• "A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue" -Author Unknown
  • "Every boy should have two things: a dog and a mother willing to let him have one." - Anonymous
  • "Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." - Gene Hill
  • A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same. - Elbert Hubbard
  • "A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away." -Bil Keane
  • "A meow massages the heart." - Stuart McMillan
  • "There is more to life than increasing speed." -Mahatma Ghandi
  • "Happiness is where we find it, but rarely where we seek it." - J. Petit Senn
  • "If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question, or asked the question wrong." - Pat Parelli
  • "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." - Winston Churchill
  • "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -Roger Caras
  • "No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." - Winston Churchill
  • "Agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." - George Eliot
  • "To err is human - to forgive, canine."
  • "Money may buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail." -Kinky Friedman
  • "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France
  • "I hope to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am." - Unknown
  • "Horses - if God made anything more beautiful, he kept it for himself." - Author unknown
  • "Are we really sure the purring is coming from the kitty and not from our very own hearts?" - Terri Guillemets
  • "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." - Ben Williams

 
 The value of PennHIP goes far beyond breeding evaluations,
it is useful for evaluating any dog with the potential of developing hip dysplasia.

Dr. Barr is certified
as a PennHIP veterinarian.

For more details visit the PennHIP website

 

 boxer

What is Hip Dysplasia?

Hip Dysplasia is a genetic/heritable condition causing arthritis or degenerative joint disease of the hip joints. It affects every breed of dog but is most commonly seen in large and giant breeds. Hip Dysplasia can be seen in very young dogs or it can develop in a more chronic form as a dog ages. It is one of the most common and debilitating diseases seen in large breed dogs today.

 

Pennhip What is PennHIP?

A scientific method to evaluate a dog for his susceptibility to develop Hip Dysplasia. The technique involves taking several different radiographic evaluations of the hip joints in order to predict the probability of a dog developing hip dysplasia during his life.

"Passive hip laxity" can be measured with one of the specific positioning techniques. The degree of "passive hip laxity" is an important factor in determining the susceptibility in developing Hip Dysplasia. The protocol was developed at The University of Pennsylvania, hence the name, PennHIP.

 

 How does PennHIP differ from OFA?
  1. PennHIP evaluations allow viewing the geometry of the hip joint.
  2. Distraction x-ray views of the hip joint allow evaluation of the laxity of structures that hold the joint together.
  3. Compression views indicate the amount of joint fluid present to lubricate the joint.

Using all of this information together has been shown to be a more reliable indicator of future hip dysplasia. Also, PennHIP evaluations can be done as young as 16 weeks of age, much sooner than the OFA standard of 2 years of age.

The evaluation process of the x-rays is under strict scientific protocol and interpretation will not vary with the radiologist reading the films. Also, individual dogs are measured against dogs of the same breed.

Even though we cannot change the genetic makeup of a dog, by using preventative medicine such as joint supplements and appropriate environmental management, you could lessen or slow down the process of hip degeneration in you dog if he/she has the genetic predisposition to hip dysplasia.