UC Davis/OFA Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia Numbers

" Dog breeds that were most highly participatory in a voluntary United States radiographic screening process for hips and elbows were evaluated for improvement, whether maternal or paternal selection was more responsible for any observed progress, whether some breeds prove more amenable to selection than others, and whether selection against one orthopedic disorder yielded concomitant improvement in the other."

See: Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds.

The study is a good example of how data/numbers can be used to improve understanding of and illustrate progress towards improvement in problematic health conditions. However the voluntary nature of the screening process itself coupled with non-compulsory submissions to OFA post the actual procedural evaluation done at a veterinarian's practice brings to mind a few questions...

How is the data available used and by whom? i.e. is the information used by kennel or breed clubs in health/welfare policy decision-making (Codes of Ethics, creating breeding requirements or recommendations, creating educational materials); does research like this piece validate the need for clubs to support funding for further health research or for conducting health surveys; is data accessed by breeders in or outside of clubs to guide decisions regarding suitable/unsuitable breeding prospects; are breed-specific numbers used by veterinarians in practice/diagnosis or in providing advice to clients; does data collected on breeds provide accessible information for the general public searching for a family companion?

Discussion involving 'Show Me The Numbers' will take place in Paris at the 3rd International Dog Health Workshop. We hope to present more content from experts on this topic after the Workshop event.

Check out the Speakers...