Hi all,

I was wondering if any one had any advice on what i need to do re, getting my dog hip scored?  I'm obviously registered with my local vet, know that it involves an x-ray which my vet will then send off, but do i need to acquire any papers from the kennel club about the breed standard first - to send off with the x-ray.  Do i need to provide his papers, or are there any forma i need to fill in etc.... thanks for all your help!!

you need to take along your dogs registration form, this has the details that are required for the form, ie your dogs kennel name, sire and dam. the vet should fill the form in, get you to double check all details and sign.
be sure to check that your vet is quite skilled in taking the x-rays, they need to be absolutely perfect, if not they will be returned and be taken again. not all vets do them, and you may be referred.

Excellent.  Thank you very much!

You need your dogs pedigree as well

Of course even dogs with no known pedigree can be hipscored.

Procedure notes.

But as the OP's dog is KC registered they will need the dogs pedigree

The BVA link doesn't say that; only KC registration documents (for KC dogs) and 'any related transfer of change of name certificates'.

i only took along my boys registration certificate when he was done in december. didnt need a full pedigree.

I have always needed the dogs pedigrees, the forms require the grandparents names too.. if not pedigree is handed over, how is this completed on the form?

ETA.. for KC reg dogs only.

Me too Kay right back to the start of the scoring scheme

i only needed dam and sire names on my form. there is spaces but says its not mandatory for grandparents.

I recall when i had mine done the form stated mandatory sections and some which weren't. Grandparents weren't mandatory, though i still added them onto it.

I had a conversation on this subject with John a couple of years ago.. and I swore blind that it was mandatory, simply because my vets would not send the plates off without having photocopied my pedigrees, to add the grandparents, when filling in the form...

John informed me that it was NOT mandatory for grandparents names to be added, but many vets did not know this.. I have used 3 different vets since 1st hip scoring in 1976 and all have requested pedigree..

Its not listed on the KC or the BVA instructions for form completion..

I remember my dogs grandparents, even though they are in Spanish and I always put them down on the form, I thought you had to!

I can't understand why you would need to use more than just the registration document and the reference on it.  The rest is in the data banks surely.

I was told it was so that they could be certain it was the right dog, just in case the Registered Number had been put in wrong, but thought that the parents names would have done that. I've always added the grandparents names myself anyway, thuogh I don't think the last set of x-rays (elbows were done too ;-) ) had as the vet filled them in. I'm not going to check as they are in the spare room which has the door closed, and the heating off (brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) :-)

iN iRELAND THEY REQUIRE THE MICROCHIP NUMBER TO BE ON THE PLATES

You don't need the pedigree to fill out the form for hipscoring, as long as you can remember the dam and sire that's all that's needed. Grandparents are optional, but I know my dogs parents and grandparents off by heart so filled it out without the pedigree anyway.

i have spoken to my vet today, and he has told me that i need to get a form from the KC......?  Apparently, they do not hold them.

I have never had to get the form myself.  It sounds like your vet does not Hi X-Ray often, and I personally would go to a Vet who does so regularly, so that you have the best chance of good plates.

I think you could download forms from here: http://www.bva.co.uk/canine_health_schemes/Hip_Scheme.aspx
here are the procedure notes: http://www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/CHS_Hip_Scheme_Procedure_Notes.pdf

Thanks very much.  He has assured me that he does to these on a regular basis, and in his last practice too .... He has recently moved to a different practice and they do not hold the forms.  Luckily i know him quite well, and if he has a problem i'm sure he will tell me.... hopefully.  It is a bit of a worry though, if the vet doesn't get them lined up just right......

Nope vet gets the form, not you!  Surprised that he's stated what he has if he's done quite a few.

From January 2010 you will need to have your dog tattood or chipped in order to have your dog hip/elbow scored etc.

Thank goodness the UK is AT LAST catching up with the rest of the world and demanding PROOF that the dog on the table matches the paperwork!

Two of mine are already chipped and tatooed, :)

I would like to think it was forward thinking, but truth is I just like to have belt and braces when it comes to the dogs :)

Just to add only the eldest girl is not, although I will be getting her tatooed in the near future :)

i have never had mine tattood and after e recent puppy of mine being sold on i will be considering this. do you find people are put off by tattood pups at all?

Put off in what way ? Buying the puppy or selling/rehoming it ?

No why should they be?

it can't be seen in dogs with floppy ears at all normally and it is a visible means of identification which does not require specialist equipment like microchips.

no just the tattoo in general, not being attractive, it was just something that was put to me by friends i had discussed it with, my answer of course was tough then, they dont get a puppy
but i was just wondering if anyone had ever been put off by it?

I would always ask prospective owners which is more unattractive, a visible tattoo or an invisible dog................................. ;)

You can't see them in my dogs, but they have floppy ear (scrummy:)).

You go to the vets, they check the tatoo,you go to a show tatoo, takes two secs to check dogs ID.

Go to any port could take upto half an hour scanning and rescanning, get to another check more scanning :) I don't know why they can't just go by the tatoo for the passport as well. It would be so much easier IMO (from someone who travels with the dogs on a regular basis)

> but i was just wondering if anyone had ever been put off by it?

As I think you know  I like the added security of it.

so some more information as i have never had any of mine tattood, do the vets do it or another registered person? and what age do they have it done? is it painful to pup? how long would pup have to sit there whilst being tattood.

Tattooing is done by a tattooist from the National Dog Tattoo Register. If you're having a litter done the tattooist comes to your house. They can be done at any age as long as the ear is large enough - mine are done at about 6 weeks. It's minorly painful, and takes about 10 seconds in total.

thanks. after having a puppy sold on this is something i am considering. i will tattoo and leave it in my name and chip and that can go in their name. this is for peace of mind in case they find themselves in a home

Mine where both done between 6-8 weeks, one by the breeder, who is authorised. The other by personnel  from that countries register.

There are one or two vets who are also tattooists, but most tattooists are dog people. You can find your nearest tattooist here

Puppies can be tattooed from 6 weeks of age upwards(depending on the size of the ears)for all breeds except Shar Peis. It does hurt, but only for a couple of seconds. The dogs should be held by the tattooist assistant, who will get the dog relaxed(well mine does)& we rarely if ever have any problems

And when I do have a litter they will also be both chipped and pinned :-D

Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

mahonc - another positive about tattooing is that you have no need to keep it registered in your name.  Should for any reason the dog be re-homed and details changed, they will also advise you as the breeder of said dog.

I inform puppy owners that pup will be tattooed for its own security and they are fine about it - a seconds pain to them is nothing compared to the possible heartache of a lost or stolen dog.  It is all done so quickly, most don't even squeak!

> . i will tattoo and leave it in my name

That isn't how the tattoo register works. If you have a litter tattooed they are registered using a litter registration form & the tattoo register relies on the transfer fees to fund it's self. In all cases of a dog being lost, going into rescue etc, the tattoo registrar will contact the breeder, unlike Petlog, your details are linked to your puppies for the whole of it's life & cannot be removed like the Petlog records. I add Notify Breeder to all my litter certificates that I send off to the NDTR. It isn't now necessary, but it alerts the registrar top the fact that you are interested & care about what happens to your puppies.

If you keep the tattoo in your name it is misleading, because it is proof of ownership & once your puppy is sold you no longer own it

so even if they transfer the tatto into their name, i will always be notified should anything happen?

Yes-if you ask the tattooist to annotate the litter certificate-Notify Breeder-this shows that you are actively wanting to be told of any missing reports etc

NDTR

I knew this was a very clever breed but had no idea they were that clever :-)

LOLOL you are thinking of the NSDTR ;-)

Ah - the S makes all the difference :-)

ROFLMAO :-D

I have always had the chip or tatto number included on the plates.

I had my GSD hipscored her parents had exeptionally low scores   .the dam being 3 & 5  and the stud zero and h stamped .I stupidly had my local vet do the xrays she came back with a score of 63 i was devastated is it possible that my vet <wales> Uk was not experienced in this form of Xray ? and the plate were (in my eyes) not good ? she is 4 and shows no signs of HD mind you after knowing her score i have kept her quite lean ..i was advised to get her H stamped but have not as yet .......... COME On!! how manytimes have u heard that someones  broken a limb and the doctors at the hospital have missed it in an xray, i mean ,do you think  it was a high score do to an inexperiented vet ?? i'd love to hear others views on this .

Your vet does not do the scoring a, highly experienced, specialist panel do.  That's more than one opinion.  I doubt they would be too far out in their judgement even with a rather poorly taken Xray presented to them.  Something that I am sure they are also very experienced at recognising.

have you looked back to g parents etc hips scores , sometimes a throw back can happen  if scores are high back in the pedigree , once had a bitch hip score of 50 while all litter mates under 18 , we looked back through the family and found a g grandmother had a score of 42 ,( while  it was acceptable in those days cos the averages hadnt come down as they are now )  just a thought.