Confused.

Which OFA test am I supposed to do? There are seven different choices.

In dachshunds, I think patellas are the most important if you're only choosing one. I go to an orthopedic vet and figure while they're at it, have them check hips (they don't need a second x-ray for that), and if you're doing the front, check elbows and shoulders. OFA is just a registry essentially, so your vet is actually doing the exams and you can pay to register them with OFA if you would like. Your dog must be at least two years old for OFA to accept the results, so before that, you're doing preliminary tests.

Ok, thank you! I just found an ophthalmologist near me so I'll be doing the CERF test soon also.

Do not do OFA during heat cycles or right after birthing a litter. Give her 3 mths after heat and a litter. Trust me.....you can get false bad results if you do it during a heat.

Yes ma'am!

Admin wrote:Do not do OFA during heat cycles or right after birthing a litter. Give her 3 mths after heat and a litter. Trust me.....you can get false bad results if you do it during a heat.

This is very good to know - I knew not during heats but for 3 months after? poor Luna may never get it done then - she is a 5 month cycler...I sooo hope that changes soon Jax is driving me nuts

Admin wrote:Do not do OFA during heat cycles or right after birthing a litter. Give her 3 mths after heat and a litter. Trust me.....you can get false bad results if you do it during a heat.

That is absolutely right- very good point. The hormones make the joints looser than normal. For Luna, just do halfway between her cycles. If she's cycling every 5 months, go 2 1/2 months. Millie seems to have settled into a 7 month cycle, but at the time I had hers done, she'd had one 9 month and one 7 month, so I went about 3 1/2 months for her. Approximate is fine-you just don't want to go three weeks after they've had a heat.

Thank you