# PennHIP or OFA or both?



## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

I have a couple of dogs that still need their hips done and have a chance to attend a "local" clinics "Breeders Special" which will have both PennHIP and OFA available. While there is a HUGE price difference I don't want that to be my single deciding factor in picking which to do. 

Twit is over 2 so either would be her only hip test needed.

Cole is 16 months old, a jumping fool and we are thinking of starting Agility lessons in Dec. I understand that if I do OFA at this time it would be a prelim and would need to be repeated after he turns 2 but if I am reading correctly PennHIP would not need to be repeated.... 

Which would you do? OFA on both, OFA on Twit and PennHIP on Cole, PennHIP on both or ???? The reason I am planning to check Cole's hips is he is as mentioned a jumping fool and if we are doing agility with him I really want those hips checked first.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

We do OFA. If I ever had a fail I might do Pennhip to verify. I do not allow my dogs to be knocked out for their OFA x-rays as the anesthesia is always a risk and I believe with Pennhip they have to be. I have also heard of injury occurring during the Pennhip test and am not willing to risk it. But, there are loads of breeders who use it and swear by it. And yowza...the price difference can be astronomical depending on where you live. Here in Ontario, the difference is about $500.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

During this special the OFA x rays are $92. PennHIP is $385 so yes considerable cost difference. I have done OFA on all the others as PennHIP was not an option but I am looking at the fact I want hips on a 16 month old checked.....


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

Ive always done OFA myself but also know lots who do PennHIP and swear the results are better and more reliable than OFA. I don't know the cost difference around me, my Vet charges almost 300 for the OFA test and that includes the brief anesthesia. Ive always been told that sedation was necessary to relax the muscles enough to allow the proper rotation of the joint. They have never tried it with out sedation. I think I may ask them to at least try with the pups when they are old enough.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

The vets in my area charges about$500 for pennhip which seems a bit more comprehensive. I was originally paranoid about Lucky's hips and had him xrayed in multiple angles while under sedation. You can't have a service dog that does not have good hips. I had this done around when he was around a year which you can't do for OFA until two years.


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