We just celebrated Dixie Rose’s 1 year birthday, and that means it’s time for her first full OFA Health Screening. Our veterinarian will administer her essential Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) health tests. While this is always important before breeding a dog, having this valuable information early in your dog’s life can give you information to help your dog live its best life because you have knowledge early on.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is a nonprofit organization based in Columbia, Missouri, that aims to research and prevent orthopedic and hereditary diseases in companion animals.
OFA tests are voluntary, become public record, and quite expensive. When an owner has these tests done, it makes a statement about their commitment responsible dog ownership and quality of the breed. OFA testing has nothing to do with being a “show dog” but owners of registered dogs add their dogs to the OFA database for the good of the entire breed. It allows all of us to trace a dog’s health for many generations. It also allows the tracing of diseases.
After a dog has completed these tests, the results are recorded in a database that’s easily accessible to everyone. It’s important to remember that having the possibility of diseases like hip dysplasia or eye issues doesn’t diminish your pup’s lovability; it’s simply information that can help inform health management and breeding choices. Being a responsible dog owner means making sure we don’t breed dogs with health issues, and registering all dogs in the database is a positive step for the well-being of our dogs and the wider community.
Golden Retriever Puppies 