Hips , Elbows & Eyes
We have taken this opportunity to share a few of our thoughts with our visitors about the BIG 3 Hereditary Defect issues
confronting Labrador Retrievers. In Australia both the Sire and Dam of a litter "must" be hip and elbow scored before their progeny (offspring)
will be registered and issued with a pedigree by a State Contoliing Body.
NOTE: NO AMOUNT OF SCIENTIFIC SCREENING OF BREEDING STOCK FOR HEREDITARY DEFECTS
CAN EVER GUARANTEE THAT PUPPIES WILL BE FREE OF THESE PROBLEMS.
BUT : BREEDING FROM SOUND PARENTS CERTAINLY INCREASES THE PROBABILITY THAT PUPPIES WILL BE SOUND.
- HIPS - Without doubt the most "talked about" condition in dogs generally and Labrador Retrievers specifically.
X Rays are taken and professionally scored by an accreditted facility (usually the AVA in Sydney or Wyburn in W.A.).
Each hip is scored out of a possible 53 with a number of scientific measurements being taken.
The lower the score, so too the degree of "soundness". Therefore a score of 0:0 or even 5:5 are near perfect.
On the score sheet these individual scores are added together to give a total rating.
So a 4:4 score would be a total 8 and this is then given a rating against Australian and International averages.
It is generally accepted that in Australia the median score of Labrador Retrievers is total 14.
We make mention here that it is a median score simply because not all Xrays are submitted for scoring?
It is more likely that if all Xrays were submitted for scoring then the "breed average" would be more like a total of 18 or 20.
- ELBOWS - Elbow Dysplasia is (in our opinion) a far more serious hereditary defect affecting Labrador Retrievers.
Elbow Xrays are almost always taken at the same time as hips but elbows are "scored" very differently.
An elbow score of 0:0 is perfect whereas a score of 3:3 is seriously affected.
Each additional point above 0 reflects a millimetre of variation (or gap) in the elbow joint.
We personally will not breed from a dog or bitch that does not have perfect 0:0 Elbow scores.
- EYES - A CLEAR parent bred to a CLEAR parent will always result in CLEAR offspring.
The claim "Clear by Parentage" simply means that the parents of that particular dog or bitch were both tested clear of PRA.
That individual offspring must also be genetically CLEAR of prcd PRA.
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