[doganjo]

But, as the daughter of a championship show judge and a Registered Veterinary Nurse of 12 years I know how breeders can be.

Indeed!!!!!

[sandy]

Some human X Ray's have to be redone, never thought twice about asking for a specialist when I have been for hip X Ray's (I had hip displace) I am only speaking as a novice but surly if the vets had correct instructions from BVA, maybe diagrammes, the placing of a dog should be straight forward...how many positions are there? I have certainly had loads of hip X Ray's......now I am getting more and more cynical...how can you tell if/when a vet dose it correctly, even if they are experienced, they are only human and can have off days...sooooo confusing, whetever next?

[doganjo]

But, as the daughter of a championship show judge and a Registered Veterinary Nurse of 12 years I know how breeders can be.

Indeed!!!!!

My daughter is also the daughter of a Championship Show Judge, as well as being a Doctors wife and a Teacher and I don't think she would know how I as a breeder "can be."  Are we that difficult?  

I think we are possibly over protective of our own breeds(is that a bad thing?), and I personally happen to have a 'thing' about only breeding from low scored dogs(the highest I have bred from is 14 in a breed with an average of 17, but most of mine are around 6 or 7), so it is extremely important to me to get the right vet to be absolutely accurate 100% with my dogs whether it is for x-rays or anything else.  Vet nurses are of course of great value.
As a matter of interest ther is a French Champion that ahs been x-rayed three times!  He started off as a C and is now an A - make of that what you will, bad plates or a bad score manipulated?
It's not as simple as that Sandy.  Dogs need to be very accurately placed for the hip scoring to be read properly, and simple instructions from the BVA are insufficient.

[Jackie]

No comment. (That this board would like anyway) 

[doganjo]

No comment. (That this board would like anyway) 

  To me or Sandy? 

[sandy]

I am no expert anyway, I only go by what I know and thought that a contributory factor to hip problems and other genetic problems were from breeders trying to achieve certain standards in the first place like the poor old German Shephard and inbreeding to attain those qualities, I also consider that the pups birth, how a pup is fed, exercised etc has a great deal to do with hip problems, like in humans, too much exercise too soon or too much or too little food!!!

[Jackie]

Neither of you Annie. 

Sandy it wasnt anything to do with inbreeding but a lot to do with shepherds as this breeds owners pushed hard for hip scoring and its thanks to them we now have the system in place.

[sandy]

 ;DI had a Shephard and her hips went when she was about 6 years old, so sad to see, I would hate to encourage that!!!! Hope our new pups have low hip scores...fingers crossed.....our females father had perfect hips, (not like me)

[Jackie]

Its 2 sheps Im taking for the scores and I know their lines have good hips but my 2 are nuts so I have no idea what these will have.

They have been gently reared with all precautions taken but you never really know untill you get the scores back.
 Im looking for under 10 if we can but under breed average of 19 is ok.

[doganjo]

how a pup is fed, exercised etc has a great deal to do with hip problems, like in humans, too much exercise too soon or too much or too little food!!!

  Absolutely spot on, Sandy, but hereditary factors play the major part, which is why Jackie, you and I only breed from dogs with below average hip scores.

So what was the no comment for, Jackie?

[Jackie]

I get very angry when people post 'IMHO' as though that absolves them from being rude and especially when its not an informed opinion or based on their own experience and after being told factually how things are by people who have experience.

Ah well, such is life!