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Topic Dog Boards / Health / Hip & Elbow Score
- By sunnygirl03 [au] Date 17.08.14 05:36 UTC
In lab puppies, would there be a lot of difference in the hip and elbow scores of the parents

Parents1: Hips 3:3 and 2:2, Parents 2: Hips 1:1 and 1:2
Parents1: Elbows 1:1 and 0:1, Parents 2: Elbows 0:0 and 0:0

While both scores foe the second set of parents are better, all of them are below average. Would a puppy from either parents be fime to adopt (family pet)or preferrably from parents2?
- By MamaBas [gb] Date 17.08.14 07:01 UTC
Well obviously the lower the scores, the better, BUT I'd also look at the overall dog.   You may find the puppies from litter 1 have a better temperament, for eg.   As both scores appear to be low I'd have to look at more than 'just' the scores.  FWIW.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 07:45 UTC
All else beign equal, I'd go for the second every time as both sets of hips are excellent but nothing but Elbow scores of 0/0 should now be bred from. 

Before last year Elbow score of one was acceptable (the overall score in elbows is always the higher side).
- By suejaw Date 17.08.14 08:42 UTC
Elbow score of 1 is still acceptable on the BVA website. I'd look at both litters and do research on both sides and see what the puppies are like. If from litter one they are better examples of the breed and with temperaments all being well I'd go for litter one.
Either way scores are good on both sides, Champdogs allow for elbow scores of up to 1 on this website to be advertised, over 1 they don't.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 09:19 UTC Edited 17.08.14 09:25 UTC
Advice was changed last year that only 0 scores should be bred from.
http://www.bva.co.uk/canine_health_schemes/Elbow_Scheme.aspx

Go to the document link for Grading scheme and breeding advise

"The overall grade is that of the worse of the two elbows.
Breeding advice
It is strongly recommended that breeders wishing to reduce the risk of elbow dysplasia should select their breeding stock (both dogs and bitches) only from animals with an overall grade of 0.

Dogs with elbow grades of 2 or 3 have marked osteoarthritis likely to be due to ED, with or without a visible primary lesion. There is a significant chance of ED being passed on to the offspring.

Dogs with elbow grades of 1 show mild or early osteoarthritis which is also likely to be due to ED. They should only be used for breeding with caution, taking into consideration the ED grades of as many relatives as possible, as well as the results of other health tests and characteristics."

- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 09:40 UTC
The BVA ED leaflet http://www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/CHS-elbow-dyspalsia-feb-2014.pdf

"Advice on breeding

The overall grade is used internationally as the basis for breeding advice. Ideally dogs with 'normal' (grade 0) elbows should be chosen and at least dogs with 2 or 3 arthrosis should not be used for breeding.

As ED is a prevalent disease, especially in the breeds listed on page 3, such advice will only be effective if it is continued over a number of generations. The most difficult part of accepting such advice for many breeders is that some dogs have never been lame and exercise freely,
but nevertheless may have high grades.

This is the subclinical population with the ability to pass on the problem in the breed. For long-term control of the disease these dogs ought not to be bred from."

Can't now find the Kennel clubs announcement last year that only 0's should be used.  wonder if they have done a  back pedal as in above word doc advice about 1's???
- By Goldmali Date 17.08.14 11:08 UTC
Here it is on the KC website Brainless:
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/press-releases/2013/november/new-breeding-guidelines-for-dogs-that-have-been-elbow-graded/
- By Goldmali Date 17.08.14 11:12 UTC
Also here:
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/breeding-for-health/complex-inherited-disorders/bvakc-health-schemes/bvakc-elbow-dysplasia-scheme/
and here
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/glossary/screening-scheme.aspx?id=BVA%2FKC+Elbow+Dysplasia+Scheme&ReturnUrl=%2Fservices%2Fpublic%2Fglossary%2Fscreening-all.aspx
but this one has not been updated:
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/glossary/health-tests.aspx
- By Celtic Lad [gb] Date 17.08.14 11:33 UTC
Good posts Goldmali and Brainless I did not realise that statement had been issued by the KC.Why is it then that 'reputable breeders' continue to breed from stock with ED of 1.
- By suejaw Date 17.08.14 12:24 UTC
The gene pool would seriously be non existent in some breeds if you went for a 0:0 elbow score, you still have many people using 2, so if it's put down by breed clubs to 1 at least it's working on it. To suddenly go from 1 to 0 only within a few years is not practical, maybe in some breeds where it's the norm for years but in some breeds like mine it's hard enough to convince all breeders to elbow score at all.
A 0 and 1 in our breed is good considering that a lot are still coming out as a 2, however at least we have people starting to go down the elbow scoring route. Again this all does depend on the breed in question.
Bernese have been elbow scoring for years so the number which are zero where the breeders have been working hard are at a good number.
If you have an excellent dog with temperament and good health scores and have an elbow of 1 I really don't think to say never breed from it is wise, if it were a 3 then yes for me that's got to be a no no.
You still have people breeding from high hips even from dogs which have been scoring for years, because that breeder thinks aside from hips their dog is a very good specimen.
Always look back behind the dog to see what they are producing too, if there is a long history of high hips or elbows behind then I'd reconsider it, but my putting a 1 elbow to a 0 one would hope this would improve on the next generation and these things can't be fixed within a few years, it takes time.
- By sunnygirl03 [au] Date 17.08.14 13:44 UTC
Thank you. By the looks of it, both sets of parents have really good temperaments and have bee bred for years not only towars a good score, but also towards temperament and trainability. So in that regard, both sets are good. The only difference might be that the one with the better scores also like to produce show dogs whereas the other breeds purely for families. None is bred for the working field.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 15:49 UTC
The gene pool in Labradors is large enough not to breed from elbows above 0.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 16:03 UTC
It would be helpful if they published stats for the elbow scheme as they do for hips, though I haven't seen an up to date one for hips, latest Breed mean etc chart seems to be 1/11/11??

OFA stats for Elbows show that even among Bernese (6th worst breed for Elbows) the number of normal 0 scores is 71.8% out of over 13 thousand plus scored.

Labradors have over 68 thousand scored with a normal level (0) of 89.3%, so can't see any reason to use anything but zero scores for elbows in this breed.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 16:52 UTC
The kennel club Annual Dog Health report does have some more up to date stats. http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/455665/dog_health_report_2013_web.pdf page 24 ahs hip stats to November 2013.

Page 28 shows al elbow scores in last 15 years showing the spread of scores.

In 1999 there were 583 dogs elbow scored with normal results of 0 for 70%, 15.3% scored 1, 9.3% scored 2, and 5.5% scored 3.

In 2013 there were 3181 dogs graded with 80.3% normal 0 scores, 11.6% scored 1, 6.1% scored 2, and 2% scored 3.

In 15 years 1975 Bernese were graded, 61.7% normal, 14.2% grade 1, 15.5% grade 2, and 8.6% grade 3.

In Labradors 11437 were scored, with 85.5% normal (0 score), 8.7% grade 1, 4% grade 2, and 1.7% grade 3.

So in Labradors using the vast majority of Labradors score 1, so no real need to sue dogs scoring 1. 

Assuming there has been improvement over the years as the general figure shows (from 70% to 80.3% normal) then it is likely that currently even fewer than 15% of Labs score above zero.
- By suejaw Date 17.08.14 16:55 UTC
Agree with Labs and the lowest score tbh, Bernese should be overall low.
Rottweilers on the other hand have a majority sitting on 2's and 1's which let's be honest isn't brilliant but then the majority don't elbow score either. So not a true overall picture I don't think, it's only been the past few years more people have started to elbow score but many dont
- By Brainless [gb] Date 17.08.14 17:13 UTC
There have only been two scored in my bred, but we aren't considered an at risk breed and statistics from other countries show virtually 100% normal scores with less than an handful of 1's
Topic Dog Boards / Health / Hip & Elbow Score

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