs extended and x rays taken. If you are lucky your vet will be able to give you an idea of predicted hip score. Scores can take anything between 2 and 6 weeks to come back.
It is better to x ray when young as the hips will deteriorate with age, if the dogs parents, and more importantly several generations back in the pedigree have good hips it will increase the chance of a good score, but it is sadly not guaranteed as I know only too well.
If you want the actual scoring system explained Finnishlaphund has put up a brilliant post on it.
 
Hips are X-rayed and generally if generations of parents have a good score then the offspring will too - but not always - as SM says, it is a minefield. A very well used stud I know has a good score but can throw pups with awful scores.

I am personally not 100% on diet, age and exercise - my particular experience is with GSDs and I have seen all sorts of experiments done to avoid HD, none to any avail - it is still here.

My personal answer is to breed from animals which going back for generations are HD clear or as clear as possible or don't breed at all.

Finnish Lapphund has posted a very good link here on the subject before, maybe she can oblige once more?
 
I have a bit of a dliema which I don't want to post about on an open forum and all your posts are of help.
If anyone wants a long winded pm that won't judge me then by all means let me know
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Cheers
 
"All" I know about Hip scores = link to the post Hacking Hack mentioned : http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...t=1#Post3920280

To answer one of your question shortly, yes parents with good hip scores is more likely to get offspring with good hip score but HD and HD scoring is like a jungle with few rules and the rules that exist have lots of unknown exceptions and surprises. But though the jungle "factor", parents and pedigree with good hip scores is today what gives you the best chance of getting a puppy/dog with good hips him-/her-self.




About eye scoring I only know a little about the basics, but there's different things you eye score different pure breeds and non-pure breeds dogs for. So though I think the procedure of how it's done is the same, how the result is interpreted is sort of different, depending on what you're looking for, how it affects the dogs and how inheritable it is etc.

So for example about the gene tests that is available, the prcd-PRA gene that Finnish Lapphund, Swedish Lapphund and Lapponian Herders can carry is the same gene (probably because they're all Sami breeds) but as I understand it that doesn't mean that other breeds that also can carry a prcd-PRA gene, has to have the same gene. For example Sloughis can be tested for a rcd1a-PRA gene and Collies can be tested for rcd2-PRA, prcd-PRA and CEA/CH genes.

I know that the prcd-PRA that Finnish Lapphunds can carry doesn't equal that if they have the gene they get PRA, but if they have inherited one gene from each parent = being double carrier it is a high risk that they develop PRA.
But a Lapphund without the gene can still get (non-inherited) old age PRA.

And that is just a little about the gene tests, I think the scoring and inheritance etc. of dogs eye diseases is a bigger subject than the HD, since eye diseases for one breed doesn't have to be the same as for another breed.


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My lab had both - hip score done by vets under GA. Lifetime score and is recorded - think with Kennel Club. I thought her score was bad - just under double figures each side so I chose not to breed from her. Was then told that it wasn't a terrible score and breeding would have been ok. Guess it is a matter of opinion. She was a working dog and was scored at about 18mths. Our vets are in Lewes and they were very helpful.

Her eyes were done at the Game Fair and I understood at the time that this is a once a year assessment. No sedative needed - just eye drops and a dark room.

Hope this helps...
 
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