Should we start a thread with examples of what real clearances look like? Seeing that we keep preaching that if clearances are not easily verified on the OFA or CERF websites that puppy buyers should ask to see the clearances in person- should we show them what they are looking for? The difference between prelims and actual clearances and how to read them? Maybe we could turn this into a sticky eventually?
K - I found examples of the hips, elbows and heart from the OFA website but if anyone has an example of pennhip or OVC or a CERF exam handy feel free to add them as well - if you are worried about someone trying to falsify your records PM me and I can photoshop a watermark onto it first.
As you will notice the dogs registered name and registration number is at the top - make sure this matches the pedigree and the other clearances. Age at evalution - make sure this matches too - if someone is trying to show you a clearance for a dog who was 5 when they had their hips done and the dog who is bred is only 2 you know it doesn't belong to that dog. the OFA number itself is a wealth of info - this one telling us that LR-140920G27M-PI is a Lab (LR) , 140920 means it was the 140920th dog to be submitted, has a "GOOD" rating (that is what the G stands for), was 27 months old when radiographed (this number will always be 24 or over), male (M) and was permanently identified by way of either a tatoo, microchip or DNA profile (PI) - if it says NOPI at the end that means that at the time the x-rays were taken that they could not confirm the identification of the dog.
Thanks ! Please remember there are lots of people like myself that have no clue what a “ clearance “ is ? ( until now!) I had no idea you could get health checks fro breeders , only guarantees etc so this forum is helping me so much! I did what someone recommended first and read the “ what us am English cream?”
that def needs to be the first thing newbies read prior to choosing a dog or breeder !
the “ family” breeder I thought looked so good (and my neighbor recommended) turns out to be a horrible breeder!
you nice people have already helped save me much headache and $$
Now we need copies of the actual heart report and eye report, before being sent in for the registered clearance. These are as good as the registered clearances but look very different.
Ok this may be a dumb question, but is there any way by looking at the elbow OFA number to understand how they rate? I know the "G" in the hip means good.
Thyroid clearance is posted on the first page. It is not a required clearance but some breeders do it anyway.
Patellas are not required either and are not a big problem in Goldens at this point. Some breeders do them, and the certificate for them would be very similar to hips or elbows. Someone may have one they can post. I've never seen patella problems in 30+ years in Goldens so I don't think they are very common at all. I have definitely seen them in the Pugs though!
I was about to upload a copy of an old CERF from, but saw that Ashleigh put it up while I was digging through folders. I also have hard copies of export pedigrees and health clearances from Holland and Sweden, if anyone is getting a puppy from either country and wants to make sure the paperwork is legitimate.
To an untrained eye I think many could pass off forged or failed eye and heart exam sheets (how do we know the neighbour didn't sign it) and think all breeders should submit the heart exams and at least one eye exam (although I do submit mine yearly). I will post the OFA application form for the heart once I get back on my laptop too just so we have another reference.
I was just reviewing this, and realized that the information on elbow dysplasia, as rated by OFA, was actually incomplete. You do either pass or fail for all intents or purposes but the ratings given are either Normal (no Excellent, Good or Fair, as with hips) or if dysplastic, are graded as a Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3 dysplasia.
I am purchasing a puppy from a breeder in NJ. I saw hip and elbows on the OFA. I saw paperwork when I visited them from cardiologist and that "SAT-Like" form for the eyes. They saw normal however she has not sent into cerf yet and it is not on k9data or OFA. PROBLEM?
I would prefer that the cardiac exam be submitted to OFA so I can see if the exam was performed by a regular vet or a cardiologist and if it was by ECHO or auscultation...(unless you happened to notice while you were looking at them...)
I am purchasing a puppy from a breeder in NJ. I saw hip and elbows on the OFA. I saw paperwork when I visited them from cardiologist and that "SAT-Like" form for the eyes. They saw normal however she has not sent into cerf yet and it is not on k9data or OFA. PROBLEM?
If both bubbles are marked NORMAL on a CERF form, there are no breeders options. If the dog has ANY breeders options, the normal bubble will NOT be filled in.
I did not notice. I asked for clearances and saw hip and elbow on OFA and she had eye and heart inside a packet for me when I asked on a visit. She stated normal for both and had allowed me to look over the paperwork. I did not see anything abnormal. I asked why not on OFA and she stated personal hardships and the cost of registering everything with OFA. Assured me paperwork was in order.
I did not notice. I asked for clearances and saw hip and elbow on OFA and she had eye and heart inside a packet for me when I asked on a visit. She stated normal for both and had allowed me to look over the paperwork. I did not see anything abnormal. I asked why not on OFA and she stated personal hardships and the cost of registering everything with OFA. Assured me paperwork was in order.
I am not buying the personal hardship. If she has the money to breed a litter, she has the money to send things into the OFA.
If it is a new CERF(meaning that the dog doesn't have a CERF number) it is $12.00 per dog. If you are re-cerfing(meaning the dog already has a CERF number from previous years and you are just sending in a new report) the cost is $8.00 per dog.
The fee to send in a heart clearance to the OFA is $15 and it is done once and not yearly.
I just have a hard time buying the fact that someone who is breeding cannot afford to spend between $23-27 per dog to get clearances where they belong.
To an untrained eye, you wouldn't know if the heart clearance was from a cardiologist, specialist or practioner.
An issue with the CERF form is the DATE that the optho signed it. It should have been done in the past year.
I wait to send in our CERF reports until we have all the dogs done. We take them a few at a time to clinics, etc(we do them in 3 groups) but they ALL get sent in.
This is very informative but on the first page several of the certificates dont show up for me. Is it my computer or not?
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