Just had a phone call from one of my "owners". She intends to use her lad for stud and I totally approve as had close contact with her since they bought puppy from me nearly two years ago. She was quite upset. The "problem" is the hip score. Her vet is a qualified radiographer and likes to pre-judge xrays as to what the dog's score will be. With the dog in question, he was happy that his score was 1/4 which is a total of 5, a very good score for TT's, the average being 14. My own girl, his sibling has a score of 3/3. The thing is, the BVA have come back with a score of 7/3 which is still fine and below the average for breed standard, but, nothing like her vet's assessment. He is really annoyed and says the BVA are wrong and he would support an appeal, if she wishes to go ahead with one. The thing is, to appeal costs £80 and the stupid thing is that if they (the BVA) are found to have made a mistake, the £80 is not refunded. I am totally happy to lift the endorsement on a score of 10 but my owner just wants a score that is right!!Have any of you peeps had problems like this and if so, what did you do????

I have never appealed a hip score but know some who have and not many have been rescored lower than the original ,however your owner may be the lucky one ! if it were me i think i would stick the the original as it is still below your breed average.

Right, interesting. Will pass that one. Thank-you

agree with newfien ook....its still below breed average so count the blessings!!

i also agree its still lower then breed average ,she knows its lower so i would waste my money !!.

Yes, I agree. I told my owner that  I would ask for other opinions, but I do think she is best just leaving it. I think the vet in question feels that his opinion has been questioned, but that is a personal thing to him and his opinion isnt really anything to do with it anyway!!! I sort of understand where she is coming from but as the score is a good one, seems daft to waste 80 quid, just to please her vet!! Thank-you for confirming my own thoughts.

This sounds like a good reason for radiographer vets to keep quiet. If the vet hadn't put their two pennorth in this owner would probably be very happy with the score given. It doesn't really matter what the vet thinks, it's the BVA that counts.

If it were me, I'd let it lie, and I'd think this vet wasn't as clever as they think they are.

Dawn R.

I agree with the other posters, I wouldn't shell  out to satisfy the hurt pride of my vet!! However, if it were well over the average then I would consider it, but it's not so I would tell her to be content with it. Interestingly when I had mine done recently they were on the KC site before I had been informed, thankfully they were good, BUT if I had wanted to appeal most people would have seen them before I had got the opportunity!!

Tell her to talk to her Vet and if he feels so strongly about it being wrong and he is RIGHT He would offer to pay the 8o quid surely??!!!! Tell him to put his money were his mouth is and see what happens!!

Seriously, waste of time appealing, very rarely are they changed!

My own vet said one of my dogs wouldn't have a score of less than 10, she came back totalling 7!   So I put very little faith in vets.  One person I know had their bitch scored by a vet who's supposed to be 'red-hot' on predicting scores, she knew her girl wasn't going to have great hips and the vet had totalled them at 30-35, the score came back totalling in the 60's!

Id not pay it that score is good enough, If the Vet is that hurt, let him pay the £80

The BVA don't like to be questioned about their desision, i have known severel people who have appealed and the score always comes back higher than it was before.
I would stick to it as it is a good score.

Peanuts

I will send your comments on to my "owner". Obviously your opinions on this are pretty clear cut and hopefully these will make her see sense and not be bullied into appealing by her vet!! Thanks chaps!!

> Interestingly when I had mine done recently they were on the KC site before I had been informed, thankfully they were good, BUT if I had wanted to appeal most people would have seen them before I had got the opportunity!!

Wow, yes, just had a look. The dog in question hasnt got his scores listed as yet but my girl has and only done in last couple of weeks.!!

I was going to appeal my eldest boys.  He was done in Spain and had a score of excellent, done by the BVA here and had an extremely high score.  I had the films, people have seen then, my vet the Spanish vet and people who were in attendance when he was originally x-rayed in Spain couldn't believe the score that he got over here.  IN the end I didn't bother as a lot of people seemed to think it was a waste of time. 

With such a low score anyway I don't think I would pay the money they request for an appeal, as others have said it's well below the breed average anyway.

There is no one to challenge the BVA. There should be!! as they can be wrong like anyone. If there was an indepentent body, I would say challenge them. But! you won't get anywhere.
I have heard of this before by older vets, that used to sit on the panel at the BVA. Not agreeing with the xrays results.

Thats what I have heard too.

What I find a bit more confusing is that one person says 1:4 & the other is 7:3 making it look like both people are looking at different plates (the sides are both uneven, but not the same sides as you would expect).  Does your owner really want to pay £80 to get the score improved when let's face it, most people looking at him as a stud dog will be pleased with the fact that he's well below the breed average? 

I know it's a matter of principal, but it may be best left alone IMHO of course.

Oh & I put very little faith in vets giving an opinion on plates these days :-(

>The BVA don't like to be questioned about their desision, i have known severel people who have appealed and the score always comes back higher than it was before.

I would stick to it as it is a good score.

same here, vet advised me "never get involved with bva"

I was told that it just all depends on who scores the hips at the BVA over what result you get.  I know that when I get a plate done and I look at it you can see for yourself if you have good hips.  Its a waste of money to argue and the others are right another person might send you a higher score back.  its below average so just accept it.  Well I hope the owner can.

Thank-you all. The owner has decided to let it lie!! I sent her all your replies. I dont think anyone came back and said to appeal. Thanks a lot.