Health Testing - What to Know and How to Interpret the OFA Numbers

What is the importance of health testing and why should I care? Health testing helps ethical breeders make better breeding decisions. While health testing is not a guarantee – nothing is when it comes to life and genetics – it does stack the deck in a puppy’s favor to a healthier and longer life. The consequences of not doing health testing can literally be life or death.

Founded in 1966, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is a not-for-profit organization (www.ofa.org)  and is the number one most reliable and reputable source of health testing data for dogs in this hemisphere.  OFA’s mission is to help reduce the prevalence and impact of all hereditary diseases in companion animals.

OFA works with each breed’s national parent club (e.g. Siberian Husky Club of America, etc.) to determine their breed specific health testing requirements for the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) program (https://ofa.org/chic-programs ) . Only dogs that have had all the health testing required by its breed’s parent club will be given a CHIC number. If a dog does not have a CHIC number, then it hasn’t had all the health testing required. It is very important to know that a CHIC number itself does not imply normal test results, ONLY that all the required breed specific tests were performed and the results were made publicly available.

Unethical breeders will often only do DNA testing without completing other testing, such as hip x-rays or eye exams. They advertise these dogs as “fully health tested”, but DNA testing alone is not sufficient. Look for another breeder if you come across this type of advertising.

So how do you know if a dog, such as the sire(father) and/or dam(mother) of a litter is health tested? The best way is to research it on the OFA website - this is how you verify that a breeder is being truthful about health testing. While it is great to trust, it is best to always verify. By using the Advanced Search button (https://ofa.org/advanced-search) on the OFA website you may look up a dog a number of ways. If you know the dog’s exact registered name (including correct spelling) or registration number you can enter it in the appropriate box and click “Begin Search”. If the dog has health clearances listed with OFA, then the dog’s name will show up. To view the dog’s health clearances, click on the dog’s name. The dog’s list of health tests will appear along with the date the tests were done and the results of the testing. Parents, grandparents, full siblings, half siblings and offspring will also be listed and vertical pedigrees for each type of testing can also be seen which let’s you see the dog’s health testing history. If you don’t know the dog’s exact registered name or number, you can look it up using various filters such as the kennel’s name, breed, sex, type of testing, etc. Doing so will give you a longer list of possible dogs that you will have to look through to find the dog you want. This is also a great way to do a quick check of a breeder’s health testing practices before you contact them. If no results are listed then it is very possible that the breeder is not doing any health testing OR the name or number is incorrect. Remember a dog may be under another breeder’s kennel name if the dog was bred by them and not the owner. Also note that a CHIC icon and CHIC number will be listed for those CHIC qualified – if there isn’t one then the breeder is only doing partial testing. A reputable breeder will be happy to help you navigate the OFA website to look up the health testing for their dogs.

How to Interpret the OFA Certification Numbers

For hip dysplasia numbers, the first two letters are the breed code, followed by a number, which is the dog’s individual identification number. Next is the results of the phenotypic OFA evaluation – either E (excellent), G (good), or F (Fair), which is then followed by another number which is the animal’s age in months of when the testing was done. This is followed by either an M (male) or F (female) indicating the sex of the dog. This is then followed by a letter designating the type of restraint used to take the x-ray – C for chemical/sedation: P for physical or U indicating the restraint type was not designated. The last letters indicates if a dog has permanent identification such as a microchip, tattoo, etc. – VPI means the dog is permanently identified and has been verified by the examining veterinarian; PI means the dog has permanent identification but it wasn’t verified at the time; and NOPI means the dog has no permanent identification.

Example:  SH-295G42M-P-VPI   this indicates that the dog is a Siberian Husky (SH) and was the 295th Siberian Husky with normal hips; the rating was good; the dog was tested at 42 months of age and it was male; only physical restraint was used to take the x-rays and the permanent identification was verified.

For eye testing (CAER, previously CERF, and SHOR), numbers are similar to the hip dysplasia numbers. Again, the first two letters designate the breed, followed by the word EYE to indicate that it is for eye testing; then followed by the dog’s individual identification number, again followed by age in months and sex and then whether the dog has permanent identification or not. This may be followed by the letters BO for Breeder Option followed by a category listing the problem. Breeder Option is used when there is an abnormality noted but it does not represent a potential vision or other ocular function problem. The issue may be suspected to be inherited but it is not currently known.

Example: SH-EYE-556/30F/VPI-BO-E1 punctate cataract suspected not inherited this indicates that the dog is a Siberian Husky and was the 556th Siberian Husky with normal eyes; the testing was done at 30 months of age: it is a female; the permanent identification was verified and there was a Breeder Option noted and what was seen.

The Siberian Husky Club of America also maintains an eye registry of its own, the Siberian Husky Ophthalmic Registry (SHOR), which is an alternative eye testing accepted by OFA. SHOR uses the same requirements as CAER testing uses and numbers are similar. SHOR results will be listed as SIBERIAN HUSKY OPTH. REGISTRY on the dog’s test results page. The first letter is S for Siberian Husky followed by a number which is the dog’s individual identification number. This is followed by another number indicating which year the test was done and the followed by a number indication, in months, how old the dog was at the time of the test. This may be followed by the letters OCNI which indicates that the eyes have tested clear of known heritable conditions but also have "other conditions suspected as not inherited" marked for one of both eyes.

Example: S-0124/08-84- OCNI this indicates that the dog is a Siberian Husky, was the 124th Siberian Husky with normal eyes; the testing was done in 2008, was 84 months old at the time of the test date and has an “other condition suspected as not inherited”.

PLEASE NOTE FOR SIBERIAN HUSKIES EYE CLEARANCES ARE VALID FOR ONLY 1 YEAR

For DNA testing, the certification numbers are similar as for eye testing. Again, the first two letters designate the breed, followed by a two- or three-letter abbreviation indicating which DNA test was done; then followed by the dog’s individual identification number, again followed by age in months and sex and then whether the dog has permanent identification or not. The test results will be reported as either clear/clear indicating the dog does not carry a gene for the disease or as clear/carrier (CAR) which indicates the dog carries one copy of the gene for the disease. In addition, there may be the designation BP – By Parentage – meaning that both parents were clear/clear and since neither parent carries a gene for the disease it cannot be passed down to their offspring. Only the first generation of such a mating can have the BP designation AND both parents must also to have DNA Profiles on file.

Example: SH-SHP43/7M-PI-BP this indicates that the dog is a Siberian Husky, was the 43rd Siberian Husky which tested clear/clear for Siberian Husky Polyneuropathy 1; the testing was done at 7 months of age: it is a male; the dog has permanent identification which was not verified and the clearance was done by parentage.

Reference: https://ofa.org/about/how-to-interpret-ofa-numbers